
Highest-paying jobs in Bakersfield that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Bakersfield 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 Bakersfield, CA that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,290
- #138 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,270
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)

#49. Service unit operators, oil and gas
- Annual mean salary: $61,440
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,020
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,660
- Employment: 32,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($79,050)
--- New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($73,100)
--- Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR ($65,030)
#48. Continuous mining machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $61,700
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#47. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $61,920
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#46. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $62,220
- #175 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
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#45. Wind turbine service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $62,680
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,580
- Employment: 10,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($69,410)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($62,680)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($57,240)
#44. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $64,130
- #93 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
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)

#43. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $64,850
- #84 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,020
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)

#42. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,940
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#41. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $65,770
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
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#40. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Annual mean salary: $65,840
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,390
- Employment: 51,040
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($81,390)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($80,460)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($73,070)

#39. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $66,000
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 970
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)

#38. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $66,170
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 930
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)

#37. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,190
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,270
- Employment: 68,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($95,020)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($88,250)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($83,340)

#36. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $67,440
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660
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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#35. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $67,950
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#34. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $69,020
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,140
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)

#33. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $69,110
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
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)

#32. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $69,960
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)
#31. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $70,210
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#30. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $70,340
- #104 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750
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)

#29. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $70,350
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,340
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)

#28. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $71,180
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#27. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $71,340
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,390
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)

#26. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $71,550
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $80,500
- Employment: 34,230
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($105,090)
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($97,860)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($96,520)
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#25. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $73,730
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#24. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $74,150
- #330 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
#23. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas
- Annual mean salary: $74,240
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,840
- Employment: 11,170
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($84,210)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($75,750)
--- Lafayette, LA ($75,710)

#22. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $76,250
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#21. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $79,610
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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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#20. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Annual mean salary: $79,650
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $87,640
- Employment: 22,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($120,210)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($118,510)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($114,280)

#19. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $82,540
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040
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)

#18. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $82,910
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#17. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $83,210
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#16. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $83,400
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
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#15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $84,080
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,590
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. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $85,490
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,500
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)

#13. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $85,520
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)

#12. Gas plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $86,350
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#11. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Annual mean salary: $90,310
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
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#10. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Annual mean salary: $90,720
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,240
- Employment: 12,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,910)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($100,060)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($99,120)

#9. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $91,080
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,970
- Employment: 28,860
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Jackson, MI ($93,360)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($91,080)
--- Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($87,760)

#8. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $94,110
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $95,270
- #214 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)

#6. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $102,130
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
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#5. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $104,410
- #23 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)

#4. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $108,980
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#3. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $110,400
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $110,410
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $132,040
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
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