Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in the Inland Empire (Riverside-San Bernardino) (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in the Inland Empire (Riverside-San Bernardino) was $48,400 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 $159,810.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers at $115,740.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in the Inland Empire (Riverside-San Bernardino). Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, 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. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA had about 1,716,760 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 | the Inland Empire (Riverside-San Bernardino) median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $159,810 | 1,300 | $106,040 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $131,780 | 590 | $77,970 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $128,750 | 1,580 | $95,320 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $127,420 | 1,510 | $93,790 |
| Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators | $126,640 | 310 | $53,340 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $101,870 | 6,010 | $76,210 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $98,700 | 3,550 | $107,230 |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | $94,730 | 4,800 | $58,940 |
| Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | $92,910 | 740 | $74,330 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $91,940 | 1,410 | $78,000 |
| Construction and Building Inspectors | $89,950 | 1,160 | $74,690 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $88,690 | 5,660 | $79,860 |
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 | the Inland Empire (Riverside-San Bernardino) median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $115,740 | 660 | $93,530 |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | $106,010 | 320 | $95,480 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $105,860 | 960 | $96,590 |
| Dental Hygienists | $105,730 | 1,860 | $98,100 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $105,190 | 2,140 | $80,110 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $100,480 | 2,200 | $82,280 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $81,440 | 1,120 | $79,870 |
| Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $80,710 | 740 | $64,950 |
The most common jobs in the Inland Empire (Riverside-San Bernardino), for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $34,320 | 102,760 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $43,200 | 77,160 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $46,060 | 69,820 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $42,280 | 51,310 |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,720 | 41,270 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,580 | 40,230 |
| Cashiers | $35,700 | 35,730 |
| Registered Nurses | $133,940 | 35,290 |
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 the Inland Empire (Riverside-San Bernardino) relative to the nation is plasterers and stucco masons, with a location quotient of 6.05. That means those jobs make up about 6.05 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 1,290 of them locally, at a median of $53,580. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk