
Highest-paying jobs in Chicago that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Chicago 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,620
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 36,430
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)

#49. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,630
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 20,350
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)
#48. Pipelayers
- Annual mean salary: $69,850
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,510
- Employment: 33,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($86,310)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($75,510)
--- Madison, WI ($70,810)

#47. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $69,900
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 38,300
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)

#46. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $70,440
- #158 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 48,940
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)
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#45. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $70,760
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 10,870
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)

#44. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $71,150
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
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)
#43. Plasterers and stucco masons
- Annual mean salary: $71,290
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,810
- Employment: 26,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($76,030)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($75,260)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,090)

#42. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $71,630
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,340
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)
#41. Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles
- Annual mean salary: $71,950
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,880
- Employment: 18,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($79,100)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($78,800)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($77,540)
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#40. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $72,300
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,260
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)

#39. Stonemasons
- Annual mean salary: $72,900
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,170
- Employment: 9,000
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($72,900)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($67,830)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($66,650)

#38. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $74,350
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,120
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)
#37. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Annual mean salary: $74,840
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,780
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)

#36. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $76,490
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 12,110
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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#35. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $77,930
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
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)
#34. Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $78,200
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 730
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,740
- Employment: 15,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($78,200)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($69,720)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($69,320)

#33. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $78,790
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800
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)

#32. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $80,780
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,570
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,260
- Employment: 39,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($91,590)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,580)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($80,780)

#31. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $80,860
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,480
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)
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#30. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $80,980
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,580
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)

#29. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $82,510
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,010
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,270
- Employment: 68,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($95,020)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($88,250)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($83,340)

#28. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $82,930
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,260
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)

#27. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $84,000
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,820
- Employment: 12,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($97,930)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($96,450)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($94,460)

#26. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $85,250
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,760
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)
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#25. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $86,300
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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)

#24. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $86,600
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 15,610
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)

#23. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Annual mean salary: $87,610
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
National
- Annual mean salary: $98,330
- Employment: 33,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($126,420)
--- Anchorage, AK ($118,620)
--- New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($110,750)
#22. Tapers
- Annual mean salary: $87,750
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,140
- Employment: 14,580
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($93,010)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($87,750)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($86,880)

#21. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $89,190
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 11,780
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)
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#20. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $89,270
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,680
- Employment: 14,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Dayton, OH ($116,740)
--- Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($112,040)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($107,220)

#19. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $89,760
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 10,240
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 non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $90,200
- #93 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,180
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)

#17. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $90,400
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,180
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,510
- Employment: 29,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,300)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,930)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($99,740)

#16. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Annual mean salary: $91,290
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#15. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $91,380
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
National
- Annual mean salary: $80,500
- Employment: 34,230
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($105,090)
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($97,860)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($96,520)

#14. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $93,330
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,370
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)

#13. Ship engineers
- Annual mean salary: $93,520
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $96,910
- Employment: 7,650
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Lafayette, LA ($108,770)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($100,970)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($99,670)

#12. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $93,770
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620
National
- Annual mean salary: $83,740
- Employment: 28,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($129,650)
--- Wenatchee, WA ($123,180)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($114,660)

#11. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $95,030
- #124 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)
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#10. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $95,250
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,360
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)

#9. Boilermakers
- Annual mean salary: $96,080
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,070
- Employment: 12,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,660)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($96,080)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($90,620)

#8. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers
- Annual mean salary: $97,000
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,960
- Employment: 16,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($97,000)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($88,350)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($75,440)

#7. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Annual mean salary: $97,520
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
National
- Annual mean salary: $87,640
- Employment: 22,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($120,210)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($118,510)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($114,280)

#6. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $101,600
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,090
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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#5. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Annual mean salary: $103,040
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $95,520
- Employment: 9,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($131,560)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($129,570)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($123,540)

#4. Pile driver operators
- Annual mean salary: $106,340
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $75,950
- Employment: 3,760
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($106,620)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($106,340)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($104,880)

#3. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $106,530
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 690
National
- Annual mean salary: $91,320
- Employment: 22,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($130,290)
--- Kansas City, MO-KS ($113,590)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($113,480)
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $111,800
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,630
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: $126,270
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,610
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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