Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Bakersfield (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Bakersfield was $47,470 in May 2025, below the U.S. median of $50,980.
- The best-paid job here that typically needs only a high school diploma or less was first-line supervisors of police and detectives, at a median of $122,960.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers at $632,190.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Bakersfield. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Bakersfield-Delano, CA)) 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. Bakersfield-Delano, CA had about 338,230 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 | Bakersfield median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $122,960 | 340 | $106,040 |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | $107,220 | 3,280 | $58,940 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $95,510 | 490 | $107,230 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $94,280 | 1,170 | $79,860 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $92,120 | 1,610 | $79,920 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $78,130 | 1,320 | $76,210 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | $77,960 | 1,000 | $59,850 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $76,940 | 940 | $74,450 |
| Electricians | $75,860 | 1,410 | $63,190 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $74,190 | 1,530 | $72,080 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $73,680 | 910 | $64,520 |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $72,860 | 650 | $76,590 |
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 | Bakersfield median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $632,190 | 340 | $93,530 |
| Dental Hygienists | $114,380 | 340 | $98,100 |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $103,170 | 540 | $78,190 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $102,760 | 370 | $82,280 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $99,210 | 450 | $80,110 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $91,750 | 710 | $79,870 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $76,130 | 1,480 | $64,400 |
| Firefighters | $72,410 | 780 | $59,280 |
The most common jobs in Bakersfield, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | $34,620 | 32,500 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $34,320 | 17,270 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $39,470 | 9,180 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $46,890 | 8,440 |
| Cashiers | $35,220 | 8,350 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $57,690 | 7,050 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $39,070 | 6,190 |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,320 | 6,050 |
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 31, 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 Bakersfield relative to the nation is farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse, with a location quotient of 56.27. That means those jobs make up about 56.27 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 32,500 of them locally, at a median of $34,620. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Bakersfield-Delano, CA). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk