Highest paying jobs in Australia without a degree: the 20 that pay most

Chemical Plant Operators earn A$3,532 a week, according to the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. That is the highest median weekly pay of any role on this list. The list is ranked by that ABS figure, highest first.

Before you read on, check the free Career Change Check. It shows which Australian roles people from call centre, customer service and admin work have moved into, and the skills you already have for each.

How this list was ranked

Every role with a page on Changing Careers whose ABS skill level is 2 to 5 (the levels that do not call for a bachelor degree) was sorted by the ABS median weekly earnings for full-time adult employees in that role's family of occupations, before tax, highest first. The figure is for the family of occupations, not the single job title, and it is weekly.

Key figures

Figure	Value	Source	Date
Chemical Plant Operator median weekly earnings	A$3,532 a week	ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, customised report	May 2025
Gas or Petroleum Production Technician median weekly earnings	A$3,532 a week	ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, customised report	May 2025
Power Generation Plant Operator median weekly earnings	A$3,532 a week	ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, customised report	May 2025
Crane, Hoist or Lift Operator median weekly earnings	A$3,411 a week	ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, customised report	May 2025
Marine Engineer median weekly earnings	A$3,365 a week	ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, customised report	May 2025
Passenger Train Driver median weekly earnings	A$3,001 a week	ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, customised report	May 2025
Architectural Technician median weekly earnings	A$2,954 a week	ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, customised report	May 2025
Construction Rigger median weekly earnings	A$2,910 a week	ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, customised report	May 2025
Crane, Hoist or Lift Operator automation exposure	16 out of 100	Jobs and Skills Australia, Our Gen AI Transition: JSA AI Study Bespoke Tables (2025)	2025
Scaffolder shortage rating	Rated in shortage nationally	Jobs and Skills Australia, 2025 Occupation Shortage List	2025

What are the highest paying jobs in Australia without a degree?

The top three roles all earn A$3,532 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. They are Chemical Plant Operator, Gas or Petroleum Production Technician, and Power Generation Plant Operator.

All figures below are median weekly earnings for full-time adult employees, before tax. They come from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report. The figure covers the family of occupations, not the single title.

1. Chemical Plant Operator

A$3,532 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. Jobs and Skills Australia scores this role 40 out of 100 for automation exposure. See the Chemical Plant Operator role page.

2. Gas or Petroleum Production Technician

A$3,532 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. There were 3,800 people in this role at the 2021 Census, per the ABS. See the Gas or Petroleum Production Technician role page.

3. Power Generation Plant Operator

A$3,532 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. Jobs and Skills Australia scores this role 40 out of 100 for automation exposure. See the Power Generation Plant Operator role page.

4. Crane, Hoist or Lift Operator

A$3,411 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. Jobs and Skills Australia scores this role just 16 out of 100 for automation exposure. That is one of the lowest scores on this list. Jobs and Skills Australia also rates this role in shortage nationally, meaning employers who advertised found it hard to fill. That is not a count of jobs and says nothing about growth. There were 11,200 people in this role at the 2021 Census, per the ABS. See the Crane, Hoist or Lift Operator role page.

5. Marine Engineer

A$3,365 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. Jobs and Skills Australia rates this role in shortage nationally. Jobs and Skills Australia scores it 26 out of 100 for automation exposure. See the Marine Engineer role page.

6. Marine Surveyor

A$3,365 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. There were 500 people in this role at the 2021 Census, per the ABS. It is a small field. See the Marine Surveyor role page.

7. Marine Transport Masters, Officers and Technicians

A$3,365 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. Jobs and Skills Australia scores this group 26 out of 100 for automation exposure. See the Marine Transport Masters, Officers and Technicians role page.

8. Master Fisher

A$3,365 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. Jobs and Skills Australia rates this role in shortage nationally. There were 530 people in this role at the 2021 Census, per the ABS. See the Master Fisher role page.

9. Ship's Master

A$3,365 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. Jobs and Skills Australia rates this role in shortage nationally. There were 2,200 people in this role at the 2021 Census, per the ABS. See the Ship's Master role page.

10. Ship's Officer

A$3,365 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. Jobs and Skills Australia rates this role in shortage nationally. There were 460 people in this role at the 2021 Census, per the ABS. See the Ship's Officer role page.

11. Passenger Train Driver

A$3,001 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. Jobs and Skills Australia scores this role 38 out of 100 for automation exposure. There were 4,500 people in this role at the 2021 Census, per the ABS. See the Passenger Train Driver role page.

12. Tram Driver

A$3,001 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. There were 1,600 people in this role at the 2021 Census, per the ABS. See the Tram Driver role page.

13. Architectural Technician

A$2,954 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. Jobs and Skills Australia scores this role 33 out of 100 for automation exposure. There were 600 people in this role at the 2021 Census, per the ABS. See the Architectural Technician role page.

14. Engineering Technicians

A$2,954 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. There were 4,800 people in this group at the 2021 Census, per the ABS. Jobs and Skills Australia scores this group 33 out of 100 for automation exposure. See the Engineering Technicians role page.

15. Maintenance Planner

A$2,954 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. There were 9,000 people in this role at the 2021 Census, per the ABS. It is one of the larger roles on this list. See the Maintenance Planner role page.

16. Mining Supervisor

A$2,954 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. There were 6,500 people in this role at the 2021 Census, per the ABS. Jobs and Skills Australia scores it 33 out of 100 for automation exposure. See the Mining Supervisor role page.

17. Non-destructive Testing Technician

A$2,954 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. Jobs and Skills Australia rates this role in shortage nationally, meaning employers who advertised found it hard to fill. That is not a count of jobs and says nothing about growth. See the Non-destructive Testing Technician role page.

18. Construction Rigger

A$2,910 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. Jobs and Skills Australia scores this role 11 out of 100 for automation exposure. That is the lowest score on this list. There were 7,700 people in this role at the 2021 Census, per the ABS. See the Construction Rigger role page.

19. Scaffolder

A$2,910 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. Jobs and Skills Australia rates this role in shortage nationally. There were 8,400 people in this role at the 2021 Census, per the ABS. See the Scaffolder role page.

20. Steel Fixer

A$2,910 a week, per the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. Jobs and Skills Australia rates this role in shortage nationally. Jobs and Skills Australia scores it 11 out of 100 for automation exposure. See the Steel Fixer role page.

Which of these are close to customer service and admin work?

None of the 20 roles above are a direct step from a call centre, customer service, claims or admin seat. They sit in trades, marine, energy and heavy industry. The skills overlap is low.

If you want to know which roles your current skills do transfer to, the free Career Change Check shows exactly that. It maps roles that people from your kind of work have moved into, and shows the skills you already have for each.

The destination roles closest to customer service and admin work are customer success, claims, NDIS coordination, health admin and ops coordination. You can read about those at:

For more on pay by role, see what jobs pay in Australia. For roles that are growing, see where jobs are growing in Australia. For roles in shortage, see jobs in shortage in Australia 2026.

If you are weighing up a move because your current role feels at risk, five signs your admin role is being automated is a good starting point. For a broader look at career change, see career changes Australians actually make.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the highest paying job in Australia without a degree?

Chemical Plant Operator, Gas or Petroleum Production Technician and Power Generation Plant Operator all earn A$3,532 a week at the median, according to the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. That is the highest figure on this list of roles that do not require a bachelor degree.

Do the highest paying trade and technical jobs require a degree?

No. Every role on this list sits at ABS skill level 2 to 5, which means the typical entry path is a certificate, diploma, apprenticeship or on-the-job training rather than a bachelor degree. Check the individual role pages for the specific qualification each role usually requires.

Are the high-paying roles on this list at risk from automation?

Jobs and Skills Australia scores most of them below 40 out of 100 for automation exposure. Construction Rigger, Scaffolder and Steel Fixer score 11 out of 100, the lowest on the list. Chemical Plant Operator and Gas or Petroleum Production Technician score 40 out of 100. A lower score means less exposure, not zero risk.

Which of these high-paying roles are in shortage?

Jobs and Skills Australia's 2025 Occupation Shortage List rates Crane, Hoist or Lift Operator, Marine Engineer, Master Fisher, Ship's Master, Ship's Officer, Non-destructive Testing Technician, Scaffolder and Steel Fixer as in shortage nationally. A shortage rating means employers who advertised found the role hard to fill. It is not a count of available jobs and says nothing about future growth.

Can I move into one of these roles from customer service or admin work?

The roles on this list sit in trades, marine, energy and heavy industry. The skills overlap with customer service and admin work is low. The free Career Change Check at changingcareers.com.au/assessment shows which roles people from your kind of work have actually moved into, and the skills you already have for each.

This is general information, not professional career, financial, or legal advice. For tailored advice, consult a qualified career counsellor, financial adviser, or relevant Australian professional service.