Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Boston (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Boston was $66,620 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 transportation, storage, and distribution managers, at a median of $128,760.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by magnetic resonance imaging technologists at $123,910.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Boston. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH)) 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. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH had about 2,703,890 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 | Boston median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $128,760 | 3,190 | $107,230 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $122,870 | 4,470 | $87,520 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Workers | $120,840 | 1,310 | $62,780 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $111,490 | 1,550 | $95,320 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $110,150 | 1,110 | $93,790 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $108,190 | 3,720 | $106,040 |
| Glaziers | $107,610 | 780 | $57,080 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $106,050 | 6,060 | $69,990 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $105,930 | 320 | $77,970 |
| Power Plant Operators | $103,900 | 640 | $102,040 |
| Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | $103,090 | 1,730 | $74,330 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $99,890 | 13,110 | $79,920 |
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 | Boston median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | $123,910 | 1,160 | $95,480 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $109,200 | 1,590 | $96,590 |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $107,000 | 780 | $74,310 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $104,590 | 4,100 | $80,110 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $104,580 | 1,560 | $82,280 |
| Dental Hygienists | $101,990 | 5,150 | $98,100 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $96,740 | 2,460 | $93,530 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $93,280 | 1,220 | $79,870 |
The most common jobs in Boston, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $40,910 | 72,420 |
| General and Operations Managers | $133,800 | 70,950 |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | 64,240 |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,850 | 64,150 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $36,290 | 60,130 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $46,550 | 43,160 |
| Cashiers | $36,040 | 42,920 |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | 42,310 |
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 28, 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 Boston relative to the nation is biochemists and biophysicists, with a location quotient of 22.73. That means those jobs make up about 22.73 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 13,370 of them locally, at a median of $131,550. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk