
Highest-paying jobs in Tuscaloosa that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa, AL that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $44,930
- #188 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,420
- Employment: 392,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($96,580)
--- Salinas, CA ($89,100)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($86,260)
#49. Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners
- Annual mean salary: $45,110
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,660
- Employment: 6,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($77,060)
--- Fort Wayne, IN ($58,460)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($57,260)
#48. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $45,400
- #142 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,250
- Employment: 35,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($61,910)
--- Bellingham, WA ($61,210)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,760)
#47. Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers
- Annual mean salary: $45,420
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,170
- Employment: 86,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,420)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,320)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($55,120)

#46. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $46,160
- #375 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
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#45. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $46,530
- #188 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
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)
#44. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $46,820
- #160 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#43. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $46,850
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#42. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $47,100
- #281 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#41. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $47,150
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,490
- Employment: 108,440
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($60,690)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,040)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($57,940)
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#40. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $47,310
- #189 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,270
- Employment: 43,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($131,160)
--- Syracuse, NY ($103,350)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($99,990)

#39. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $47,810
- #285 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,460
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)

#38. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $47,840
- #290 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#37. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $48,040
- #321 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)

#36. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $48,080
- #195 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
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#35. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $48,370
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#34. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $48,610
- #150 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $48,930
- #383 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)

#32. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $51,000
- #356 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#31. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $51,320
- #317 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#30. Continuous mining machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $51,600
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,430
- Employment: 14,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Duluth, MN-WI ($70,810)
--- Wheeling, WV-OH ($67,910)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($61,700)

#29. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,730
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#28. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $52,950
- #330 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)

#27. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $53,050
- #268 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#26. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $53,130
- #143 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,260
- Employment: 39,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($91,590)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,580)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($80,780)
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#25. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $53,390
- #450 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)

#24. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,770
- #237 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)

#23. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $54,500
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)
#22. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $54,850
- #320 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 970
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. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $55,440
- #307 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,020
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)
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#20. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $57,650
- #193 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#19. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $57,720
- #237 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#18. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $58,050
- #236 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#17. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $58,660
- #139 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)

#16. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $59,030
- #104 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)
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#15. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $59,070
- #198 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#14. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $61,310
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)

#13. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $61,440
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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 non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,860
- #475 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)

#11. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $65,700
- #290 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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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#10. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $67,540
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#9. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $68,930
- #121 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#8. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,350
- #205 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,830
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,340
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)

#6. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $71,180
- #224 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
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)
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#5. Gas plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $72,670
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $76,970
- Employment: 15,110
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($98,750)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($97,080)

#4. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $73,060
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 780
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)

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $86,290
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $90,020
- #182 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $94,020
- #232 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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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