Not everyone has specialized skills or the ability to get a 4 year degree or higher due to their unique circumstances. Though having a college education normally results in higher pay, you don’t always get paid more for having a higher education. One must wonder, then, what is the highest paying job for the lowest level of education. Fortunately, the US government collects labor data and provides a ton of information to help people compare careers, salaries, education requirements, and more. This information is updated regularly and available at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook website.
Here, we can search for careers starting from the lowest level of education up to having a 2-year associate’s degree. With each search, we can filter by average annual salary. Here are the results. Occupations with salaries below $40,000 a year are excluded.
Education Level: No formal educational credential
| 2019 Median Annual Salary | Number of Occupations |
|---|---|
| $80,000 or more | 0 occupations |
| $60,000 to $80,000 | 2 occupations e.g. artist, farm labor contractor |
| $40,000 to $60,000 | 20 occupations e.g. painter, carpet installer |
The occupations in the results above are mostly manual labor jobs like carpentry, landscaping, cooking, construction, driving, farming, machine operating, etc.
Education Level: High school diploma or equivalent
| 2019 Median Annual Salary | Number of Occupations |
|---|---|
| $80,000 or more | 8 occupations e.g. airline pilot |
| $60,000 to $80,000 | 30 occupations e.g. train operator, police patrol |
| $40,000 to $60,000 | 134 occupations e.g. travel agent, clerk, typist |
Education Level: Some college, not degree
| 2019 Median Annual Salary | Number of Occupations |
|---|---|
| $80,000 or more | 0 occupations |
| $60,000 to $80,000 | 0 occupations |
| $40,000 to $60,000 | 2 occupations e.g. bookkeeper, computer user |
Education Level: Postsecondary non-degree award
| 2019 Median Annual Salary | Number of Occupations |
|---|---|
| $80,000 or more | 1 occupation Electrician |
| $60,000 to $80,000 | 9 occupations e.g. Court reporter, insurance appraiser, aircraft mechanic |
| $40,000 to $60,000 | 20 occupations e.g. dental assistant, auto mechanic, firefighter |
Education Level: 2-Year Associate’s Degree
| 2019 Median Annual Salary | Number of Occupations |
|---|---|
| $80,000 or more | 3 occupations e.g. radiation therapist, air traffic controller |
| $60,000 to $80,000 | 15 occupations e.g. healthcare technician, computer specialist |
| $40,000 to $60,000 | 25 occupations e.g. technician, paralegal |
Some conclusions
- people with specialized skills get higher salaries
- people working in healthcare tend to get higher salaries
Now, let’s see what we need to do to get the highest paying job in a growing field in each education category.
Education Level: High school diploma or equivalent
For this education level, the fastest growing occupation is “Airline or Commercial Pilot” with a 2019 Median Pay of $121,430 per year.
On the summary page for “Airline or Commercial Pilot” we find a link for how to become an airline pilot. We also find that airline pilots must have a 4-year bachelor’s degree so the information on commercial pilot salaries is not particularly accurate.
Education Level: Some college, not degree
For this education level, the fastest growing occupation is “Computer Support Specialist” with a 2019 Median Pay of $26.33 per hour or $54,760 per year.
On the summary page for “Computer Support Specialist” we find a link for how to become a computer support specialist. We see that due to the wide range of skills, there is no simple answer as one could get a certificate in a particular area or learn on their own.
Education Level: Postsecondary non-degree award
For this education level, there is only one occupation in the $80,000 more category. It is “Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers” with a 2019 Median Pay of $28.40 per hour or $59,080 per year. However, this occupation is in decline and not growing.
On the summary page for “Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers” we find a link for how to become a Electrical or Electronics Installer and Repairer. It looks like one would go to a vocational or apprenticeship school and take specific courses to become an electrician.
A Google search reveals that in California, you must be licensed and there are 5 types of licenses. You would need to enroll in a State-approved electrician trainee school. For example, one school located in San Leandro, California is called Alameda County Electrical JATC. This is a 5 year program includes 8000 hours of paid on-the-job training during the day and 900 hours of classroom instruction during day and evenings.
Costs:
- $620 for books (first year)
- $500 for tools
Education Level: 2 Year Associate’s Degree
For this education level, the fastest growing occupation is “Radiation Therapist” with a 2019 Median Pay of $41.14 per hour or $85,560 per year.
On the summary page for “Radiation Therapist” we find a link for how to become a Radiation Therapist. In most states, radiation therapists must be licensed or certified. Employers usually prefer to hire applicants who have an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in radiation therapy. However, candidates may qualify for some positions by completing a certificate program. In 2016, there were about 110 accredited educational programs recognized by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). There are many community colleges that offer 2 year programs such as this one at City College of San Francisco (CCSF).
