
Highest-paying jobs in Phoenix that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Phoenix 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ that don’t require a college degree.
You may also like: Highest paying jobs in Phoenix for high school graduates
#50. Tool and die makers
- Annual mean salary: $57,690
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
#49. Travel agents
- Annual mean salary: $57,990
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,580
- Employment: 37,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($72,820)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,110)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($57,990)
#48. Semiconductor processing technicians
- Annual mean salary: $58,150
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,200
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,910
- Employment: 24,020
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($58,450)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($58,150)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($56,580)
#47. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $58,540
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,120
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)

#46. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $58,790
- #348 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,760
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)
You may also like: Where people in Phoenix are moving to most

#45. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $59,070
- #168 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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)

#44. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $59,590
- #190 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,850
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)

#43. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $59,860
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $83,740
- Employment: 28,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($129,650)
--- Wenatchee, WA ($123,180)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($114,660)

#42. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,300
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,450
- Employment: 25,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Longview, WA ($74,500)
--- Redding, CA ($72,680)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($71,740)
#41. Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment
- Annual mean salary: $61,170
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,650
- Employment: 10,710
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($89,080)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($87,130)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($86,160)
You may also like: Highest-earning zip codes in Phoenix metro area
#40. Home appliance repairers
- Annual mean salary: $61,210
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,340
- Employment: 28,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($61,210)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($58,670)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($57,420)
#39. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,250
- #140 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 23,560
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)

#38. Insurance appraisers, auto damage
- Annual mean salary: $61,410
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,180
- Employment: 11,430
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($89,810)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($86,970)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($86,050)

#37. Tax preparers
- Annual mean salary: $61,490
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,640
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,080
- Employment: 83,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($81,880)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($79,470)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($73,170)

#36. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $61,650
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,120
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)
You may also like: Highest-rated seafood restaurants in Phoenix, according to Tripadvisor

#35. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $61,740
- #117 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 980
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)

#34. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $63,490
- #192 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,320
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)

#33. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $63,520
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#32. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Annual mean salary: $63,690
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,080
- Employment: 8,590
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN ($79,660)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($72,800)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($71,910)
#31. Flight attendants
- Annual mean salary: $64,640
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,810
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,280
- Employment: 96,900
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kansas City, MO-KS ($94,320)
--- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($72,130)
--- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL ($67,620)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Phoenix in the last week

#30. Airfield operations specialists
- Annual mean salary: $64,710
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,360
- Employment: 12,610
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Austin-Round Rock, TX ($88,510)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($80,230)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($79,230)
#29. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Annual mean salary: $65,160
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)
#28. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $65,580
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,950
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)

#27. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $66,420
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,980
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. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,630
- #199 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,670
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)
You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Phoenix
#25. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $66,930
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,680
- Employment: 14,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Dayton, OH ($116,740)
--- Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($112,040)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($107,220)

#24. Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists
- Annual mean salary: $68,320
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,340
- Employment: 2,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($134,990)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($104,060)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($84,900)

#23. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $68,920
- #286 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,360
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)

#22. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $69,570
- #176 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 18,490
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)

#21. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $69,630
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,710
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)
You may also like: Highest-rated steakhouses in Phoenix, according to Tripadvisor

#20. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $70,120
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 18,650
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)

#19. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $71,940
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,180
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)

#18. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $72,310
- #169 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 11,830
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)

#17. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $72,550
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,510
- Employment: 29,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,300)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,930)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($99,740)

#16. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $73,480
- #344 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,040
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)
You may also like: Highest-rated things to do in Phoenix, according to Tripadvisor

#15. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $73,630
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,770
- Employment: 35,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($121,090)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($111,410)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)

#14. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $74,340
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)

#13. Gambling managers
- Annual mean salary: $76,040
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $89,190
- Employment: 3,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($106,830)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($104,140)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($103,210)

#12. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $78,090
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,910
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)

#11. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $79,930
- #164 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,890
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)
You may also like: Highest-rated brunch restaurants in Phoenix, according to Tripadvisor

#10. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $79,940
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,620
- Employment: 25,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($112,260)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($111,930)
--- Anchorage, AK ($108,140)

#9. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $80,220
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,140
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)

#8. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $86,070
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
National
- Annual mean salary: $91,320
- Employment: 22,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($130,290)
--- Kansas City, MO-KS ($113,590)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($113,480)

#7. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $89,800
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,310
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)

#6. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $90,780
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 790
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,490
- Employment: 48,460
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($152,460)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($133,810)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($132,320)
You may also like: Biggest sources of immigrants to Phoenix

#5. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Annual mean salary: $93,000
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $78,440
- Employment: 5,220
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($104,810)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($101,650)
--- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($101,610)

#4. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $96,450
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,820
- Employment: 12,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($97,930)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($96,450)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($94,460)
#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $97,620
- #183 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,220
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)

#2. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $104,230
- #85 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 930
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. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $105,270
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,320
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)
You may also like: Highest-rated dessert shops in Phoenix, according to Tripadvisor