Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Seattle (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Seattle was $72,610 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 police and detectives, at a median of $158,510.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by air traffic controllers at $175,280.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Seattle. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA)) 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. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA had about 2,086,210 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 | Seattle median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $158,510 | 1,330 | $106,040 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $146,080 | 1,690 | $107,230 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $134,150 | 1,010 | $95,320 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $123,820 | 740 | $93,790 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $121,130 | 11,040 | $79,920 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $117,990 | 2,110 | $69,990 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $115,120 | 4,520 | $76,210 |
| Crane and Tower Operators | $114,330 | 570 | $68,080 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Workers | $111,440 | 450 | $62,780 |
| Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | $110,470 | 4,010 | $65,380 |
| Sheet Metal Workers | $109,830 | 2,190 | $61,800 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | $109,600 | 1,960 | $50,690 |
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 | Seattle median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Traffic Controllers | $175,280 | 510 | $148,080 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $134,830 | 1,680 | $93,530 |
| Dental Hygienists | $133,740 | 3,500 | $98,100 |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | $130,460 | 460 | $95,480 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $129,960 | 1,190 | $96,590 |
| Commercial Pilots | $126,990 | 500 | $123,220 |
| Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians | $125,160 | 1,570 | $82,890 |
| Paramedics | $123,310 | 750 | $60,600 |
The most common jobs in Seattle, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $167,280 | 92,770 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $48,210 | 54,670 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $39,150 | 49,190 |
| Retail Salespersons | $42,080 | 46,620 |
| Registered Nurses | $128,260 | 39,900 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $46,830 | 30,860 |
| Cashiers | $44,210 | 30,470 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $47,740 | 29,490 |
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 Seattle relative to the nation is avionics technicians, with a location quotient of 11.42. That means those jobs make up about 11.42 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 2,880 of them locally, at a median of $100,200. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk