Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Oklahoma City (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Oklahoma City was $47,230 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 $100,900.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers at $100,200.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Oklahoma City. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Oklahoma City, OK)) 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. Oklahoma City, OK had about 677,680 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 | Oklahoma City median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $100,900 | 730 | $107,230 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $99,070 | 1,000 | $106,040 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $81,720 | 640 | $93,790 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $79,470 | 720 | $95,320 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $79,060 | 3,500 | $79,860 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $75,270 | 2,970 | $76,210 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $74,780 | 4,460 | $79,920 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $73,740 | 1,330 | $69,990 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $69,120 | 1,200 | $87,520 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $68,180 | 2,510 | $74,450 |
| Sheet Metal Workers | $68,140 | 2,070 | $61,800 |
| Food Service Managers | $66,810 | 990 | $69,390 |
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 | Oklahoma City median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $100,200 | 920 | $93,530 |
| Dental Hygienists | $97,110 | 1,420 | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $86,080 | 530 | $96,590 |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $84,070 | 470 | $78,190 |
| Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $83,370 | 450 | $66,120 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $80,810 | 950 | $82,280 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $79,870 | 910 | $76,220 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $78,750 | 1,520 | $80,110 |
The most common jobs in Oklahoma City, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $24,960 | 22,970 |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,160 | 18,370 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $37,010 | 18,320 |
| General and Operations Managers | $97,110 | 17,710 |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | 16,530 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,330 | 15,610 |
| Cashiers | $28,680 | 14,120 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $35,120 | 12,620 |
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 Oklahoma City relative to the nation is rotary drill operators, oil and gas, with a location quotient of 18.96. That means those jobs make up about 18.96 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 1,040 of them locally, at a median of $55,160. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Oklahoma City, OK). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk