In short
Jobs that pay about $25 an hour without a degree include tractor-trailer truck drivers, carpenters, HVAC technicians, welders and machinists. In May 2025 BLS data, these jobs have medians between about $52,000 and $62,400 a year. Most need a certificate, an apprenticeship or months of on-the-job training.
Jobs with a median of $25 to $30 an hour
| # | Job | Median pay | Typical way in | Growth 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | $58,640 | Certificate | 3.8% | 214,500 |
| 2 | Carpenters (BLS) | $60,580 | High school or GED | 3.9% | 62,800 |
| 3 | Insurance sales agents (BLS) | $62,280 | High school or GED | 3.3% | 43,100 |
| 4 | Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers | $61,010 | Certificate | 10.9% | 40,600 |
| 5 | Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers | $53,750 | High school or GED | 2.4% | 40,300 |
| 6 | Computer user support specialists | $61,860 | Some college | a decline of 3.5% | 39,700 |
| 7 | Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (BLS) | $59,850 | High school or GED | 4.6% | 39,200 |
| 8 | Real estate sales agents | $52,830 | High school or GED | 1.7% | 32,600 |
| 9 | Production, planning, and expediting clerks (BLS) | $59,650 | High school or GED | a decline of 1.3% | 32,600 |
| 10 | Correctional officers and jailers (BLS) | $58,940 | High school or GED | a decline of 7.4% | 28,400 |
| 11 | Firefighters | $59,280 | Certificate | 3.7% | 26,800 |
| 12 | Machinists (BLS) | $58,750 | High school or GED | 1% | 26,100 |
| 13 | Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (BLS) | $61,770 | High school or GED | 3.6% | 24,400 |
| 14 | Bus drivers, transit and intercity (BLS) | $59,050 | High school or GED | 4.1% | 21,100 |
| 15 | Massage therapists | $58,450 | Certificate | 15.3% | 20,400 |
| 16 | Postal service mail carriers (BLS) | $60,550 | No diploma needed | a decline of 0.3% | 19,600 |
| 17 | Legal secretaries and administrative assistants (BLS) | $55,570 | High school or GED | a decline of 5.2% | 18,100 |
| 18 | Chemical equipment operators and tenders | $58,040 | High school or GED | 3.6% | 13,900 |
| 19 | Cement masons and concrete finishers (BLS) | $57,020 | No diploma needed | 1.6% | 13,600 |
| 20 | Eligibility interviewers, government programs (BLS) | $54,210 | High school or GED | 1.6% | 12,700 |
| 21 | Automotive body and related repairers (BLS) | $54,890 | High school or GED | 3.7% | 12,600 |
| 22 | Roofers (BLS) | $55,440 | No diploma needed | 5.3% | 12,000 |
| 23 | Payroll and timekeeping clerks (BLS) | $58,260 | High school or GED | a decline of 15.9% | 11,400 |
| 24 | Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (BLS) | $60,020 | High school or GED | a decline of 5.7% | 10,000 |
| 25 | Sheet metal workers (BLS) | $61,800 | High school or GED | 2.5% | 9,800 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035 (Table 1.2), May 2025 median wages, retrieved 2026-10-09. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or switch fields.
What usually stands between $20 and $25
Looking across these lists, the step up is usually a credential: a CDL, a trade certificate, an apprenticeship card. Short training often pays back quickly at this level. Try it in the payback calculator.
Questions people ask
How much is $25 an hour a year?
About $52,000 before taxes at full time.
What is the fastest way to $25 an hour?
A short credential in a job with lots of openings, such as a CDL, is one of the quickest routes.
Do I need experience?
Some jobs here start lower and reach $25 with experience.