Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in the Washington, D.C. metro area was $71,060 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 detectives and criminal investigators, at a median of $156,750.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by air traffic controllers at $174,870.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV)) 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. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV had about 3,136,190 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 | the Washington, D.C. metro area median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $156,750 | 4,830 | $93,790 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $129,050 | 2,570 | $107,230 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $125,960 | 5,050 | $106,040 |
| Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers | $122,260 | 400 | $109,910 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $101,410 | 5,140 | $87,520 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $99,510 | 470 | $77,970 |
| Transportation Inspectors | $97,170 | 300 | $92,100 |
| Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | $95,560 | 2,860 | $74,330 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $95,480 | 1,530 | $95,320 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $92,750 | 7,370 | $69,990 |
| Crane and Tower Operators | $92,120 | 410 | $68,080 |
| Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $91,480 | 970 | $78,620 |
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 | the Washington, D.C. metro area median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Traffic Controllers | $174,870 | 1,800 | $148,080 |
| Commercial Pilots | $125,850 | 510 | $123,220 |
| Dental Hygienists | $119,170 | 2,200 | $98,100 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $118,570 | 2,420 | $93,530 |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | $109,110 | 810 | $95,480 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $105,290 | 1,550 | $96,590 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $101,990 | 1,850 | $82,280 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $97,390 | 3,170 | $80,110 |
The most common jobs in the Washington, D.C. metro area, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | $156,460 | 112,530 |
| Software Developers | $154,930 | 69,060 |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,610 | 66,920 |
| Management Analysts | $126,830 | 62,360 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $34,600 | 60,560 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $37,840 | 59,090 |
| Cashiers | $35,470 | 50,600 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $38,530 | 50,450 |
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 the Washington, D.C. metro area relative to the nation is political scientists, with a location quotient of 33.11. That means those jobs make up about 33.11 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 3,700 of them locally, at a median of $156,730. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk