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Pennsylvania · BLS, May 2025 wages

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

117 occupations in Pennsylvania pay a median of $30 an hour or more and typically need less than a bachelor’s degree to enter. The highest is air traffic controllers at $63.63 an hour.

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

All 117, 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 Pennsylvania with a median of $30 an hour or more that typically require less than a bachelor's degree
OccupationHourly median
Air traffic controllersAssociate's degree$63.63
Nuclear techniciansAssociate's degree$59.65
Avionics techniciansPostsecondary nondegree award$56.48
Elevator and escalator installers and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent$56.37
Electrical power-line installers and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent$51.07
Transportation, storage, and distribution managersHigh school diploma or equivalent$50.60
Funeral home managersAssociate's degree$50.19
Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairersAssociate's degree$49.52
First-line supervisors of police and detectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent$49.23
Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relayPostsecondary nondegree award$48.87
First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workersPostsecondary nondegree award$48.58
Radiation therapistsAssociate's degree$48.34
Power distributors and dispatchersHigh school diploma or equivalent$47.56
Detectives and criminal investigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$46.91
Postmasters and mail superintendentsHigh school diploma or equivalent$46.89
Power plant operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$46.06
Insurance appraisers, auto damagePostsecondary nondegree award$46.02
Gambling managersHigh school diploma or equivalent$45.58
First-line supervisors of correctional officersHigh school diploma or equivalent$45.48
Nuclear medicine technologistsAssociate's degree$45.47
Pile driver operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$44.98
Magnetic resonance imaging technologistsAssociate's degree$43.81
BoilermakersHigh school diploma or equivalent$41.75
Artists and related workers, all otherNo formal educational credential$41.47
Police and sheriff's patrol officersHigh school diploma or equivalent$41.09
Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipmentPostsecondary nondegree award$40.74
Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blastersHigh school diploma or equivalent$40.58
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent$40.32
Railroad conductors and yardmastersHigh school diploma or equivalent$40.20
Structural iron and steel workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$39.89
First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$39.84
Diagnostic medical sonographersAssociate's degree$39.77
Locomotive engineersHigh school diploma or equivalent$39.64
TapersNo formal educational credential$39.54
Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent$39.27
Transportation inspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$39.21
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$39.20
Telecommunications line installers and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent$38.95
Gas plant operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$38.85
Insulation workers, mechanicalHigh school diploma or equivalent$38.83
Dental hygienistsAssociate's degree$38.76
Broadcast techniciansAssociate's degree$38.69
Ship engineersPostsecondary nondegree award$38.56
Extraction workers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent$38.23
First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent$38.17
Respiratory therapistsAssociate's degree$37.74
Meter readers, utilitiesHigh school diploma or equivalent$37.72
Computer network support specialistsAssociate's degree$37.65
Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical doorHigh school diploma or equivalent$37.56
Aircraft mechanics and service techniciansPostsecondary nondegree award$37.50
Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$37.16
Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$36.57
Radiologic technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$36.56
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managersHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.56
Aircraft cargo handling supervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.36
Media and communication equipment workers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.35
Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.19
Loading and moving machine operators, underground miningNo formal educational credential$36.17
Legal support workers, all otherAssociate's degree$36.15
First-line supervisors of production and operating workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.05
Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$35.92
Reinforcing iron and rebar workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$35.90
FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award$35.32
Insurance sales agentsHigh school diploma or equivalent$35.28
Stationary engineers and boiler operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$35.05
Electrical and electronics draftersAssociate's degree$34.96
Personal service managers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent$34.92
Timing device assemblers and adjustersHigh school diploma or equivalent$34.50
Occupational therapy assistantsAssociate's degree$34.42
Mechanical engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$34.05
Tile and stone settersNo formal educational credential$33.77
Chemical plant and system operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$33.71
Plasterers and stucco masonsNo formal educational credential$33.67
EmbalmersAssociate's degree$33.63
Brickmasons and blockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent$33.44
Media and communication workers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent$33.40
Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all otherAssociate's degree$33.14
Bridge and lock tendersHigh school diploma or equivalent$33.08
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent$32.73
ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent$32.50
Transportation security screenersHigh school diploma or equivalent$32.37
Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plasticHigh school diploma or equivalent$32.20
Computer numerically controlled tool programmersPostsecondary nondegree award$31.89
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific productsHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.79
Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipmentPostsecondary nondegree award$31.71
Fabric and apparel patternmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.68
Construction and building inspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.67
Property, real estate, and community association managersHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.58
Traffic techniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.55
Hydrologic techniciansAssociate's degree$31.45
Rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlersHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.43
First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.38
Industrial engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$31.38
Crane and tower operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.34
Court reporters and simultaneous captionersPostsecondary nondegree award$31.30
Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installersPostsecondary nondegree award$31.23
Architectural and civil draftersAssociate's degree$31.15
Food service managersHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.13
Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travelHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.00
MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.96
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesPostsecondary nondegree award$30.74
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except enginesHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.71
Chefs and head cooksHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.70
Industrial machinery mechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.69
Calibration technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$30.63
Civil engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$30.60
Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangersAssociate's degree$30.57
Mechanical draftersAssociate's degree$30.52
Correctional officers and jailersHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.51
Paralegals and legal assistantsAssociate's degree$30.47
Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.44
First-line supervisors of gambling services workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.39
First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.36
Medical equipment repairersAssociate's degree$30.24
Surgical technologistsPostsecondary nondegree award$30.14
Physical therapist assistantsAssociate's degree$30.09
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installersPostsecondary nondegree award$30.00

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