Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Detroit (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Detroit was $52,080 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 power plant operators, at a median of $108,050.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by commercial pilots at $133,220.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Detroit. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI)) 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. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI had about 1,904,530 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 | Detroit median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Plant Operators | $108,050 | 300 | $102,040 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $104,360 | 860 | $95,320 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $101,860 | 3,660 | $107,230 |
| Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | $100,090 | 1,070 | $74,340 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $98,140 | 1,680 | $106,040 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $95,820 | 1,200 | $93,790 |
| Millwrights | $91,850 | 1,490 | $65,700 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $86,370 | 5,520 | $63,800 |
| Real Estate Brokers | $85,600 | 690 | $73,220 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $85,410 | 1,580 | $87,520 |
| Electricians | $81,990 | 11,210 | $63,190 |
| Model Makers, Metal and Plastic | $81,110 | 490 | $63,340 |
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 | Detroit median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Pilots | $133,220 | 410 | $123,220 |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologists | $98,160 | 300 | $101,370 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $86,490 | 1,000 | $93,530 |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | $86,110 | 560 | $95,480 |
| Dental Hygienists | $84,480 | 3,780 | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $83,280 | 1,490 | $96,590 |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $81,410 | 850 | $74,310 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $80,790 | 1,910 | $82,280 |
The most common jobs in Detroit, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $49,240 | 55,100 |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,130 | 48,610 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $35,120 | 46,480 |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | 44,310 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $29,590 | 42,430 |
| Cashiers | $30,090 | 37,910 |
| General and Operations Managers | $104,010 | 37,250 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $36,720 | 37,090 |
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 29, 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 Detroit relative to the nation is model makers, metal and plastic, with a location quotient of 15.17. That means those jobs make up about 15.17 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 490 of them locally, at a median of $81,110. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk