No-Degree Jobs in Tennessee
High-paying careers that don't require a college degree
Best No-Degree Jobs in Tennessee
You don't need a college degree to build a successful, high-paying career in Tennessee. Many skilled trades, technical roles, and service positions offer competitive salaries and excellent growth opportunities. The occupations below are based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data and represent the highest-paying jobs that typically don't require a bachelor's degree.
Career Growth Potential
These roles often provide opportunities for advancement through experience, certifications, and specialized training. Many employers offer on-the-job training, apprenticeship programs, or tuition assistance for further education if you choose to pursue additional qualifications later.
How to Get Started
To get started, research the specific requirements for your target occupation, including any necessary licenses, certifications, or training programs. Many of these roles offer immediate employment opportunities with competitive starting salaries.
No-Degree Job Opportunities
These careers typically require a high school diploma or equivalent, with on-the-job training, apprenticeships, or certification programs instead of a 4-year college degree.
No-Degree Jobs in Tennessee
| $113,090 | $113,090 | $54 | 4,910 | |
SOC: 51-8013 No Degree | $108,900 | $108,900 | $52 | 490 |
SOC: 11-9131 No Degree | $100,610 | $100,610 | $48 | 260 |
| $97,510 | $97,510 | $47 | 4,510 | |
SOC: 47-4021 No Degree | $93,140 | $93,140 | $45 | 700 |
| $88,920 | $88,920 | $43 | 170 | |
SOC: 33-3021 No Degree | $87,790 | $87,790 | $42 | 1,860 |
SOC: 51-8012 No Degree | $87,520 | $87,520 | $42 | 100 |
| Find Power Distributors and Dispatchers Jobs | ||||
SOC: 53-4011 No Degree | $85,470 | $85,470 | $41 | 700 |
SOC: 49-9051 No Degree | $82,970 | $82,970 | $40 | 3,900 |
SOC: 49-9097 No Degree | $80,590 | $80,590 | $39 | 190 |
SOC: 33-1012 No Degree | $79,340 | $79,340 | $38 | 4,430 |
SOC: 13-1031 No Degree | $78,840 | $78,840 | $38 | 6,390 |
SOC: 53-6051 No Degree | $78,420 | $78,420 | $38 | 420 |
| $77,760 | $77,760 | $37 | 15,070 | |
| $76,830 | $76,830 | $37 | 17,770 | |
| Find First Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers Jobs | ||||
SOC: 29-2092 No Degree | $76,610 | $76,610 | $37 | 190 |
| $75,490 | $75,490 | $36 | 23,850 | |
| $75,440 | $75,440 | $36 | 4,310 | |
SOC: 11-9081 No Degree | $74,960 | $74,960 | $36 | 610 |
SOC: 53-4031 No Degree | $72,560 | $72,560 | $35 | 790 |
| $72,550 | $72,550 | $35 | 70 | |
| $72,130 | $72,130 | $35 | 49,870 | |
SOC: 11-9051 No Degree | $71,740 | $71,740 | $34 | 4,550 |
| Find Food Service Managers Jobs | ||||
SOC: 47-2011 No Degree | $71,530 | $71,530 | $34 | 180 |
SOC: 41-3021 No Degree | $71,520 | $71,520 | $34 | 7,610 |
| $71,330 | $71,330 | $34 | 18,960 | |
SOC: 51-8092 No Degree | $71,020 | $71,020 | $34 | 200 |
SOC: 35-1011 No Degree | $70,710 | $70,710 | $34 | 3,820 |
| $70,600 | $70,600 | $34 | 5,360 | |
SOC: 33-1011 No Degree | $69,170 | $69,170 | $33 | 740 |
| $69,020 | $69,020 | $33 | 260 | |
| Find Rail Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Jobs | ||||
SOC: 51-9197 No Degree | $68,380 | $68,380 | $33 | 1,360 |
| $67,720 | $67,720 | $33 | 21,600 | |
SOC: 49-9041 No Degree | $66,880 | $66,880 | $32 | 12,850 |
| $66,270 | $66,270 | $32 | 17,290 | |
SOC: 47-2041 No Degree | $66,250 | $66,250 | $32 | 50 |
SOC: 43-4011 No Degree | $66,010 | $66,010 | $32 | 370 |
SOC: 51-8021 No Degree | $65,300 | $65,300 | $31 | 370 |
SOC: 51-4052 No Degree | $64,480 | $64,480 | $31 | 120 |
| Find Pourers and Casters, Metal Jobs | ||||
SOC: 33-9021 No Degree | $63,810 | $63,810 | $31 | 940 |
SOC: 49-3043 No Degree | $63,790 | $63,790 | $31 | 320 |
SOC: 49-9043 No Degree | $63,720 | $63,720 | $31 | 800 |
SOC: 49-9052 No Degree | $63,580 | $63,580 | $31 | 2,620 |
SOC: 47-2111 No Degree | $63,540 | $63,540 | $31 | 17,070 |
SOC: 47-4041 No Degree | $63,480 | $63,480 | $31 | 570 |
SOC: 47-2021 No Degree | $63,280 | $63,280 | $30 | 1,050 |
SOC: 53-7021 No Degree | $63,250 | $63,250 | $30 | 660 |
| Find Crane and Tower Operators Jobs | ||||
SOC: 49-3042 No Degree | $63,020 | $63,020 | $30 | 2,600 |
SOC: 41-9021 No Degree | $62,910 | $62,910 | $30 | 540 |
About No-Degree Careers
Many high-paying careers don't require a traditional 4-year college degree. These jobs often offer competitive salaries, strong job security, and clear advancement paths through:
- On-the-job training programs
- Apprenticeships (often paid)
- Professional certifications
- Trade school programs (typically 6 months to 2 years)
- Community college associate degrees
The jobs shown above are filtered to include only occupations where the typical education requirement is high school or less, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data.