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Last updated: 21 October 2026. Figures as of: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 national estimates; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35; BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (pages last modified August 2026).
Written by WageNorth Editorial. Fact-check: pending human review.
Part 1 of 3: How we ranked them, the full list with training costs, and jobs 1–4
In this guide:
- How we ranked them, the full list with training costs, and jobs 1–4 (this page)
- Jobs 5–12: management, energy, public safety, plant operations and power lines
- Jobs 13–16, side-by-side comparison, how to choose and what training costs
How we built this list
- “Without a degree” means the BLS Employment Projections program lists the typical entry-level education as a high school diploma or equivalent, a postsecondary nondegree award (a certificate), some college with no degree, or no formal credential. Associate degrees and above are excluded.
- Ranking is by May 2025 OEWS national median annual wage, the point where half of workers earn more and half earn less.
- Size filter: at least 5,000 jobs nationally, so the list is about realistic career paths rather than tiny niches. We also excluded postmasters, a role filled from within the Postal Service.
- Important caveat: “no degree” doesn’t mean “no training”. Many of these jobs need years of on-the-job training, an apprenticeship, a license or prior work experience. BLS defines long-term on-the-job training as more than 12 months.
For comparison, the median for all US occupations in May 2025 was $50,980.
The full list at a glance
| Rank | Occupation (BLS) | Median pay, May 2025 | Training route and who pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commercial pilots | $123,220 | Flight training and FAA certificates; you usually pay |
| 2 | Nuclear power reactor operators | $122,890 | Long-term on-the-job training and an NRC license |
| 3 | Elevator and escalator installers and repairers | $109,910 | Apprenticeship; paid while you learn |
| 4 | Ship engineers | $109,530 | Maritime training and a USCG credential |
| 5 | Transportation, storage and distribution managers | $107,230 | 5+ years’ experience; promotion |
| 6 | Power distributors and dispatchers | $106,730 | Long-term on-the-job training |
| 7 | First-line supervisors of police and detectives | $106,040 | Promotion; academies are often agency-run |
| 8 | Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation and relay | $103,020 | Certificate plus experience |
| 9 | Power plant operators | $102,040 | Long-term on-the-job training |
| 10 | Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators and gaugers | $96,710 | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
| 11 | Electrical power-line installers and repairers | $95,320 | Apprenticeship; paid while you learn |
| 12 | Detectives and criminal investigators | $93,790 | Promotion; academies are often agency-run |
| 13 | First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers | $93,530 | Promotion; academies are often agency-run |
| 14 | Gambling managers | $93,220 | Gaming experience and a license |
| 15 | Captains, mates and pilots of water vessels | $92,460 | Sea time and a USCG credential |
| 16 | Railroad signal and track switch repairers | $92,460 | Employer training |
What the training costs, at a glance
No government source publishes a typical training price for most of these routes, so we group them by who usually pays:
- Paid while you learn: registered apprenticeships, such as elevator and power-line work, pay wages during training (Apprenticeship.gov).
- Trained after hiring: reactor, plant, refinery, dispatch and rail roles are often learned on the job after an employer hires you.
- You pay upfront: flight training for pilots is the costly exception. We found no official figure for the total, so get written quotes from FAA-certificated schools.
- Promotion routes: six roles are usually reached after years in an entry job, such as police officer or firefighter, and academies are often run or sponsored by agencies.
Part 3 covers each route in more detail.
Entry-level reality: the 25th percentile
The median is the middle of the pay range, not what most people earn in their first years. BLS doesn’t publish pay by experience, but the 25th percentile is a fairer guide to where newer workers start. Here it is alongside the median for all 16 (BLS OEWS, May 2025):
| Occupation | 25th percentile | Median | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial pilots | $84,540 | $123,220 | $38,680 |
| Nuclear power reactor operators | $109,440 | $122,890 | $13,450 |
| Elevator and escalator installers and repairers | $79,290 | $109,910 | $30,620 |
| Ship engineers | $82,130 | $109,530 | $27,400 |
| Transportation, storage and distribution managers | $82,440 | $107,230 | $24,790 |
| Power distributors and dispatchers | $90,200 | $106,730 | $16,530 |
| Police and detective supervisors | $81,860 | $106,040 | $24,180 |
| Powerhouse, substation and relay repairers | $81,860 | $103,020 | $21,160 |
| Power plant operators | $79,690 | $102,040 | $22,350 |
| Refinery operators and gaugers | $77,510 | $96,710 | $19,200 |
| Power-line installers and repairers | $67,270 | $95,320 | $28,050 |
| Detectives and criminal investigators | $69,330 | $93,790 | $24,460 |
| Firefighting supervisors | $72,140 | $93,530 | $21,390 |
| Gambling managers | $72,570 | $93,220 | $20,650 |
| Water vessel captains, mates and pilots | $63,880 | $92,460 | $28,580 |
| Railroad signal and track switch repairers | $79,720 | $92,460 | $12,740 |
Even at the 25th percentile, every job on the list pays more than the median for all US occupations, which was $50,980 in May 2025. Reactor operators and rail signal repairers have the narrowest gaps, so pay is less spread out. Pilots, elevator mechanics, vessel officers and power-line workers have the widest, which usually means a longer climb from apprentice or junior rank to the median.
1. Commercial pilots: median $123,220
Commercial pilots fly charter, agricultural, air-tour, medical and other non-airline flights. The bottom 10% earned under $58,850 and the top 10% over $266,620. BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award plus moderate-term on-the-job training. In practice, this means FAA pilot certificates and ratings earned through flight training. The figure covers commercial pilots only, not airline pilots, who are counted separately. Projected growth is 5.2% (2025–35), with about 5,200 openings a year.
2. Nuclear power reactor operators: median $122,890
They control reactors at nuclear power plants. The range runs from $98,640 (10th percentile) to $149,310 (90th). The entry route is a high school diploma plus long-term on-the-job training, and operators must be licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This is a small field of 5,150 jobs, and BLS projects a 5.9% decline from 2025 to 2035, so openings are limited (about 400 a year).
3. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers: median $109,910
They install, maintain and repair elevators, escalators and moving walkways. Pay runs from $59,270 (10th percentile) to $158,890 (90th). Workers typically learn through an apprenticeship, which BLS describes as about four years, after a high school diploma, and most states require a license. Growth is projected at 5.7%, with about 1,900 openings a year.
4. Ship engineers: median $109,530
They operate and maintain engines and other systems on vessels. Pay runs from $57,870 (10th percentile) to $165,490 (90th). BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award plus work experience. Mariners need a US Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Credential, and many need a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). Growth is projected at 2.7%.
In short: all 16 occupations had May 2025 medians above $92,000 without a typical degree requirement. Most are learned through paid apprenticeships or employer training; flight training is the main route you pay for yourself.
