paying jobs that don't need a college degree

Key Points:

• Some of the fastest-growing, high-paying jobs in the U.S. over the next decade require only a high school diploma and training, not a college degree, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data analyzed by the Get the Facts Data Team.
• Transportation storage and distribution managers top the list with a median pay of $100,000 and a projected job growth of 5% to 6% between 2025 and 2035, followed by first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers earning between $75,000 and nearly $100,000.
• Growth in sectors like construction, manufacturing, and skilled trades is driven by an aging workforce and labor shortages, though societal attitudes still largely favor college education as a pathway to economic success.
• Some high-paying jobs, such as elevator and escalator installers and repairers, require apprenticeships and offer median salaries of $100,000 or more, with projected employment growth of 5% to 6%, while other well-paid roles like nuclear power reactor operators are expected to decline.
• Electrical power-line installers and repairers are another high-demand occupation with over 7% projected job growth and median pay ranging from $75,000 to nearly $100,000, reflecting strong opportunities in skilled trades amid demographic and labor market challenges.