Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Memphis (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Memphis was $46,890 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 $106,170.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by aircraft mechanics and service technicians at $92,180.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Memphis. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Memphis, TN-MS-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. Memphis, TN-MS-AR had about 611,670 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 | Memphis median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $106,170 | 1,570 | $107,230 |
| Private Detectives and Investigators | $99,680 | 310 | $51,220 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $97,150 | 340 | $95,320 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $81,120 | 900 | $87,520 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $79,050 | 940 | $106,040 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $78,850 | 450 | $78,000 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $77,780 | 2,600 | $79,860 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $75,850 | 2,500 | $79,920 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $75,410 | 3,630 | $76,210 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $71,310 | 8,710 | $69,500 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $66,230 | 540 | $62,470 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $65,990 | 2,910 | $74,450 |
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 | Memphis median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $92,180 | 2,140 | $79,870 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $82,930 | 390 | $96,590 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $82,320 | 530 | $93,530 |
| Dental Hygienists | $78,580 | 650 | $98,100 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $70,720 | 310 | $76,220 |
| Paramedics | $66,830 | 810 | $60,600 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $66,460 | 670 | $82,280 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $66,320 | 890 | $80,110 |
The most common jobs in Memphis, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $39,510 | 37,750 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $63,070 | 19,460 |
| Retail Salespersons | $32,580 | 17,050 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $27,490 | 15,320 |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | 13,760 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,280 | 12,200 |
| Cashiers | $29,160 | 10,840 |
| General and Operations Managers | $102,510 | 9,730 |
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 Memphis relative to the nation is tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents, with a location quotient of 6.17. That means those jobs make up about 6.17 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 1,370 of them locally, at a median of $49,440. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Memphis, TN-MS-AR). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk