Iowa · BLS, May 2025 wages

$30-an-hour jobs without a degree in Iowa

Name: $30-an-hour jobs without a degree in Iowa, 2025
Creator: Degreeless Jobs
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

90 occupations in Iowa pay a median of $30 an hour or more and typically need less than a bachelor’s degree to enter. The highest is transportation inspectors at $56.18 an hour.

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

All 90, 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 Iowa with a median of $30 an hour or more that typically require less than a bachelor's degree
Occupation	Hourly median	Annual median	25th to 75th	Employed	Typical entry education
Transportation inspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56.18	$116,850	$89,340 to $150,630	60	High school diploma or equivalent
Elevator and escalator installers and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55.43	$115,300	$86,850 to $118,300	90	High school diploma or equivalent
Power distributors and dispatchersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49.51	$102,980	$45,450 to $108,460	—	High school diploma or equivalent
Power plant operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48.32	$100,500	$78,060 to $104,480	470	High school diploma or equivalent
Electrical power-line installers and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48.17	$100,200	$79,860 to $103,490	1,390	High school diploma or equivalent
Transportation, storage, and distribution managersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47.60	$99,010	$79,630 to $128,180	1,850	High school diploma or equivalent
First-line supervisors of police and detectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47.52	$98,840	$83,030 to $117,790	1,370	High school diploma or equivalent
Captains, mates, and pilots of water vesselsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46.97	$97,700	$62,190 to $105,670	80	Postsecondary nondegree award
Court reporters and simultaneous captionersPostsecondary nondegree award	$45.10	$93,810	$70,780 to $93,810	160	Postsecondary nondegree award
Postmasters and mail superintendentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44.79	$93,160	$89,770 to $98,970	260	High school diploma or equivalent
Gas plant operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44.70	$92,970	$82,510 to $96,800	480	High school diploma or equivalent
Nuclear medicine technologistsAssociate's degree	$44.66	$92,890	$83,370 to $101,370	150	Associate's degree
Air traffic controllersAssociate's degree	$43.65	$90,790	$76,980 to $105,610	120	Associate's degree
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43.34	$90,160	$70,890 to $98,340	70	High school diploma or equivalent
Locomotive engineersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43.25	$89,970	$74,850 to $92,170	1,000	High school diploma or equivalent
First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43.09	$89,640	$62,750 to $120,440	2,530	High school diploma or equivalent
Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relayPostsecondary nondegree award	$41.58	$86,490	$67,800 to $103,700	120	Postsecondary nondegree award
Diagnostic medical sonographersAssociate's degree	$41.58	$86,480	$80,490 to $97,570	740	Associate's degree
Dental hygienistsAssociate's degree	$40.39	$84,010	$80,950 to $93,880	2,440	Associate's degree
Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical doorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40.30	$83,830	$60,350 to $98,890	820	High school diploma or equivalent
BoilermakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39.65	$82,470	$66,250 to $85,660	50	High school diploma or equivalent
Fire inspectors and investigatorsPostsecondary nondegree award	$39.35	$81,860	$54,310 to $95,760	30	Postsecondary nondegree award
Radiation therapistsAssociate's degree	$39.24	$81,610	$77,150 to $96,670	120	Associate's degree
Magnetic resonance imaging technologistsAssociate's degree	$39.14	$81,420	$75,420 to $91,640	220	Associate's degree
Funeral home managersAssociate's degree	$39.05	$81,220	$77,260 to $96,180	210	Associate's degree
Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38.90	$80,910	$57,290 to $82,240	220	High school diploma or equivalent
Health information technologists and medical registrarsAssociate's degree	$38.75	$80,600	$60,610 to $96,910	270	Associate's degree
Detectives and criminal investigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38.25	$79,560	$67,370 to $90,380	410	High school diploma or equivalent
Insurance appraisers, auto damagePostsecondary nondegree award	$38.02	$79,090	$46,420 to $81,840	—	Postsecondary nondegree award
Cardiovascular technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree	$37.91	$78,850	$47,600 to $91,860	380	Associate's degree
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37.75	$78,510	$63,900 to $95,930	9,660	High school diploma or equivalent
First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37.67	$78,340	$63,380 to $96,030	6,450	High school diploma or equivalent
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37.47	$77,930	$62,270 to $104,470	180	High school diploma or equivalent
Structural iron and steel workersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37.21	$77,400	$65,160 to $80,080	—	High school diploma or equivalent
Gambling managersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36.71	$76,350	$60,790 to $82,210	100	High school diploma or equivalent
First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workersPostsecondary nondegree award	$36.54	$76,010	$68,050 to $99,230	600	Postsecondary nondegree award
Plant and system operators, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36.44	$75,800	$69,770 to $80,450	50	High school diploma or equivalent
Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$36.12	$75,130	$54,130 to $75,680	100	Postsecondary nondegree award
Wind turbine service techniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$36.00	$74,880	$58,840 to $80,140	900	Postsecondary nondegree award
Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree	$35.98	$74,840	$58,020 to $85,510	880	Associate's degree
Respiratory therapistsAssociate's degree	$35.94	$74,760	$64,670 to $80,730	910	Associate's degree
First-line supervisors of production and operating workersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35.94	$74,750	$60,460 to $83,130	10,130	High school diploma or equivalent
Electrical and electronics draftersAssociate's degree	$35.81	$74,470	$62,180 to $96,270	180	Associate's degree
Police and sheriff's patrol officersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35.81	$74,470	$63,810 to $86,160	5,130	High school diploma or equivalent
First-line supervisors of correctional officersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35.78	$74,420	$62,080 to $89,780	310	High school diploma or equivalent
Musicians and singersNo formal educational credential	$35.65	—	—	250	No formal educational credential
Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree	$35.10	$73,010	$57,040 to $80,680	180	Associate's degree
Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34.94	$72,670	$58,700 to $72,670	660	High school diploma or equivalent
Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34.92	$72,640	$60,830 to $81,960	3,930	High school diploma or equivalent
Civil engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree	$34.88	$72,540	$60,670 to $80,950	1,130	Associate's degree
Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$34.74	$72,250	$61,040 to $80,240	1,130	Postsecondary nondegree award
Mechanical engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree	$34.46	$71,670	$62,270 to $85,730	500	Associate's degree
Construction and building inspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34.44	$71,630	$60,720 to $82,150	1,140	High school diploma or equivalent
Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34.09	$70,910	$45,930 to $70,910	440	High school diploma or equivalent
Bridge and lock tendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34.08	$70,890	$66,410 to $74,110	50	High school diploma or equivalent
Aircraft mechanics and service techniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$33.60	$69,890	$43,720 to $80,510	330	Postsecondary nondegree award
Personal service managers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$33.52	$69,720	$51,780 to $88,600	230	High school diploma or equivalent
Brickmasons and blockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$33.38	$69,440	$53,610 to $76,120	290	High school diploma or equivalent
Traffic techniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$32.74	$68,100	$54,740 to $72,660	30	High school diploma or equivalent
Crane and tower operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$32.50	$67,600	$55,910 to $81,130	650	High school diploma or equivalent
Stationary engineers and boiler operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$32.43	$67,450	$60,610 to $73,280	190	High school diploma or equivalent
TapersNo formal educational credential	$32.20	$66,980	$56,790 to $70,380	100	No formal educational credential
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific productsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$32.09	$66,760	$50,580 to $90,350	16,990	High school diploma or equivalent
Food service managersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$32.07	$66,700	$52,850 to $77,860	1,760	High school diploma or equivalent
Sheet metal workersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31.95	$66,460	$49,470 to $76,080	1,650	High school diploma or equivalent
Surgical assistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$31.75	$66,030	$55,280 to $66,660	30	Postsecondary nondegree award
Radiologic technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree	$31.70	$65,930	$61,730 to $79,390	2,550	Associate's degree
Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installersPostsecondary nondegree award	$31.59	$65,710	$49,830 to $80,130	1,780	Postsecondary nondegree award
Tool and die makersPostsecondary nondegree award	$31.25	$65,000	$58,950 to $74,330	760	Postsecondary nondegree award
Maintenance workers, machineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31.14	$64,760	$58,660 to $79,340	900	High school diploma or equivalent
Computer network support specialistsAssociate's degree	$31.06	$64,600	$51,280 to $80,460	1,920	Associate's degree
Industrial engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree	$30.97	$64,410	$58,250 to $77,430	710	Associate's degree
First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.96	$64,400	$51,130 to $80,130	10,190	High school diploma or equivalent
Industrial machinery mechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.96	$64,400	$57,550 to $76,040	6,050	High school diploma or equivalent
Audiovisual equipment installers and repairersPostsecondary nondegree award	$30.96	$64,390	$44,280 to $67,630	—	Postsecondary nondegree award
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except enginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.91	$64,290	$57,250 to $78,430	2,820	High school diploma or equivalent
Architectural and civil draftersAssociate's degree	$30.87	$64,220	$57,500 to $80,390	980	Associate's degree
Occupational therapy assistantsAssociate's degree	$30.84	$64,140	$52,990 to $74,660	400	Associate's degree
Agricultural techniciansAssociate's degree	$30.80	$64,070	$41,600 to $75,990	—	Associate's degree
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.72	$63,890	$51,890 to $85,320	5,730	High school diploma or equivalent
Security and fire alarm systems installersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.65	$63,750	$59,820 to $76,070	480	High school diploma or equivalent
Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangersAssociate's degree	$30.63	$63,700	$54,040 to $78,330	640	Associate's degree
Patternmakers, metal and plasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.49	$63,420	$61,460 to $80,880	90	High school diploma or equivalent
Mechanical draftersAssociate's degree	$30.45	$63,330	$54,230 to $79,900	630	Associate's degree
Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all otherAssociate's degree	$30.35	$63,120	$50,860 to $79,220	380	Associate's degree
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$30.11	$62,630	$56,400 to $70,840	5,510	Postsecondary nondegree award
Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.09	$62,590	$49,880 to $63,670	1,420	High school diploma or equivalent
Cooling and freezing equipment operators and tendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.06	$62,520	$42,510 to $82,790	290	High school diploma or equivalent
Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.01	$62,420	$43,720 to $84,990	6,530	High school diploma or equivalent
RiggersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.00	$62,400	$47,080 to $63,540	200	High school diploma or equivalent

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 Iowa median hourly wage is $30.00 or more. Medians include experienced workers; entry pay is lower. Read the full method.

All 90, sorted by hourly median

Other states

Sources and method