
Highest-paying jobs in Auburn that don't require a college degree
From the moment they arrive on campus, today's high school students are inundated with messages about the importance of receiving a college education. They hear it from their guidance counselors, teachers, parents, family members, neighbors, and coaches. While graduation from a four-year college can certainly work wonders for students' future careers, it's not necessary for all fields — something admissions officers and guidance counselors sometimes fail to mention.
To find the highest paying jobs that don't require a college degree, Stacker consulted the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook to compile a list of all jobs that don't require higher education. All professions that listed a high school diploma, some college education (without a degree conferred), postsecondary nondegree award, or no formal education requirements for entry-level positions were considered. Jobs that didn't list any entry-level education requirement were excluded, as were job titles that grouped several positions together. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.
Keep reading to discover the highest paying jobs in Auburn-Opelika, AL that don't require a college degree.
#50. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
- Annual mean salary: $37,670
- #446 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,140
- Employment: 1,509,370
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,750)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($58,670)
--- Napa, CA ($54,940)
#49. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $38,070
- #299 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,030
- Employment: 97,050
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($97,380)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,790)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($76,950)
#48. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $38,670
- #490 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $56,280
- Employment: 404,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,910)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($91,860)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($91,120)
#47. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $38,700
- #478 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,190
- Employment: 668,060
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($81,730)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,680)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,280)
#46. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $39,040
- #359 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,760
- Employment: 122,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($101,150)
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($94,930)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($93,840)
#45. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $39,370
- #518 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,850
- Employment: 641,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Napa, CA ($76,890)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,880)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,410)
#44. Dental laboratory technicians
- Annual mean salary: $39,400
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,320
- Employment: 34,150
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($67,730)
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($59,560)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($55,140)
#43. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $39,460
- #372 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,920
- Employment: 1,416,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,230)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,870)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($56,650)
#42. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $40,270
- #438 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 710
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,890
- Employment: 1,143,260
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($57,830)
--- Boulder, CO ($56,520)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,930)
#41. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $40,530
- #308 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,100
- Employment: 153,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,770)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,250)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($59,160)
#40. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $41,180
- #441 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,990
- Employment: 629,780
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($62,810)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($62,690)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($61,350)
#39. Library technicians
- Annual mean salary: $41,270
- #84 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,070
- Employment: 73,000
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($61,740)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,950)
--- Napa, CA ($57,890)
#38. Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping
- Annual mean salary: $41,370
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,540
- Employment: 54,760
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,360)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($54,750)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($52,300)
#37. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $41,690
- #265 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,810
- Employment: 56,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($84,710)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($77,840)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($76,960)
#36. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $42,240
- #238 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,240
- Employment: 157,840
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($70,030)
--- Waco, TX ($63,080)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($57,930)
#35. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $42,380
- #514 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,310
- Employment: 650,580
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,900)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($91,090)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($86,600)
#34. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $43,000
- #419 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,270
- Employment: 116,380
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Madera, CA ($76,040)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,800)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($73,360)
#33. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $43,040
- #398 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,020
- Employment: 333,220
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($71,070)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($69,300)
--- Monroe, MI ($66,560)
#32. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $43,070
- #382 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,290
- Employment: 397,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($72,500)
--- Anchorage, AK ($71,840)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($66,920)
#31. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $43,200
- #470 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,340
- Employment: 1,903,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Cape Girardeau, MO-IL ($62,600)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($62,290)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($61,540)
#30. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $43,530
- #216 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,570
- Employment: 151,340
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,570)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,900)
--- New Haven, CT ($63,790)
#29. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $45,510
- #398 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,690
- Employment: 356,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,020)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($76,750)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($71,710)
#28. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $45,560
- #405 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,020
- Employment: 261,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,900)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($73,400)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,480)
#27. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $45,590
- #452 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,350
- Employment: 417,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,580)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($89,500)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($89,190)
#26. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $47,180
- #252 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,660
- Employment: 137,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($71,350)
--- Ames, IA ($68,340)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,060)
#25. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $47,430
- #356 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,220
- Employment: 367,200
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($74,970)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($71,160)
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($67,140)
#24. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $48,420
- #404 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,280
- Employment: 145,230
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($86,740)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($82,520)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($79,470)
#23. Audio and video technicians
- Annual mean salary: $48,990
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,310
- Employment: 50,590
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($80,410)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($73,160)
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($68,430)
#22. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $50,890
- #444 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,380
- Employment: 1,443,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($82,050)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($79,520)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,430)
#21. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $51,300
- #222 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,250
- Employment: 101,530
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,680)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($90,370)
--- Salinas, CA ($88,050)
#20. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $52,300
- #181 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,320
- Employment: 121,150
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($92,370)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($87,990)
#19. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $52,420
- #431 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,370
- Employment: 335,540
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Modesto, CA ($57,160)
--- Bismarck, ND ($57,090)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,820)
#18. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $52,510
- #413 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,780
- Employment: 373,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($85,900)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($85,360)
--- Anchorage, AK ($82,890)
#17. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $53,640
- #330 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,480
- Employment: 117,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New Haven, CT ($121,510)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($107,330)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,190)
#16. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $54,000
- #328 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $90,370
- Employment: 107,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($132,210)
--- Anchorage, AK ($127,070)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($123,460)
#15. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $55,320
- #289 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,030
- Employment: 234,680
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($109,540)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($106,420)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($103,610)
#14. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $56,990
- #383 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,110
- Employment: 1,026,390
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($103,810)
--- Boulder, CO ($101,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($97,360)
#13. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $57,260
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $56,920
- Employment: 129,810
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Leominster-Gardner, MA ($81,020)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($79,600)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($79,430)
#12. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,420
- #439 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,330
- Employment: 629,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($98,170)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($97,910)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($90,410)
#11. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $59,950
- #124 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,480
- Employment: 175,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Midland, TX ($100,060)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($99,880)
--- Worcester, MA-CT ($93,400)
#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,670
- #430 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
National
- Annual mean salary: $75,060
- Employment: 665,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($112,020)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,820)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($101,210)
#9. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $62,600
- #387 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
National
- Annual mean salary: $72,390
- Employment: 1,242,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($102,280)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($92,660)
--- Napa, CA ($92,620)
#8. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $62,890
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,650
- Employment: 654,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($90,480)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($76,920)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($76,510)
#7. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $62,950
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,350
- Employment: 172,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($88,140)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($84,690)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($80,570)
#6. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $63,410
- #140 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,970
- Employment: 210,680
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($91,320)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($89,860)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,750)
#5. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $63,510
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,870
- Employment: 466,910
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,590)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($87,760)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($87,420)
#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,130
- #461 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $92,320
- Employment: 243,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($129,860)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($121,360)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($121,250)
#3. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $65,890
- #371 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,590
- Employment: 526,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($93,830)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($93,030)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,870)
#2. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $67,750
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,340
- Employment: 422,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($104,230)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,470)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($95,620)
#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $73,780
- #232 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $79,060
- Employment: 123,940
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($117,700)
--- Salinas, CA ($110,180)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,490)