
Highest-paying jobs in Gainesville, Georgia that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Gainesville, 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 Gainesville, GA that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Annual mean salary: $43,100
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,790
- Employment: 218,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,830)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($59,120)
--- Portsmouth, NH-ME ($58,380)

#49. Procurement clerks
- Annual mean salary: $43,280
- #154 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#48. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $43,300
- #340 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,190
- Employment: 668,060
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($81,730)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,680)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,280)
#47. Food batchmakers
- Annual mean salary: $43,470
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,190
- Employment: 155,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Battle Creek, MI ($65,310)
--- Cedar Rapids, IA ($56,900)
--- Binghamton, NY ($50,910)

#46. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $43,550
- #467 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
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)
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#45. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $43,650
- #301 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#44. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $44,490
- #215 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)

#43. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $44,600
- #339 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)

#42. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $44,660
- #256 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#41. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $45,110
- #419 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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. Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers
- Annual mean salary: $45,120
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,170
- Employment: 86,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,420)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,320)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($55,120)
#39. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $45,280
- #389 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
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)

#38. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $45,630
- #303 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#37. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $45,680
- #402 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $45,970
- #211 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)
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#35. Dental laboratory technicians
- Annual mean salary: $46,430
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,320
- Employment: 34,150
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($67,730)
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($59,560)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($55,140)
#34. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,520
- #209 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#33. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $46,570
- #269 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)

#32. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $47,720
- #297 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)

#31. Light truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $48,040
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 850
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)
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#30. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $48,940
- #335 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#29. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $49,080
- #387 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $49,560
- #363 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
#27. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $49,970
- #151 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)

#26. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $50,650
- #150 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,550
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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#25. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $50,820
- #249 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#23 (tie). Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $50,830
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#23 (tie). Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $50,830
- #380 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $54,720
- #308 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#21. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $54,930
- #328 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
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)
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#20. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $55,100
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#19. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $55,650
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#18. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,950
- #259 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 740
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)

#17. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $57,000
- #382 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)

#16. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $57,220
- #292 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
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#15. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $58,670
- #208 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#14. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $62,870
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#13. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,130
- #329 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
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)

#12. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $65,560
- #138 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#11. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $65,790
- #268 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
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#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,030
- #323 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
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)

#9. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $67,750
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)

#8. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $68,060
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $69,430
- #268 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)

#6. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $71,100
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
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#5. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $72,400
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
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)

#4. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $72,830
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $74,250
- #328 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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $74,550
- #322 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $102,080
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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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