College isn't for everyone—despite what today's youth may hear from the adults in their lives.
From the moment they arrive freshman year, 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.
The median wage for high school diploma recipients is about $809 a week—higher than those without a diploma ($626), but well below the median for bachelor's degree holders ($1,334). But many jobs without college degree requirements still pay decent wages. Some even pay better than jobs reserved for degree earners.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Pine Bluff that don't require higher education. 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 are ranked by their annual median salaries as of May 2022.
Keep reading to discover the highest-paying jobs in Pine Bluff that don't require a college degree.
This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.
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1 / 50#50. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $32,870
- Median hourly wage: $15.81
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 80 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
New Africa // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Median annual wage: $32,890
- Median hourly wage: $15.81
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 50 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
ESB Basic // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $33,390
- Median hourly wage: $16.06
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 220 people (7.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#47. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $33,730
- Median hourly wage: $16.21
- Education required: No formal educational credential
- Total employment: 770 people (26.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Billing and posting clerks
- Median annual wage: $34,630
- Median hourly wage: $16.65
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 70 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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6 / 50#45. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $35,000
- Median hourly wage: $16.83
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 80 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Fusionstudio // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,650
- Median hourly wage: $17.14
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 100 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
- Median annual wage: $36,150
- Median hourly wage: $17.38
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 90 people (3.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Dental assistants
- Median annual wage: $36,210
- Median hourly wage: $17.41
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 40 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Glenn Highcove // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Median annual wage: $36,230
- Median hourly wage: $17.42
- Education required: No formal educational credential
- Total employment: 240 people (8.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
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11 / 50#40. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $36,390
- Median hourly wage: $17.49
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 70 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $37,200
- Median hourly wage: $17.88
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 290 people (10.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#38. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $37,480
- Median hourly wage: $18.02
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 70 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $37,590
- Median hourly wage: $18.07
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 110 people (3.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $38,370
- Median hourly wage: $18.45
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 170 people (5.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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16 / 50#35. Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood
- Median annual wage: $38,470
- Median hourly wage: $18.50
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 80 people (2.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
pio3 // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $38,600
- Median hourly wage: $18.56
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 120 people (4.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Vitpho // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $38,850
- Median hourly wage: $18.68
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 310 people (10.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $40,310
- Median hourly wage: $19.38
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 70 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#31. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
#30. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $40,790
- Median hourly wage: $19.61
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 400 people (13.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
XiXinXing // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Medical records specialists
- Median annual wage: $40,950
- Median hourly wage: $19.69
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 40 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Median annual wage: $40,980
- Median hourly wage: $19.70
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 60 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Bigflick // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $41,680
- Median hourly wage: $20.04
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 1,000 people (34.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $42,620
- Median hourly wage: $20.49
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 60 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
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26 / 50#25. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $42,900
- Median hourly wage: $20.63
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 30 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
4 PM production // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Median annual wage: $44,270
- Median hourly wage: $21.28
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 100 people (3.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $44,420
- Median hourly wage: $21.35
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 90 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $44,570
- Median hourly wage: $21.43
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 40 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
manine99 // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $44,650
- Median hourly wage: $21.47
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 40 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
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31 / 50#20. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $45,220
- Median hourly wage: $21.74
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 80 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#19. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $45,820
- Median hourly wage: $22.03
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 40 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
David Spates // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $46,400
- Median hourly wage: $22.31
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 50 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $46,990
- Median hourly wage: $22.59
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 70 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
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36 / 50#15. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $47,540
- Median hourly wage: $22.86
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 150 people (5.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $47,730
- Median hourly wage: $22.95
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 270 people (9.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $48,320
- Median hourly wage: $23.23
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 370 people (12.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#12. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $50,110
- Median hourly wage: $24.09
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 120 people (4.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $50,690
- Median hourly wage: $24.37
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 40 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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41 / 50#10. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $51,310
- Median hourly wage: $24.67
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 40 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
sculpies // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $51,850
- Median hourly wage: $24.93
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 100 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $56,800
- Median hourly wage: $27.31
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 90 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $59,920
- Median hourly wage: $28.81
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 80 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $61,180
- Median hourly wage: $29.41
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 280 people (9.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $62,290
- Median hourly wage: $29.95
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 30 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#4. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $63,090
- Median hourly wage: $30.33
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 120 people (4.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $67,010
- Median hourly wage: $32.22
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 60 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
4 PM production // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $69,390
- Median hourly wage: $33.36
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 150 people (5.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
SritanaN // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $70,960
- Median hourly wage: $34.11
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 220 people (7.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
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