
Highest-paying jobs in Gadsden that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Gadsden 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 Gadsden, AL that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Annual mean salary: $30,780
- #498 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,150
- Employment: 1,040,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($52,950)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,140)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($50,430)
#49. Driver/sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $31,090
- #227 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,970
- Employment: 477,020
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bismarck, ND ($48,560)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($46,390)
--- Fargo, ND-MN ($46,360)
#48. Pharmacy technicians
- Annual mean salary: $31,150
- #501 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,970
- Employment: 436,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,340)
--- Napa, CA ($58,620)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($58,390)

#47. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $31,750
- #509 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,810
- Employment: 551,380
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Odessa, TX ($70,950)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($66,260)
--- Bismarck, ND ($64,940)

#46. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Annual mean salary: $31,840
- #263 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,730
- Employment: 61,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($59,130)
--- Anchorage, AK ($57,900)
--- Longview, WA ($57,410)
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#45. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $32,600
- #399 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,540
- Employment: 155,250
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,320)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($77,210)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($72,760)

#44. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Annual mean salary: $32,700
- #490 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,210
- Employment: 795,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($51,470)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($48,440)
--- Anchorage, AK ($47,150)
#43. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $32,900
- #389 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)
#42. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Annual mean salary: $33,340
- #452 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,910
- Employment: 238,610
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($59,060)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($58,140)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,710)

#41. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $33,390
- #415 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,740
- Employment: 656,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,010)
--- Napa, CA ($52,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,300)
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#40. Customer service representatives
- Annual mean salary: $33,660
- #385 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,070
- Employment: 2,787,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($52,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($50,510)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($47,490)
#39. Billing and posting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $34,050
- #484 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,750
- Employment: 429,080
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,850)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($55,130)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($54,960)
#38. Dental assistants
- Annual mean salary: $34,500
- #472 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,510
- Employment: 347,170
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,150)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($55,020)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,590)

#37. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $34,530
- #520 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#36. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive
- Annual mean salary: $35,060
- #391 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,080
- Employment: 1,825,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,720)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,730)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($54,450)
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#35. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $35,790
- #345 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#34. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $36,170
- #514 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#33. Light truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $36,310
- #421 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,630
- Employment: 1,010,040
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($51,860)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($51,560)
--- Waterbury, CT ($50,100)

#32. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $36,350
- #472 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)
#31. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
- Annual mean salary: $36,360
- #498 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)
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#30. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $37,390
- #506 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
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)

#29. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $38,500
- #481 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#28. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $40,000
- #338 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#27. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $40,010
- #351 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#26. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $40,160
- #508 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
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#25. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $40,240
- #512 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#24. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $40,460
- #465 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#23. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $40,830
- #504 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#22. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $41,810
- #418 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#21. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $42,090
- #387 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
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#20. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $43,750
- #447 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#19. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $43,800
- #505 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#18. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $44,380
- #487 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#17. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $44,390
- #516 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)
#16. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $44,470
- #195 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)
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#15. Tool and die makers
- Annual mean salary: $44,600
- #237 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $56,150
- Employment: 63,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,920)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($72,510)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($71,910)

#14. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $44,640
- #461 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#13. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $46,040
- #359 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530
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)
#12. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $47,740
- #226 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#11. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $48,020
- #205 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,290
- Employment: 317,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($114,210)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($98,150)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($97,470)
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#10. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $48,140
- #503 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#9. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $48,310
- #388 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#8. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $48,580
- #497 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)

#7. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,580
- #116 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#6. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $56,130
- #500 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
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#5. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $57,150
- #503 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#4. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $59,170
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#3. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $59,470
- #192 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)

#2. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $60,450
- #501 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#1. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,440
- #389 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
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