Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Albany, New York (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Albany, New York was $58,460 in May 2025, above the U.S. median of $50,980.
- The best-paid job here that typically needs only a high school diploma or less was electrical power-line installers and repairers, at a median of $127,580.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by dental hygienists at $98,030.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Albany, New York. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY)) and the education level BLS lists as typical for entry into each job (BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35), here are the best-paying jobs in the metro area that don’t require a bachelor’s degree. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY had about 449,410 wage and salary jobs in the survey.
Top-paying jobs that need a high school diploma or less
Jobs with at least 300 positions in the metro area, ranked by median annual wage. The last column shows the national median for comparison.
| Occupation | Albany, New York median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $127,580 | 460 | $95,320 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $118,150 | 660 | $106,040 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $105,020 | 390 | $107,230 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $99,010 | 960 | $93,790 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $97,820 | 700 | $87,520 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $87,000 | 1,410 | $74,450 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $84,430 | 470 | $62,470 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $83,750 | 1,840 | $79,920 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | $82,540 | 1,000 | $59,850 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $82,360 | 1,770 | $79,860 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $80,070 | 1,210 | $78,000 |
| Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | $78,610 | 490 | $74,330 |
Many of these jobs pay well because they come with long on-the-job training, licensing, physical risk or irregular hours. Several are skilled trades that train through paid apprenticeships.
Top-paying jobs that need a certificate or associate’s degree
Jobs where BLS lists a postsecondary certificate, some college or an associate’s degree as the typical entry credential:
| Occupation | Albany, New York median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Hygienists | $98,030 | 730 | $98,100 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $85,590 | 670 | $80,110 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $85,250 | 300 | $82,280 |
| Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $82,480 | 450 | $66,120 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $73,160 | 430 | $76,220 |
| Firefighters | $70,840 | 480 | $59,280 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $66,040 | 1,450 | $61,010 |
| Chemical Technicians | $64,060 | 320 | $60,390 |
The most common jobs in Albany, New York, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $37,590 | 13,180 |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,420 | 11,930 |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | 10,230 |
| General and Operations Managers | $111,130 | 8,890 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $37,810 | 8,880 |
| Cashiers | $34,290 | 8,570 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $45,350 | 8,290 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $38,220 | 8,240 |
How to use these numbers
- Medians are midpoints. Half of workers in each job earn more and half earn less; new workers usually start well below the median.
- Overtime is not included. BLS wage estimates exclude overtime pay and shift differentials, so jobs with heavy overtime often pay more in practice (see the OEWS technical notes).
- Check the training path. “Typical entry education” is what most new workers have; licenses and apprenticeships may still be required.
Published October 30, 2026. Sources are linked in the text.
Header image: original chart by JobPayRaise.com using BLS OEWS May 2025 data.
Comments (1)
One more data point from the same survey: the occupation most concentrated in Albany, New York relative to the nation is word processors and typists, with a location quotient of 8.2. That means those jobs make up about 8.2 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 830 of them locally, at a median of $46,550. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk