
Highest-paying jobs in Lafayette, Indiana that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Lafayette, Indiana 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN that don’t require a college degree.
You may also like: Highest paying jobs in Lafayette, Indiana that require a graduate degree
#50. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,670
- #203 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,560
- Employment: 149,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,600)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,240)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($60,930)
#49. Audio and video technicians
- Annual mean salary: $46,780
- #99 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#48. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Annual mean salary: $46,880
- #210 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#46 (tie). Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $47,560
- #233 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#46 (tie). Machine feeders and offbearers
- Annual mean salary: $47,560
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,660
- Employment: 60,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Cedar Rapids, IA ($60,610)
--- Lincoln, NE ($48,580)
--- Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN ($47,560)
You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Lafayette, Indiana

#45. Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $48,130
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,790
- Employment: 31,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bakersfield, CA ($59,170)
--- Duluth, MN-WI ($57,420)
--- Amarillo, TX ($55,250)
#44. Helpers--production workers
- Annual mean salary: $48,190
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,910
- Employment: 202,860
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN ($48,190)
--- Pittsfield, MA ($43,910)
--- Reno, NV ($41,940)

#43. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $49,070
- #331 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)

#42. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $49,430
- #204 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,260
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)

#41. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $49,840
- #408 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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: How gas prices have changed in Lafayette, Indiana in the last week

#40. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $49,960
- #389 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)

#39. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $50,090
- #219 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#38. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $50,160
- #223 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Annual mean salary: $50,760
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 830
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,950
- Employment: 758,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($60,930)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($58,200)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($53,310)

#36. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $50,820
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,810
- Employment: 551,380
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Odessa, TX ($70,950)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($66,260)
--- Bismarck, ND ($64,940)
You may also like: Closest national parks to Lafayette, Indiana

#35. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $50,900
- #168 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)

#34. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $51,840
- #86 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#33. Tool and die makers
- Annual mean salary: $52,450
- #139 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#32. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $52,620
- #402 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
#31. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $52,870
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
You may also like: Metros sending the most people to Lafayette, Indiana

#30. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $52,910
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,020
- Employment: 333,220
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($71,070)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($69,300)
--- Monroe, MI ($66,560)

#29. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $53,390
- #174 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $53,500
- #271 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)

#27. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $53,950
- #176 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#26. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $54,100
- #307 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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 Lafayette, Indiana feels about climate change

#25. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $54,180
- #139 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#24. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $54,260
- #116 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)

#23. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $55,060
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#22. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,270
- #138 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#21. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $56,860
- #137 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#20. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $57,250
- #260 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $57,620
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#18. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $58,480
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#17. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $58,690
- #186 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
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. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,910
- #179 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
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)
#15. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $60,340
- #170 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#14. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $60,350
- #247 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#13. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $61,790
- #176 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)

#12. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $62,770
- #235 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)

#11. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $63,820
- #131 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)

#10. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $67,590
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#9. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $69,700
- #260 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $70,770
- #152 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $71,660
- #86 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 740
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)

#6. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $74,100
- #140 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)

#5. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $74,370
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530
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)

#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $77,200
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $81,210
- #208 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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: $81,310
- #264 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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: $90,150
- #288 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)