Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Little Rock (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Little Rock was $45,790 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 electrical power-line installers and repairers, at a median of $106,960.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by dental hygienists at $89,160.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Little Rock. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR)) 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. Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR had about 358,210 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 | Little Rock median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $106,960 | 350 | $95,320 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $83,050 | 420 | $107,230 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $77,330 | 540 | $106,040 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $70,520 | 2,100 | $79,860 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $67,290 | 1,090 | $78,000 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $64,310 | 510 | $87,520 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $63,710 | 1,830 | $74,450 |
| Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | $63,190 | 490 | $74,330 |
| Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | $62,470 | 440 | $65,510 |
| Postal Service Mail Carriers | $62,070 | 780 | $60,550 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $61,060 | 1,720 | $79,920 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $59,940 | 900 | $64,520 |
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 | Little Rock median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Hygienists | $89,160 | 490 | $98,100 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $75,300 | 530 | $82,280 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $73,830 | 630 | $80,110 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $73,330 | 350 | $93,530 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $72,700 | 320 | $79,870 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | $64,110 | 460 | $68,380 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $61,510 | 560 | $76,220 |
| Surgical Technologists | $60,910 | 640 | $64,650 |
The most common jobs in Little Rock, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | 11,550 |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,150 | 10,620 |
| General and Operations Managers | $76,080 | 9,330 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $27,470 | 8,720 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $35,340 | 7,990 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $57,050 | 7,910 |
| Office Clerks, General | $37,250 | 7,800 |
| Cashiers | $27,720 | 7,300 |
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 Little Rock relative to the nation is administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers, with a location quotient of 8.51. That means those jobs make up about 8.51 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 320 of them locally, at a median of $64,620. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk