While nearly all of the highest paying jobs in America require a bachelor's degree or higher, good-paying occupations still exist that require only work experience or on-the-job-training.
Air traffic controllers had median hourly wages of $51.73 and median annual wages of $107,600 in 2005, making it the highest paid occupation that requires only work experience or on-the-job-training, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Air traffic controllers have seen their wages rise from 2005 to 2007. In July 2007, air traffic controllers earned a median of $120,842 in annual wages, according to Compensation.BLR.com's Salary Center.
Among the 25 highest paid occupations overall, air traffic controller is the only one with no requirement for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Among occupations requiring only work experience or on-the-job-training, managers and industrial production managers are the second and third highest paying jobs.
The following are the 25 highest paying occupations requiring only work experience or on-the-job training:
Occupation
Median Wages 2005
Hourly
Annual
1
Air Traffic Controllers
$51.73
$107,600
2
Managers, All Other
$38.06
$79,200
3
Industrial Production Managers
$36.34
$75,600
4
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
$33.23
$69,100
5
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
$31.84
$66,200
6
First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Police and Detectives
$31.52
$65,600
7
First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Non-Retail Sales Workers
$29.79
$62,000
8
First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Fire Fighting and Prevention Workers
$29.25
$60,800
9
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
$29.21
$60,800
10
Gaming Managers
$28.82
$59,900
11
Elevator Installers and Repairers
$28.46
$59,200
12
Power Distributors and Dispatchers
$28.44
$59,200
13
Real Estate Brokers
$27.49
$57,200
14
Detectives and Criminal Investigators
$26.82
$55,800
15
Locomotive Engineers
$26.69
$55,500
16
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
$25.98
$54,000
17
Power Plant Operators
$25.56
$53,200
18
Postmasters and Mail Superintendents
$25.34
$52,700
19
Cost Estimators
$25.01
$52,000
20
First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
$24.99
$52,000
21
First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
$24.98
$52,000
22
Gas Plant Operators
$24.96
$51,900
23
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
$24.55
$51,100
24
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
$24.49
$50,900
25
Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
