
Highest-paying jobs in Peoria that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Peoria 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 Peoria, IL that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Tool and die makers
- Annual mean salary: $53,270
- #128 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $56,150
- Employment: 63,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,920)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($72,510)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($71,910)

#49. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $53,530
- #200 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#48. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $53,560
- #168 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)

#47. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $53,600
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#46. Construction laborers
- Annual mean salary: $53,610
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,000
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)
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#45. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $53,630
- #152 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#43 (tie). Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,650
- #261 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
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)
#43 (tie). Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Annual mean salary: $53,650
- #132 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)
#42. Roofers
- Annual mean salary: $53,760
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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. Carpet installers
- Annual mean salary: $54,050
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,710
- Employment: 19,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($74,390)
--- Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($67,250)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($66,330)
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#40. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $54,140
- #156 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#39. Highway maintenance workers
- Annual mean salary: $54,240
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)

#38. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $54,850
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#37. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $55,020
- #332 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
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)

#36. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $55,490
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,420
- Employment: 392,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($96,580)
--- Salinas, CA ($89,100)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($86,260)
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#35. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $55,650
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,450
- Employment: 106,170
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Billings, MT ($88,420)
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($76,050)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($71,340)

#34. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $56,920
- #110 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)
#33. Glaziers
- Annual mean salary: $57,710
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,950
- Employment: 52,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($78,840)
--- Salem, OR ($78,000)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($74,990)
#32. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $57,930
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,570
- Employment: 151,340
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,570)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,900)
--- New Haven, CT ($63,790)

#31. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $58,240
- #350 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 930
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)
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#30. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $58,320
- #245 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#29. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $58,600
- #177 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#28. Meter readers, utilities
- Annual mean salary: $58,640
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#27. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $58,780
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)
#26. Painters, construction and maintenance
- Annual mean salary: $59,000
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
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#25. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Annual mean salary: $59,120
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#24. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $59,650
- #262 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)

#23. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $59,890
- #181 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#22. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $60,480
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 830
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)
#21. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,760
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,160
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)
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#19 (tie). Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $60,880
- #169 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#19 (tie). Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $60,880
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,170
- Employment: 77,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Eugene, OR ($70,940)
--- Salem, OR ($68,640)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($68,520)

#18. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $61,010
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#17. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $62,160
- #395 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,520
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)

#16. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $62,180
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
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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#15. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,740
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#14. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,700
- #271 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 930
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)

#13. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $70,010
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)

#12. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $70,560
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#11. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $71,500
- #136 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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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#10. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $72,500
- #183 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
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)

#9. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $72,660
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750
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)

#8. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $75,300
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $75,850
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $78,670
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
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#5. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $80,070
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 640
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. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $81,350
- #151 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $84,210
- #171 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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: $90,950
- #174 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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: $120,930
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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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