
Highest-paying jobs in Huntsville that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Huntsville 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 Huntsville, AL that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $48,240
- #268 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#49. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $48,450
- #106 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,170
- Employment: 77,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Eugene, OR ($70,940)
--- Salem, OR ($68,640)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($68,520)

#48. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $48,800
- #273 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
#47. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $49,050
- #190 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#46. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $49,250
- #282 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)
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#45. Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $50,390
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,950
- Employment: 29,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($70,440)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($58,640)
--- Wichita, KS ($56,010)

#44. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $50,740
- #383 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 990
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)

#43. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $51,120
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620
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)

#42. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $51,330
- #328 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 760
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)

#41. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $52,200
- #229 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,270
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)
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#40. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,480
- #243 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,210
- Employment: 79,320
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houma-Thibodaux, LA ($59,410)
--- Florence, SC ($59,360)
--- Monroe, MI ($59,320)

#39. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $52,610
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,310
- Employment: 44,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($98,380)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($94,070)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($92,800)

#38. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $52,680
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#37. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,710
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)

#36. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $53,140
- #235 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,230
- Employment: 50,780
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($87,890)
--- Fresno, CA ($86,230)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($85,640)
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#35. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,560
- #278 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
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)

#34. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers
- Annual mean salary: $53,860
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,380
- Employment: 33,320
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($64,250)
--- Savannah, GA ($62,660)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($59,890)

#33. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $53,920
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)

#32. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $54,530
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)
#31. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $55,020
- #317 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,120
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)
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#30. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $55,060
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#29. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $55,830
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,010
- Employment: 112,130
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Huntsville, AL ($55,830)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,260)
--- Wausau, WI ($55,060)

#28. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $56,830
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 920
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)

#27. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $56,850
- #267 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#26. Tool and die makers
- Annual mean salary: $58,080
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
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#25. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $58,560
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#24. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $58,730
- #236 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)

#23. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $59,330
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,540
- Employment: 96,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($97,840)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($97,720)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($83,050)

#22. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $59,440
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,750
- Employment: 54,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($114,400)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,220)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($112,950)

#21. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $59,820
- #215 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)
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#20. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $59,940
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
#19. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Annual mean salary: $62,420
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,360
- Employment: 25,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($93,600)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($92,910)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($86,660)
#18. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $65,520
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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)

#17. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $66,540
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,470
- Employment: 125,440
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($86,470)
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($86,370)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($85,860)

#16. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,340
- #428 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
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#15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,790
- #266 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,130
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)

#14. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $68,800
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,390
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)

#13. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $69,300
- #178 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,550
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)

#12. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $69,400
- #269 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 860
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)

#11. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $69,420
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)
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#10. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $70,760
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,960
- Employment: 278,140
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($104,350)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($95,200)
--- Salinas, CA ($90,800)

#9. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $73,370
- #237 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)

#8. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $73,490
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)

#7. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $74,920
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,710
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)

#6. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $75,110
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $83,270
- Employment: 80,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($171,060)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($145,740)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($135,860)
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#5. Boilermakers
- Annual mean salary: $76,230
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,070
- Employment: 12,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,660)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($96,080)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($90,620)
#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $90,530
- #178 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $98,760
- Employment: 128,230
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($182,700)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($170,740)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($164,600)

#3. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $97,860
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#2. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $103,170
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
National
- Annual mean salary: $115,080
- Employment: 42,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($185,920)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($184,260)
--- Savannah, GA ($177,450)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $104,310
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $105,580
- Employment: 144,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($159,890)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,170)
--- Trenton, NJ ($144,620)
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