Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Ogden, Utah (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Ogden, Utah was $48,900 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 petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers, at a median of $105,980.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians at $88,040.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Ogden, Utah. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Ogden, UT)) 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. Ogden, UT had about 271,370 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 | Ogden, Utah median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $105,980 | 430 | $96,710 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $104,270 | 430 | $107,230 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $84,840 | 1,220 | $79,860 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $78,070 | 820 | $76,210 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $76,680 | 1,830 | $74,450 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $76,620 | 2,080 | $79,920 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $70,720 | 610 | $64,520 |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $68,500 | 1,030 | $59,650 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $67,920 | 300 | $87,520 |
| Machinists | $65,270 | 1,260 | $58,750 |
| Sheet Metal Workers | $65,270 | 710 | $61,800 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $64,910 | 2,390 | $69,500 |
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 | Ogden, Utah median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $88,040 | 300 | $78,190 |
| Dental Hygienists | $85,330 | 740 | $98,100 |
| Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $82,370 | 340 | $66,120 |
| Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment | $77,440 | 480 | $74,090 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $74,880 | 320 | $80,110 |
| Massage Therapists | $70,430 | 340 | $58,450 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $67,910 | 640 | $79,870 |
| Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $64,130 | 300 | $74,510 |
The most common jobs in Ogden, Utah, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,030 | 9,880 |
| Retail Salespersons | $33,450 | 8,200 |
| General and Operations Managers | $93,610 | 5,810 |
| Office Clerks, General | $41,640 | 5,790 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $38,670 | 4,800 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $46,110 | 4,710 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $38,140 | 4,360 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $42,200 | 4,300 |
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 November 9, 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 Ogden, Utah relative to the nation is tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents, with a location quotient of 32.83. That means those jobs make up about 32.83 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 3,240 of them locally, at a median of $49,440. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Ogden, UT). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk