Unexpected high paying roles that don't need a degree
When it comes to finding jobs, salary is an important consideration for many Australians.
According to new data from SEEK, the highest-paying jobs across Australia cover a wide range of industries including Healthcare & Medical, Government & Defence, and Mining, Resources & Energy.
The good news is that the data also reveals some high-paying jobs that don’t require degrees and show strong annual salary growth.
One standout example is stevedoring. In the Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics industry, stevedores have shown a 22.4% growth in salary year on year, with an average salary of $134,756.
Stevedores, also known as wharfies, play a huge part in global transportation as they load and unload cargo from ships in ports around Australia. It’s a physically demanding job that involves operating heavy machinery such as forklifts and cranes.
While no university degree is required, stevedores complete a Certificate III in stevedoring and receive on-the-job training.
Jake Field, Assistant National Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), says he wasn’t surprised by the wage growth as the union has worked hard to develop enterprise agreements that benefit employees.
Higher salaries reflect the demanding nature of the work — the industry runs 24-hour shifts, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
“Shipping is one of the oldest occupations in the world,” Field says.
“Stevedoring is a very diverse job. It is highly skilled because of the precision that’s required to meet productivity rates.”
If you’re interested in working as a stevedore, it’s important to be comfortable with shift work and to work hard.
“It’s a good industry with some really good career paths, particularly for young people coming through,” Field says.
According to the MUA, the industry has evolved to include more women — they now make up 18-19% of the workforce — and offers more defined roles in operations and maintenance, clerical work and receival and delivery.
While stevedoring tends to follow generational employment patterns within Australia, Field says operational improvements, like machinery upgrades, have opened up different job opportunities.
Beyond stevedoring
Here are the top 10 roles offering high salaries and don't require a degree.
Role | Industry | Average salary | Salary growth | |
1 | Shift Supervisor | Mining, Resources & Energy | $196,425 | 12.3% |
2 | Mining, Resources & Energy | 1.2% | ||
3 | Electrician | Mining, Resources & Energy | $154,286 | 2.1% |
4 | Trainer | Mining, Resources & Energy | $151,973 | 9.6% |
5 | Mechanic | Mining, Resources & Energy | $148,413 | 4.1% |
6 | Civil Supervisor | Construction | $147,478 | -2.4% |
7 | Training Adviser | Mining, Resources & Energy | $147,976 | -0.4% |
8 | Field Service Technician | Mining, Resources & Energy | $145,385 | 20.4% |
9 | Health, Safety and Environment Adviser | Mining, Resources & Energy | $145,359 | 5.7% |
10 | Excavator Operator | Mining, Resources & Energy | $140,000 | 4.9% |
Roles in Mining, Resources & Energy — including shift supervisors, electricians, mechanics and field service technicians — dominate the highest-paid non-degree positions, alongside Construction roles like Civil Supervisors.
Leah Lambart, Career Coach at Relaunch Me, says there are lots of career opportunities that pay well for people who prefer hands-on learning rather university study.
In more physical jobs like stevedoring or in construction, TAFE courses are common pathways, but many people learn skills on the job and work their way up.
“They still go through a really comprehensive and thorough training process and then work their way up through commitment and dedication,” Lambart says.
“Apprenticeships and traineeships are another option, where workers can start on a lower salary, learn their trade and progress to higher paid positions.”
Whether you’re looking for a new opportunitity, or you’re just exploring options for making a change, take a moment to read up on these roles and see if there are any you’d like to pursue – then check out advice on creating your resumé and tips on applying for jobs.
Source: SEEK, based on average annual full time and annualised hourly salaries (excluding contract roles) for job ads listed on SEEK from Sep 2024 - Dec 2024 vs. Sep 2025 - Dec 2025.
*A minimum threshold of job ads per quarter on SEEK is required for a role to appear in this table
