12 engineering and architecture jobs you can get without a bachelor’s degree, and how much they typically pay

• Business Insider ranked the pay of engineering and architecture jobs that don’t need a bachelor’s degree.
• Most typically needed an associate degree, and pay ranged from about $52,000 to about $80,000.
• These jobs included different kinds of technicians, technologists, and drafters.

Even if you don’t have a bachelor’s degree, you might still be able to land a job in industrial, mechanical, aerospace, and other kinds of engineering.

Business Insider looked at typical education requirements for engineering and architecture jobs according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and ranked the median annual wages among roles that usually only need an associate degree or a high school diploma. We excluded two catch-all occupation titles due to a lack of specificity.

None of the 12 jobs that fit the criteria hit a six-figure median. Their typical pay ranged from about $52,000 to about $80,000, based on 2024 wage data.

Below are the ranked jobs, including employment and wage figures from last year.

12. Surveying and mapping technicians

Typical requirement: High school diploma or equivalent

Employment: 56,720

Annual wage: $51,940

11. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

Typical requirement: Associate degree

Employment: 12,500

Annual wage: $58,890

10. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Typical requirement: Associate degree

Employment: 62,130

Annual wage: $64,200

9. Architectural and civil drafters

Typical requirement: Associate degree

Employment: 109,550

Annual wage: $64,280

8. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Typical requirement: Associate degree

Employment: 73,410

Annual wage: $64,790

7. Calibration technologists and technicians

Typical requirement: Associate degree

Employment: 15,320

Annual wage: $65,040

6. Mechanical drafters

Typical requirement: Associate degree

Employment: 39,900

Annual wage: $68,510

5. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Typical requirement: Associate degree

Employment: 37,450

Annual wage: $68,730

4. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

Typical requirement: Associate degree

Employment: 14,680

Annual wage: $70,760

3. Electrical and electronics drafters

Typical requirement: Associate degree

Employment: 20,020

Annual wage: $73,720

2. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Typical requirement: Associate degree

Employment: 92,710

Annual wage: $77,180

1. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians

Typical requirement: Associate degree

Employment: 9,060

Annual wage: $79,830