Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Grand Rapids (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Grand Rapids was $47,570 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 transportation, storage, and distribution managers, at a median of $97,980.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by dental hygienists at $84,290.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Grand Rapids. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, 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. Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI had about 598,260 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 | Grand Rapids median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $97,980 | 1,130 | $107,230 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $81,420 | 790 | $78,000 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $80,440 | 2,270 | $63,800 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $77,580 | 2,070 | $79,860 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $77,350 | 470 | $87,520 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $75,350 | 2,490 | $79,920 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $74,920 | 1,440 | $76,210 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $72,170 | 6,980 | $72,080 |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | $68,520 | 1,210 | $58,940 |
| Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | $66,750 | 490 | $54,210 |
| Millwrights | $66,510 | 320 | $65,700 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $66,340 | 3,210 | $69,990 |
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 | Grand Rapids median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Hygienists | $84,290 | 1,160 | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $82,890 | 350 | $96,590 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $78,070 | 690 | $82,280 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $77,360 | 860 | $80,110 |
| Mechanical Drafters | $74,490 | 360 | $71,550 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | $68,700 | 700 | $68,380 |
| Massage Therapists | $68,470 | 350 | $58,450 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | $67,290 | 370 | $72,300 |
The most common jobs in Grand Rapids, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $39,120 | 19,540 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $36,130 | 18,840 |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | 13,740 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,240 | 13,190 |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,800 | 12,600 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $35,890 | 11,490 |
| Office Clerks, General | $45,320 | 11,310 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $35,840 | 10,960 |
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 Grand Rapids relative to the nation is woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing, with a location quotient of 11.77. That means those jobs make up about 11.77 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 2,780 of them locally, at a median of $47,720. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk