Tennessee · BLS, May 2025 wages

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

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

75 occupations in Tennessee 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 $75.64 an hour.

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

All 75, 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 Tennessee 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
Air traffic controllersAssociate's degree	$75.64	$157,330	$120,000 to $178,630	590	Associate's degree
Captains, mates, and pilots of water vesselsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63.80	$132,710	$76,420 to $165,700	940	Postsecondary nondegree award
Power plant operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55.73	$115,920	$105,370 to $124,360	490	High school diploma or equivalent
Transportation, storage, and distribution managersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48.43	$100,740	$70,640 to $139,740	4,910	High school diploma or equivalent
Elevator and escalator installers and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48.31	$100,490	$77,080 to $106,940	700	High school diploma or equivalent
Postmasters and mail superintendentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47.68	$99,170	$93,640 to $104,540	260	High school diploma or equivalent
Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relayPostsecondary nondegree award	$46.56	$96,840	$80,070 to $105,370	430	Postsecondary nondegree award
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46.50	$96,730	$76,380 to $96,730	170	High school diploma or equivalent
Nuclear techniciansAssociate's degree	$44.22	$91,980	$78,850 to $100,860	110	Associate's degree
First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41.34	$85,980	$66,900 to $118,570	4,510	High school diploma or equivalent
Dental hygienistsAssociate's degree	$40.69	$84,640	$80,380 to $94,240	4,570	Associate's degree
Nuclear medicine technologistsAssociate's degree	$40.61	$84,470	$79,440 to $96,590	390	Associate's degree
Electrical power-line installers and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40.22	$83,660	$66,190 to $96,980	3,900	High school diploma or equivalent
Radiation therapistsAssociate's degree	$40.15	$83,520	$80,770 to $98,480	350	Associate's degree
Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39.47	$82,090	$48,730 to $82,090	1,150	High school diploma or equivalent
Surgical assistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$39.25	$81,640	$73,000 to $96,720	750	Postsecondary nondegree award
Locomotive engineersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39.14	$81,410	$80,660 to $81,900	700	High school diploma or equivalent
First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39.10	$81,330	$67,200 to $96,700	240	High school diploma or equivalent
Aircraft mechanics and service techniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$38.96	$81,040	$60,420 to $95,140	4,670	Postsecondary nondegree award
Diagnostic medical sonographersAssociate's degree	$38.77	$80,640	$72,320 to $94,390	1,880	Associate's degree
Environmental engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree	$38.51	$80,100	$62,420 to $95,800	450	Associate's degree
Power distributors and dispatchersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38.42	$79,910	$63,160 to $108,770	100	High school diploma or equivalent
Signal and track switch repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38.33	$79,730	$64,370 to $91,190	190	High school diploma or equivalent
Magnetic resonance imaging technologistsAssociate's degree	$37.79	$78,610	$67,630 to $82,770	1,350	Associate's degree
Transportation inspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37.71	$78,430	$40,410 to $97,450	420	High school diploma or equivalent
Hearing aid specialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37.63	$78,270	$57,490 to $103,570	190	High school diploma or equivalent
Funeral home managersAssociate's degree	$37.56	$78,130	$62,960 to $129,760	430	Associate's degree
Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37.50	$78,010	$60,940 to $97,560	6,390	High school diploma or equivalent
First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workersPostsecondary nondegree award	$37.46	$77,920	$59,940 to $82,320	2,210	Postsecondary nondegree award
Computer network support specialistsAssociate's degree	$37.33	$77,640	$58,780 to $96,500	2,660	Associate's degree
Electrical and electronics draftersAssociate's degree	$37.11	$77,180	$65,860 to $80,600	340	Associate's degree
Detectives and criminal investigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37.06	$77,090	$60,730 to $107,810	1,860	High school diploma or equivalent
Cardiovascular technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree	$36.85	$76,650	$46,290 to $86,510	1,030	Associate's degree
First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36.46	$75,830	$58,740 to $96,040	15,070	High school diploma or equivalent
First-line supervisors of police and detectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35.95	$74,770	$59,260 to $94,990	4,430	High school diploma or equivalent
Carpet installersNo formal educational credential	$35.82	$74,510	$57,920 to $75,590	50	No formal educational credential
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35.81	$74,470	$59,190 to $93,130	17,770	High school diploma or equivalent
Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blastersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35.67	$74,190	$44,720 to $81,870	70	High school diploma or equivalent
First-line supervisors of correctional officersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35.64	$74,140	$51,640 to $80,150	740	High school diploma or equivalent
Tire buildersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35.63	$74,100	$65,350 to $74,100	1,360	High school diploma or equivalent
Stationary engineers and boiler operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34.84	$72,470	$47,500 to $86,110	370	High school diploma or equivalent
Personal service managers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34.79	$72,360	$58,760 to $77,010	170	High school diploma or equivalent
Respiratory therapistsAssociate's degree	$34.68	$72,140	$63,660 to $78,640	3,440	Associate's degree
Pourers and casters, metalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34.56	$71,880	$61,360 to $72,690	120	High school diploma or equivalent
Railroad conductors and yardmastersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34.49	$71,740	$62,190 to $73,100	790	High school diploma or equivalent
Calibration technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree	$34.45	$71,660	$63,810 to $75,620	130	Associate's degree
Chefs and head cooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$33.56	$69,810	$57,470 to $81,900	3,820	High school diploma or equivalent
Computer numerically controlled tool programmersPostsecondary nondegree award	$33.51	$69,700	$60,770 to $78,740	330	Postsecondary nondegree award
Architectural and civil draftersAssociate's degree	$33.28	$69,220	$57,140 to $80,480	1,310	Associate's degree
Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$32.78	$68,190	$56,370 to $79,840	5,360	High school diploma or equivalent
Insurance appraisers, auto damagePostsecondary nondegree award	$32.25	$67,080	$62,860 to $91,500	420	Postsecondary nondegree award
Gas plant operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$32.00	$66,560	$64,980 to $69,670	200	High school diploma or equivalent
First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31.92	$66,390	$52,370 to $84,840	49,870	High school diploma or equivalent
Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31.92	$66,390	$51,950 to $77,670	260	High school diploma or equivalent
Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31.92	$66,390	$52,870 to $68,030	130	High school diploma or equivalent
First-line supervisors of production and operating workersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31.40	$65,310	$53,320 to $81,950	18,960	High school diploma or equivalent
Industrial machinery mechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31.26	$65,010	$55,540 to $78,210	12,850	High school diploma or equivalent
Property, real estate, and community association managersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31.19	$64,870	$48,760 to $81,700	4,310	High school diploma or equivalent
Maintenance workers, machineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31.15	$64,790	$52,000 to $72,010	800	High school diploma or equivalent
Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree	$31.12	$64,720	$58,710 to $72,050	190	Associate's degree
Radiologic technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree	$31.07	$64,630	$59,610 to $78,700	4,660	Associate's degree
Brokerage clerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31.06	$64,610	$56,210 to $72,530	370	High school diploma or equivalent
Health information technologists and medical registrarsAssociate's degree	$31.04	$64,560	$38,480 to $78,610	580	Associate's degree
Food service managersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.97	$64,410	$57,200 to $80,060	4,550	High school diploma or equivalent
Brickmasons and blockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.70	$63,850	$54,340 to $72,910	1,050	High school diploma or equivalent
Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree	$30.65	$63,750	$49,910 to $80,220	1,820	Associate's degree
Telecommunications line installers and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.53	$63,510	$49,720 to $73,950	2,620	High school diploma or equivalent
Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all otherPostsecondary nondegree award	$30.48	$63,400	$45,800 to $83,820	1,650	Postsecondary nondegree award
Fire inspectors and investigatorsPostsecondary nondegree award	$30.48	$63,400	$52,880 to $80,460	390	Postsecondary nondegree award
Mechanical draftersAssociate's degree	$30.48	$63,390	$51,360 to $76,540	740	Associate's degree
Postal service clerksNo formal educational credential	$30.39	$63,210	$56,740 to $71,860	1,330	No formal educational credential
Lodging managersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.31	$63,050	$47,840 to $82,510	610	High school diploma or equivalent
Geological technicians, except hydrologic techniciansAssociate's degree	$30.31	$63,050	$55,690 to $71,930	110	Associate's degree
Physical therapist assistantsAssociate's degree	$30.05	$62,500	$55,890 to $76,090	3,390	Associate's degree
Occupational therapy assistantsAssociate's degree	$30.01	$62,420	$58,470 to $74,000	1,300	Associate's degree

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

All 75, sorted by hourly median

Other states

Sources and method