
Highest-paying jobs in Athens that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Athens 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 Athens-Clarke County, GA that don’t require a college degree.
You may also like: People from these metros are finding new jobs in Athens

#50. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $42,000
- #369 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,890
- Employment: 1,143,260
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($57,830)
--- Boulder, CO ($56,520)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,930)
#49. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $42,570
- #215 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,100
- Employment: 153,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,770)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,250)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($59,160)

#48. Light truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $43,130
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 700
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,630
- Employment: 1,010,040
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($51,860)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($51,560)
--- Waterbury, CT ($50,100)
#47. Opticians, dispensing
- Annual mean salary: $43,480
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,060
- Employment: 73,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,300)
--- New Haven, CT ($69,460)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($65,010)
#46. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $43,650
- #340 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
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)
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in Athens metro area
#45. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Annual mean salary: $44,430
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,520
- Employment: 159,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($45,950)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($45,550)
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($44,840)

#44. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $44,590
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,230
- Employment: 216,910
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,350)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($66,650)
--- Utica-Rome, NY ($63,470)

#43. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $44,790
- #312 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#42. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $45,500
- #262 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $45,590
- #236 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,560
- Employment: 149,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,600)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,240)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($60,930)
You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Athens

#40. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $45,680
- #167 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,650
- Employment: 194,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($64,140)
--- Decatur, IL ($60,740)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($58,620)

#39. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $45,740
- #393 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
#38. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $45,900
- #366 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)

#37. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $46,160
- #375 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#36. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,480
- #394 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
You may also like: Where people in Athens are moving to most
#35. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $46,800
- #233 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,590
- Employment: 109,060
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($80,450)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($80,170)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($77,460)

#34. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $47,020
- #224 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,570
- Employment: 57,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Savannah, GA ($76,260)
--- Cedar Rapids, IA ($70,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($69,980)

#33. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $47,380
- #297 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#32. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $47,600
- #388 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)

#31. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $47,700
- #213 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
You may also like: Closest national parks to Athens

#30. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $47,810
- #291 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#29. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $48,710
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)

#28. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $49,160
- #382 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#27. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Annual mean salary: $49,940
- #149 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,900
- Employment: 186,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New Bedford, MA ($90,980)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($82,820)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($79,650)

#26. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $51,310
- #329 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
You may also like: Zip codes with the most expensive homes in Athens metro area

#25. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $51,730
- #469 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 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)
#24. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $51,990
- #108 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)

#23. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $52,120
- #352 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)

#22. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $52,140
- #303 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#21. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $52,940
- #370 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
You may also like: Highest-earning zip codes in Athens metro area

#20. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $52,990
- #195 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)

#19. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Annual mean salary: $53,570
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#18. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $53,630
- #166 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#17. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $54,060
- #362 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)

#16. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $54,740
- #321 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
You may also like: Cities with the fastest growing home prices in Athens metro area

#15. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $54,800
- #319 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)
#14. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $55,470
- #304 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770
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)

#13. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $55,700
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 780
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)

#12. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $56,940
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#11. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $58,120
- #475 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 690
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)
You may also like: Metros sending the most people to Athens

#10. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $59,800
- #217 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $60,720
- #426 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#8. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $61,150
- #149 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,710
- #429 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#6. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,940
- #372 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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: How Athens feels about climate change

#5. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $62,640
- #311 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
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)

#4. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $63,120
- #459 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $71,670
- #257 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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 non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $74,880
- #314 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $89,810
- #291 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Athens in the last week