Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Stamford-Bridgeport (Fairfield County, CT) (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Stamford-Bridgeport (Fairfield County, CT) was $61,470 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 transportation, storage, and distribution managers, at a median of $131,970.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by dental hygienists at $103,390.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Stamford-Bridgeport (Fairfield County, CT). Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT)) 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. Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT had about 404,180 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 | Stamford-Bridgeport (Fairfield County, CT) median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $131,970 | 590 | $107,230 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $112,280 | 560 | $106,040 |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $100,930 | 1,710 | $76,590 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $94,070 | 1,420 | $79,860 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $92,260 | 1,400 | $79,920 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $85,770 | 850 | $69,990 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $84,000 | 1,520 | $76,210 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $82,990 | 1,570 | $74,450 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | $82,250 | 600 | $59,850 |
| Sheet Metal Workers | $80,520 | 500 | $61,800 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $79,770 | 5,490 | $69,500 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $79,700 | 1,000 | $63,800 |
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 | Stamford-Bridgeport (Fairfield County, CT) median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Hygienists | $103,390 | 850 | $98,100 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $101,710 | 430 | $93,530 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $99,950 | 510 | $80,110 |
| Firefighters | $81,680 | 840 | $59,280 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $78,070 | 2,460 | $61,860 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $77,490 | 1,050 | $61,010 |
| Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers | $77,270 | 480 | $63,890 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $75,180 | 1,860 | $64,400 |
The most common jobs in Stamford-Bridgeport (Fairfield County, CT), for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | $37,330 | 12,230 |
| General and Operations Managers | $137,230 | 11,140 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $38,110 | 10,850 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $36,550 | 8,660 |
| Registered Nurses | $105,660 | 8,370 |
| Cashiers | $36,420 | 8,210 |
| Financial Managers | $211,000 | 7,210 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $38,820 | 6,270 |
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 Stamford-Bridgeport (Fairfield County, CT) relative to the nation is manicurists and pedicurists, with a location quotient of 4.03. That means those jobs make up about 4.03 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 1,600 of them locally, at a median of $34,770. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk