
Highest-paying jobs in Rockford that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Rockford 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 Rockford, IL that don’t require a college degree.
You may also like: Highest paying jobs in Rockford that require a graduate degree

#50. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $52,010
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#49. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,040
- #272 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#48. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $52,140
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#47. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $52,210
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
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)

#46. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $52,520
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,650
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)
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in Rockford metro area
#45. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $52,850
- #389 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
#44. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $53,230
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#43. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $53,270
- #257 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#42. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $53,850
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#41. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $54,090
- #308 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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: Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Rockford, according to Tripadvisor
#40. Painters, construction and maintenance
- Annual mean salary: $54,340
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#39. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,580
- #116 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)

#38. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $54,670
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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. Tool and die makers
- Annual mean salary: $54,950
- #105 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
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)

#36. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $56,360
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
You may also like: Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Rockford, according to Tripadvisor

#35. Airfield operations specialists
- Annual mean salary: $56,510
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,360
- Employment: 12,610
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Austin-Round Rock, TX ($88,510)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($80,230)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($79,230)
#34. Construction laborers
- Annual mean salary: $56,570
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
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)

#33. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $57,050
- #259 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#32. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $57,950
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#31. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $58,370
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
You may also like: Where people in Rockford are moving to most

#30. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $59,230
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)

#29. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $59,360
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#28. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $59,490
- #344 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#27. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Annual mean salary: $59,600
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#26. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $60,320
- #292 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
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)
You may also like: Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Rockford, according to Tripadvisor
#25. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $60,350
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#24. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,830
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#23. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $61,570
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#22. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $61,630
- #64 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)
#21. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Annual mean salary: $61,710
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
You may also like: Cities with the fastest growing home prices in Rockford metro area
#20. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,420
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 940
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)

#19. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,350
- #450 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)
#18. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Annual mean salary: $65,900
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,810
- Employment: 97,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($86,380)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($82,560)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($81,460)

#17. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,710
- #194 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,130
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)

#16. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $68,020
- #217 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,440
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 pizza restaurants in Rockford

#15. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $69,490
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
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)

#14. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $70,120
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#13. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $73,410
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $75,660
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
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)

#11. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,270
- #16 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)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Rockford in the last week

#10. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $77,070
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#9. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $78,810
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#8. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $78,820
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $80,190
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440
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. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $81,290
- #117 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)
You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants in Rockford, according to Tripadvisor

#5. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $81,320
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
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. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $85,980
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#3. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $89,500
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $97,020
- #193 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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: $97,900
- #119 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: Biggest sources of immigrants to Rockford