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degreelessjobs

Wisconsin · BLS, May 2025 wages

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

112 occupations in Wisconsin pay a median of $30 an hour or more and typically need less than a bachelor’s degree to enter. The highest is reinforcing iron and rebar workers at $58.47 an hour.

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

All 112, 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 Wisconsin with a median of $30 an hour or more that typically require less than a bachelor's degree
OccupationHourly median
Reinforcing iron and rebar workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$58.47
Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relayPostsecondary nondegree award$52.39
Electrical power-line installers and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent$50.88
Personal service managers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent$50.41
Diagnostic medical sonographersAssociate's degree$49.08
Nuclear medicine technologistsAssociate's degree$47.33
BoilermakersHigh school diploma or equivalent$46.92
First-line supervisors of police and detectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent$46.69
Postmasters and mail superintendentsHigh school diploma or equivalent$46.55
Dental hygienistsAssociate's degree$46.41
First-line supervisors of correctional officersHigh school diploma or equivalent$46.28
Transportation, storage, and distribution managersHigh school diploma or equivalent$46.10
Magnetic resonance imaging technologistsAssociate's degree$45.54
Radiation therapistsAssociate's degree$45.00
Structural iron and steel workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$44.63
First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$44.22
Detectives and criminal investigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$43.77
Health information technologists and medical registrarsAssociate's degree$42.91
PipelayersNo formal educational credential$41.77
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managersHigh school diploma or equivalent$41.50
Signal and track switch repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent$41.08
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$41.03
Insulation workers, mechanicalHigh school diploma or equivalent$40.92
Gas plant operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$40.91
Locomotive engineersHigh school diploma or equivalent$40.65
Respiratory therapistsAssociate's degree$40.48
First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workersPostsecondary nondegree award$40.05
Power distributors and dispatchersHigh school diploma or equivalent$39.97
StonemasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent$39.78
MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent$39.73
First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent$39.70
Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all otherPostsecondary nondegree award$39.22
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent$39.04
Computer network support specialistsAssociate's degree$38.95
Brickmasons and blockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent$38.52
Funeral home managersAssociate's degree$38.25
Insurance sales agentsHigh school diploma or equivalent$38.20
Radiologic technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$38.05
Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$37.58
Police and sheriff's patrol officersHigh school diploma or equivalent$37.55
Surgical assistantsPostsecondary nondegree award$37.51
Sheet metal workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$37.38
Property, real estate, and community association managersHigh school diploma or equivalent$37.37
Elevator and escalator installers and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent$37.33
Hearing aid specialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.90
ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.80
Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical doorHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.80
Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$36.68
Musicians and singersNo formal educational credential$36.61
Electrical and electronics draftersAssociate's degree$36.37
Construction and building inspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.35
Electric motor, power tool, and related repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.32
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.19
Insurance appraisers, auto damagePostsecondary nondegree award$36.18
Transportation inspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$36.18
Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipmentPostsecondary nondegree award$36.05
Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all otherAssociate's degree$36.03
First-line supervisors of production and operating workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$35.98
Captains, mates, and pilots of water vesselsPostsecondary nondegree award$35.76
Cardiovascular technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$35.76
Surgical technologistsPostsecondary nondegree award$35.64
Civil engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$35.56
Aircraft mechanics and service techniciansPostsecondary nondegree award$35.54
Lodging managersHigh school diploma or equivalent$35.38
First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent$35.34
Correctional officers and jailersHigh school diploma or equivalent$35.32
Drafters, all otherAssociate's degree$35.12
Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$34.56
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent$34.35
First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$33.92
Media and communication workers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent$33.55
Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$33.18
Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent$33.14
Earth drillers, except oil and gasHigh school diploma or equivalent$32.84
Tool and die makersPostsecondary nondegree award$32.75
Mechanical engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$32.62
Crane and tower operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$32.56
Computer numerically controlled tool programmersPostsecondary nondegree award$32.43
Industrial machinery mechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent$32.03
Fire inspectors and investigatorsPostsecondary nondegree award$32.02
Power plant operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.77
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific productsHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.70
Court reporters and simultaneous captionersPostsecondary nondegree award$31.56
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except enginesHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.46
Industrial engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree$31.38
Avionics techniciansPostsecondary nondegree award$31.36
First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$31.04
Occupational health and safety techniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.98
Maintenance workers, machineryHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.92
Cement masons and concrete finishersNo formal educational credential$30.89
Crematory operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.88
Physical therapist assistantsAssociate's degree$30.81
Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travelHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.78
Brokerage clerksHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.71
Mechanical draftersAssociate's degree$30.66
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesPostsecondary nondegree award$30.65
Telecommunications line installers and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.56
Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.56
Miscellaneous construction and related workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.44
Advertising sales agentsHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.42
Legal support workers, all otherAssociate's degree$30.35
Transportation security screenersHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.35
Architectural and civil draftersAssociate's degree$30.25
Plant and system operators, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.19
Chemical plant and system operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.15
Forest and conservation techniciansAssociate's degree$30.14
Tile and stone settersNo formal educational credential$30.14
First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.11
First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workersHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.10
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent$30.02
Broadcast techniciansAssociate's degree$30.00
GlaziersHigh school diploma or equivalent$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 Wisconsin median hourly wage is $30.00 or more. Medians include experienced workers; entry pay is lower. Read the full method.