
Highest-paying jobs in Columbus, Georgia that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Columbus, Georgia 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 Columbus, GA-AL that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $42,480
- #290 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#49. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $42,850
- #188 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,540
- Employment: 155,250
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,320)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($77,210)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($72,760)

#48. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $42,930
- #310 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)
#47. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $43,060
- #317 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#46. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $43,470
- #444 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720
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)
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#45. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $43,480
- #312 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#44. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $43,770
- #461 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
#43. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $43,960
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#42. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $44,000
- #397 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#41. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $44,810
- #423 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)
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#40. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $45,040
- #219 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#39. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $45,050
- #421 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#38. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $45,100
- #464 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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. Procurement clerks
- Annual mean salary: $45,210
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,930
- Employment: 61,930
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,800)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($56,330)
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($56,260)

#36. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $45,300
- #398 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,010
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)
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#35. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $45,520
- #486 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)

#34. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $47,160
- #277 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#33. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $48,070
- #300 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)

#32. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $48,110
- #275 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#31. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $48,170
- #233 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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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#30. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $48,620
- #399 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#29. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $49,870
- #477 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)

#28. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $49,990
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,560
- Employment: 21,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Evansville, IN-KY ($77,880)
--- Anchorage, AK ($77,690)
--- Oklahoma City, OK ($77,100)

#27. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $50,390
- #379 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $50,790
- #234 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)
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#25. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $50,920
- #249 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $52,280
- #339 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
#23. Meter readers, utilities
- Annual mean salary: $53,240
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,430
- Employment: 24,000
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($74,040)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($69,530)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($67,510)

#22. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,270
- #332 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)

#21. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $53,420
- #170 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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#20. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $53,540
- #368 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,090
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)

#19. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $54,080
- #381 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#18. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $55,840
- #125 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)

#17. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $57,390
- #246 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#16. Audio and video technicians
- Annual mean salary: $57,730
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,310
- Employment: 50,590
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($80,410)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($73,160)
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($68,430)
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#15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,460
- #464 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
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. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,560
- #289 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#13. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $61,180
- #326 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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)

#12. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $61,360
- #228 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620
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)
#11. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $61,720
- #418 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)
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#10. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $62,760
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#9. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,800
- #297 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)

#8. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $65,920
- #281 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680
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)

#7. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $66,770
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#6. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $67,030
- #342 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $67,590
- #110 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
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)

#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $71,230
- #377 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $77,130
- #202 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. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $80,490
- #159 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $93,160
- #242 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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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