
Highest-paying jobs in Bloomington, Illinois that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Bloomington, Illinois 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 Bloomington, IL that don’t require a college degree.
You may also like: Metros where people in Bloomington, Illinois are getting new jobs
#50. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $45,680
- #226 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)

#49. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $46,240
- #229 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#48. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $46,790
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#47. Audio and video technicians
- Annual mean salary: $46,860
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#46. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $47,860
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,030
- Employment: 97,050
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($97,380)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,790)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($76,950)
You may also like: Metros sending the most people to Bloomington, Illinois
#45. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Annual mean salary: $48,160
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,870
- Employment: 150,170
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,520)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($62,040)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($60,730)
#44. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $48,580
- #189 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#43. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $49,080
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#42. Roofers
- Annual mean salary: $49,210
- #84 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,890
- Employment: 129,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Worcester, MA-CT ($81,450)
--- Anchorage, AK ($74,990)
--- Danbury, CT ($73,020)

#41. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $49,670
- #373 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)
You may also like: How Bloomington, Illinois feels about climate change

#40. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $49,860
- #263 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#39. Painters, construction and maintenance
- Annual mean salary: $49,930
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,140
- Employment: 214,220
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($62,490)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($62,380)
--- Champaign-Urbana, IL ($62,380)
#38. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $49,960
- #200 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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. Massage therapists
- Annual mean salary: $50,120
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#36. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $50,430
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
You may also like: Cities with the fastest growing home prices in Bloomington, Illinois metro area

#35. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $50,530
- #252 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#34. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $50,980
- #269 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#33. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $51,230
- #185 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#32. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $51,750
- #170 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $51,760
- #288 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)
You may also like: Where people in Bloomington, Illinois are moving to most

#30. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $52,630
- #414 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)

#29. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $53,030
- #125 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#28. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $53,470
- #341 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#27. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $53,520
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,140
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)

#26. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,850
- #80 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: Closest national parks to Bloomington, Illinois

#25. Highway maintenance workers
- Annual mean salary: $54,920
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,340
- Employment: 141,150
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($70,690)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($67,340)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($65,550)
#24. Construction laborers
- Annual mean salary: $56,130
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,130
- Employment: 968,760
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($65,910)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($64,590)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($63,820)
#23. Meter readers, utilities
- Annual mean salary: $56,580
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $56,730
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#21. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $57,190
- #99 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
You may also like: Highest-earning zip codes in Bloomington, Illinois metro area

#20. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $57,220
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#19. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $57,270
- #251 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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)

#18. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $58,980
- #275 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650
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)

#17. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $59,790
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $61,080
- #429 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
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: Cities with the most expensive homes in Bloomington, Illinois metro area

#15. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,690
- #383 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)

#14. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $62,180
- #247 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
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. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Annual mean salary: $62,420
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#12. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,170
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680
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)

#10 (tie). Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $65,600
- #270 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)
You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Bloomington, Illinois

#10 (tie). Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $65,600
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#9. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $68,200
- #307 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#8. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $71,170
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $71,430
- #187 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $72,410
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
You may also like: Zip codes with the most expensive homes in Bloomington, Illinois metro area

#5. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $76,280
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)

#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,500
- #285 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $86,550
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $90,840
- #279 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $91,640
- #167 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Bloomington, Illinois in the last week