Highest Paying Jobs with Least Amount of Schooling

Here are some of the best jobs you can get without spending several years studying for an advanced degree:

Air traffic control specialist 

Average base pay: $81,943 per year

The air traffic control specialist maintains safety in civil and military air operations. They ensure airplanes land and take off at a distance that prevents them from colliding with each other. An air control traffic specialist must be attentive and detail-oriented. 

Criminal investigator 

Average base pay: $94,942 per year

The duty of a criminal investigator is to collect evidence on cases, interview witnesses, and arrest suspects. You don’t need a bachelor’s degree to become a criminal investigator. Meanwhile, you can get a job as a criminal investigator if you have a high school certificate. In addition, you need to undergo a 2-year internship under a licensed criminal investigator.

Nuclear reactor operator 

Average base pay: $77,122 per year

A nuclear reactor operator monitors nuclear power reactors, cooling systems, and turbines. They regulate the amount of electricity nuclear reactors produce. 

To become a nuclear reactor operator, you must have a high school diploma and pass the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensing exam. You will receive the training you need on the job. 

Real estate broker 

Average base pay: $76,229 per year

A real estate broker hires, trains, and supervises real estate agents. Just like real estate agents, they may also show and market homes and other buildings to buyers. Real estate brokers can start their real estate agency, a privilege ordinary real estate agents lack.

Aspiring real estate brokers must obtain a real estate agent license and earn three years of work experience as real estate agents. Also, they must pass the state licensing exam for real estate brokers. 

Railroad conductor 

Average base pay: $75,205 per year

Railroad conductors oversee all the activities on a train. They verify passenger tickets and resolve passenger complaints. To start a career as a railroad conductor, you must have a high school diploma. Also, some train services may require their railroad conductors to take a six-week training program before starting the job.

Roof bolter 

Average base pay: $74,575 per year

Roof bolters fix bolts into the roofs of underground mines. They are also responsible for drilling the holes in the roof to accommodate the bolts. To get a job as a roof bolter, you must have a high school diploma. You can learn how to bolt a roof on the job.

Locomotive engineer 

Average base pay: $72,323 per year

The duty of the locomotive engineer is to transport passengers and cargo across stations. Besides driving the train, she also monitors battery usage, speed, and other components that keep the train running. To become a qualified locomotive engineer, you must have a high school diploma and undergo a 3-month practical training.

Boiler operator 

Average base pay: $65,480 per year 

Boiler operators monitor, maintain, and repair boilers, which are vessels that contain fuel and gases. Boiler operators work at factories, warehouses, and power plants. To become a boiler operator, you must have a high school diploma and undergo a 4-year apprenticeship.

Truck driver 

Average base pay: $60,000 per year

A truck driver transports goods from one point to another. He is also responsible for maintaining the truck, verifying packages, and loading cargo. To land a job as a commercial truck driver, you need a high school diploma and a Commercial Driver’s License. Obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License requires that you take a 6-week truck driver training program.

Property manager 

Average base pay: $53,683 per year

A property manager is responsible for maintaining a property. He attends to tenant complaints, leases vacant apartments, collects rent, and hires maintenance workers when necessary.

To become a property manager, you must be a US citizen or a permanent resident older than 18 years. Also, you need to obtain a high school diploma and pass the licensing exam for property managers in your state.

Executive pastry chef 

Average base pay: $51,567 per year

If you love to bake, becoming an executive pastry chef is a career you should consider. Executive pastry chefs recruit, train, and supervise the rest of the pastry staff at a hotel or fine dining restaurant. Sometimes, they may even be in charge of managing the budget of the kitchen. 

You must take a 2-year associate degree program at a culinary school and devote about five years to working as a pastry chef to qualify for this role.

Insurance appraiser 

Average base pay: $51,140 per year

The primary role of insurance appraisers is to determine the value of insured items. They also decide the amount an insurance company should pay as claims on the insured property. To become an insurance appraiser, you only need to complete high school and take and pass a 20-hour Insurance Licensing course.

Plumber 

Average base pay: $50,026 per year

A plumber installs and repairs sinks, pipes, and bathtubs. Plumbers are indispensable. Even after installing a sink, you still need to call a plumber when it gets clogged from time to time. Although working as a plumber means you will spend a lot of time in uncomfortable places, it is very lucrative. To become a plumber, you need to obtain a high school diploma and spend two to five years as an apprentice.

Distribution manager 

Average base pay: $48,121 per year

A distribution manager controls the distribution of an organization’s goods and services. She determines the number of goods to be distributed, when to distribute goods, and the warehouses to receive the supply. Aspiring distribution managers must have a high school diploma and about 2-5 years of work experience in warehousing.

Electrician 

Average base pay: $47,033 per year

Electricians design, install, and maintain electric cabling and equipment in buildings. They are also responsible for fixing faulty electrical equipment. To become an electrician, you must take a 1-year electrician training course and spend about four years working as an apprentice.

Postal service clerk 

Average base pay: $23,484 per year

A postal service clerk performs all the duties required to keep a post office running. They sell postage, receive mail, take passport photographs and weigh packages before accepting them from customers. You need to obtain your high school diploma and pass a postal test to become a postal service clerk.

Court reporter 

Average base pay: $44,477 a year

A court reporter creates exact transcripts of court proceedings, trials, and hearings. Her duty is to provide an accurate record of the parties’ words and actions involved in court hearings for easy reference. Aspiring court reporters must have a high school diploma and take a 2-year training course at a community college. Once the training ends, you must pass the licensing exam in your state before becoming a certified court reporter.

Licensed massage therapist 

Average base pay: $40,881 per year

A massage therapist helps people relieve pain and stress by soothing tight muscles and nerves with their hands. As people now know the health benefits of massage therapy, they pay massage therapists a fortune to deliver expert manipulation of their sore muscles and joints. Aspiring massage therapists only need to spend about five months in a massage school and pass a licensing exam.

Welder 

Average base pay: $38,166 per year

Welders fabricate and build the metal components of civil construction projects such as bridges, power plants, ships, and refineries. They also repair these structures and can even fabricate domestic items such as gates, railings, and furniture frames. You need to earn a high school diploma, take a short welding course at a community college, and obtain a welding certificate to work as a welder.

Correctional officer 

Average base pay: $36,495 per year

A correctional officer maintains law and order within a prison. They ensure prisoners obey jail rules, transport them across different jail zones, and maintain security facilities in the prison. You can become a correctional officer with your high school diploma and an associate degree in Corrections, which usually takes two years. However, if you want to get a correctional officer position at the federal level, you may need a bachelor’s degree.

Chemical plant operator 

Average base pay: $35,569 per year

A chemical plant operator manages the production process at a factory. She supervises workers, maintains factory equipment, and ensures that the production process yields quality results. You must get a high school diploma and take a 2-year associate degree program in chemical technology to work in this role.

Patrol officer 

Average base pay: $26,520 per year

The duty of patrol officers is to maintain peace and order on roads. They direct road traffic, ensure that drivers maintain safety regulations, write speeding tickets, and investigate road accidents. Aspiring patrol officers must complete high school, take a 6-month training program at a police academy, and pass a licensing exam.

If you don’t have a degree but want a job that allows you to earn a good income, there are several industries with well-paying jobs that do not require extensive educational qualifications. Use this comprehensive list of the highest paying jobs with the least amount of schooling to land a lucrative job.