Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Rhode Island (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Rhode Island was $56,780 in May 2025, above 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 construction trades and extraction workers, at a median of $98,590.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses at $80,090.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Rhode Island. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates for Rhode Island) 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 state that don’t require a bachelor’s degree. Rhode Island had about 501,340 wage and salary jobs in the survey.
Top-paying jobs that need a high school diploma or less
Jobs with at least 1,000 positions in the state, ranked by median annual wage. The last column shows the national median for comparison.
| Occupation | Rhode Island median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $98,590 | 2,060 | $79,920 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $86,520 | 1,150 | $78,000 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $82,420 | 4,870 | $72,080 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $81,650 | 2,660 | $74,450 |
| Insurance Sales Agents | $79,930 | 1,700 | $62,280 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $78,840 | 1,460 | $79,860 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $77,230 | 1,940 | $76,210 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $76,470 | 1,820 | $63,800 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $76,030 | 5,090 | $69,500 |
| Electricians | $74,090 | 2,420 | $63,190 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | $72,750 | 1,520 | $62,890 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $64,770 | 1,070 | $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 | Rhode Island median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $80,090 | 1,290 | $64,400 |
| Firefighters | $67,380 | 1,620 | $59,280 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $67,370 | 1,450 | $61,010 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $62,510 | 1,780 | $61,860 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,190 | 3,620 | $58,640 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $56,250 | 2,070 | $62,890 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $53,280 | 4,570 | $50,670 |
| Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics | $51,770 | 2,530 | $50,620 |
The most common jobs in Rhode Island, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $31,490 | 13,310 |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,860 | 12,830 |
| Nursing Assistants | $46,440 | 10,220 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $35,420 | 10,160 |
| Registered Nurses | $100,640 | 10,090 |
| Cashiers | $34,860 | 9,260 |
| General and Operations Managers | $117,380 | 9,150 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $47,550 | 7,890 |
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 28, 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 Rhode Island relative to the nation is fundraisers, with a location quotient of 2.78. That means those jobs make up about 2.78 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 1,000 of them locally, at a median of $75,410. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates for Rhode Island. Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk