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degreelessjobs

District of Columbia · BLS, May 2025 wages

$30-an-hour jobs without a degree in District of Columbia

111 occupations in District of Columbia pay a median of $30 an hour or more and typically need less than a bachelor’s degree to enter. The highest is detectives and criminal investigators at $77.29 an hour.

By the Degreeless Jobs research deskUpdated Sep 7, 2026Sources: BLS

All 111, sorted by hourly median

State medians for employed workers. The 25th to 75th range is annual. Occupations reported on an annual basis only are not included.

Occupations in District of Columbia with a median of $30 an hour or more that typically require less than a bachelor's degree
OccupationHourly median
Detectives and criminal investigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$77.29
Dental hygienistsAssociate's degree$65.97
First-line supervisors of police and detectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent$64.79
Transportation, storage, and distribution managersHigh school diploma or equivalent$63.55
Magnetic resonance imaging technologistsAssociate's degree$61.88
First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workersPostsecondary nondegree award$60.85
Real estate sales agentsHigh school diploma or equivalent$59.51
Surgical assistantsPostsecondary nondegree award$59.32
Elevator and escalator installers and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent$58.93
Nuclear medicine technologistsAssociate's degree$56.07
Printing press operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$56.07
Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all otherPostsecondary nondegree award$54.64
Diagnostic medical sonographersAssociate's degree$53.86
Respiratory therapistsAssociate's degree$53.82
PhotographersHigh school diploma or equivalent$53.35
Production workers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent$52.63
Broadcast techniciansAssociate's degree$52.05
Print binding and finishing workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$51.96
Sound engineering techniciansPostsecondary nondegree award$51.26
Radiologic technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$49.41
Electrical power-line installers and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent$48.67
Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$48.63
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent$48.57
Prepress technicians and workersPostsecondary nondegree award$48.55
Radiation therapistsAssociate's degree$48.20
Cardiovascular technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$47.78
Legal secretaries and administrative assistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent$47.73
Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical doorHigh school diploma or equivalent$47.50
Architectural and civil draftersAssociate's degree$47.06
First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent$46.94
Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$46.93
Telecommunications line installers and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent$46.92
Makeup artists, theatrical and performancePostsecondary nondegree award$46.02
Brokerage clerksHigh school diploma or equivalent$45.89
Property, real estate, and community association managersHigh school diploma or equivalent$45.23
Computer network support specialistsAssociate's degree$43.93
Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$43.88
Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent$43.68
Stationary engineers and boiler operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$43.50
Transportation inspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$43.25
Paralegals and legal assistantsAssociate's degree$43.15
Police and sheriff's patrol officersHigh school diploma or equivalent$42.62
Protective service workers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent$42.58
Legal support workers, all otherAssociate's degree$42.54
First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$42.51
Industrial machinery mechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent$42.15
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$41.60
Construction and building inspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$41.44
Insurance sales agentsHigh school diploma or equivalent$40.64
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installersPostsecondary nondegree award$40.57
Industrial truck and tractor operatorsNo formal educational credential$40.25
First-line supervisors of security workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$40.24
First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent$40.13
Food service managersHigh school diploma or equivalent$39.27
Computer user support specialistsSome college, no degree$38.92
First-line supervisors of production and operating workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$38.47
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific productsHigh school diploma or equivalent$38.47
Life, physical, and social science technicians, all otherAssociate's degree$38.09
First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$38.08
ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent$37.97
Audio and video techniciansPostsecondary nondegree award$37.87
ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award$37.77
GlaziersHigh school diploma or equivalent$37.69
Surgical technologistsPostsecondary nondegree award$37.27
Skincare specialistsPostsecondary nondegree award$37.25
Loan interviewers and clerksHigh school diploma or equivalent$37.06
Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travelHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.91
Locksmiths and safe repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.89
Chefs and head cooksHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.74
Cargo and freight agentsHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.66
FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award$36.48
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesPostsecondary nondegree award$36.42
Lodging managersHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.35
Health information technologists and medical registrarsAssociate's degree$36.28
Advertising sales agentsHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.07
Payroll and timekeeping clerksHigh school diploma or equivalent$35.90
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$35.87
Eligibility interviewers, government programsHigh school diploma or equivalent$35.61
Healthcare support workers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent$35.38
Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installersPostsecondary nondegree award$35.16
MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent$35.05
Private detectives and investigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$34.96
Production, planning, and expediting clerksHigh school diploma or equivalent$34.93
Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent$34.74
Medical records specialistsPostsecondary nondegree award$34.63
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except enginesHigh school diploma or equivalent$34.03
Information and record clerks, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent$33.89
Motor vehicle operators, all otherNo formal educational credential$33.59
Automotive service technicians and mechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award$33.01
Office and administrative support workers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent$32.98
First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$32.84
Postal service clerksNo formal educational credential$32.59
Media and communication workers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent$32.43
Psychiatric techniciansPostsecondary nondegree award$32.42
Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operatorsNo formal educational credential$32.09
Self-enrichment teachersHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.94
Occupational therapy assistantsAssociate's degree$31.92
Court, municipal, and license clerksHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.79
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.34
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerksSome college, no degree$31.34
Brickmasons and blockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.98
Billing and posting clerksHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.93
Postal service mail carriersNo formal educational credential$30.89
Security guardsHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.87
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck driversPostsecondary nondegree award$30.85
Massage therapistsPostsecondary nondegree award$30.82
Physical therapist assistantsAssociate's degree$30.48
Procurement clerksHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.23
Automotive body and related repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.11
Maintenance workers, machineryHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.06
Community health workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.05

Other states

Sources and method

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates. Typical entry education from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 (Table 1.2). An occupation is listed when its typical entry education is below a bachelor’s degree and its District of Columbia median hourly wage is $30.00 or more. Medians include experienced workers; entry pay is lower. Read the full method.