Highest-paying jobs in Boise that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Boise 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 Boise, ID that don’t require a college degree.
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Boise
#50. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $49,900
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,250
- Employment: 35,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($61,910)
--- Bellingham, WA ($61,210)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,760)

#49. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $50,110
- #249 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#48. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $50,270
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,220
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)
#47. Dental laboratory technicians
- Annual mean salary: $51,120
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#46. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $51,130
- #333 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 970
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: Highest-rated steakhouses in Boise, according to Tripadvisor

#44 (tie). Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $51,210
- #462 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
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)

#44 (tie). Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $51,210
- #260 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,130
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)

#43. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $51,270
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,430
- Employment: 55,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($95,980)
--- Decatur, IL ($92,670)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($89,340)
#42. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $51,290
- #164 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840
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)

#41. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $51,360
- #148 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)
You may also like: Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Boise, according to Tripadvisor
#40. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $51,430
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#39. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Annual mean salary: $51,600
- #149 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,360
- Employment: 25,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($93,600)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($92,910)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($86,660)

#38. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $52,220
- #156 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
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)

#37. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $52,410
- #343 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,230
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)

#36. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,730
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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: Cities with the fastest growing home prices in Boise metro area

#35. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $52,990
- #406 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
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)

#34. Logging equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $53,180
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,960
- Employment: 25,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($64,000)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($62,910)
--- Longview, WA ($62,780)

#33. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $53,300
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#32. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $53,510
- #371 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)
#31. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $54,030
- #100 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
You may also like: Highest-rated brunch restaurants in Boise, according to Tripadvisor

#30. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $54,250
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,010
- Employment: 112,130
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Huntsville, AL ($55,830)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,260)
--- Wausau, WI ($55,060)

#29. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,840
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 670
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)

#28. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $54,910
- #195 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)

#27. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $55,090
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
#26. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,420
- #274 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,230
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)
You may also like: Highest-rated Chinese restaurants in Boise, according to Tripadvisor

#25. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $56,430
- #278 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
#24. Massage therapists
- Annual mean salary: $57,480
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,260
- Employment: 81,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($96,260)
--- Kalamazoo-Portage, MI ($74,980)
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($74,850)

#23. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $57,690
- #205 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
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)

#22. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $58,500
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)

#21. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $60,070
- #175 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
You may also like: Biggest sources of immigrants to Boise

#20. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $60,430
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#19. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,040
- #440 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,940
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)

#18. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,080
- #399 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,020
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)

#17. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $61,840
- #483 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,450
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)

#16. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $62,330
- #214 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 970
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)
You may also like: Metros sending the most people to Boise

#15. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $63,120
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#14. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $63,470
- #208 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,370
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)

#13. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $63,730
- #300 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840
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. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $64,490
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#11. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $64,760
- #322 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,170
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: Highest-rated things to do in Boise, according to Tripadvisor

#10. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $67,540
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,770
- Employment: 35,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($121,090)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($111,410)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)

#9. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $68,520
- #213 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#8. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Annual mean salary: $69,540
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#7. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $74,510
- #222 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#6. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $79,250
- #234 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650
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)
You may also like: Zip codes with the most expensive rent in Boise
#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $82,550
- #364 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)

#4. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $84,840
- #128 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#3. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $93,730
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $98,920
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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 inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $105,470
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,620
- Employment: 25,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($112,260)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($111,930)
--- Anchorage, AK ($108,140)
You may also like: Where people in Boise are moving to most