A Look at Six-Figure Jobs That Don't Require a Degree

Six-figure work without a college degree exists—but a new analysis suggests such jobs are rarer than current public sentiment might suggest. Using federal labor data, higher-ed platform Niche found that fewer than 1 in 10 occupations with median pay of $100,000 or more don't require a bachelor's degree. The high cost of college has reignited interest in jobs such as plumbers and electricians, but the analysis suggests that their paydays, while solid, don't meet the hype, per the Washington Post. The non-degree jobs with the biggest checks do require specialized training and, typically, federal certification. Only 0.3% of job openings that don't require a bachelor's degree come with six-figure salaries. The top earners:

1. Air traffic controllers, $148,080 median salary
2. Commercial pilots, $123,220
3. Nuclear reactor operators, $122,890
4. Elevator/escalator installers, $109,910
5. Plumbers, $63,800
6. Electricians, $63,190
7. HVAC techs, $61,010
8. Welders, $53,750