
Highest-paying jobs in Dubuque that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Dubuque 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 Dubuque, IA that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $45,070
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,070
- Employment: 93,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($56,220)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,100)
--- Burlington-South Burlington, VT ($54,070)
#49. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $45,350
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#48. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $45,400
- #278 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,290
- Employment: 397,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($72,500)
--- Anchorage, AK ($71,840)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($66,920)
#47. Agricultural equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $45,450
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,280
- Employment: 26,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Dubuque, IA ($45,450)
--- Wichita, KS ($45,340)
--- Kansas City, MO-KS ($45,240)

#46. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $45,460
- #317 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
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#45. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $45,760
- #372 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#44. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Annual mean salary: $46,220
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,780
- Employment: 126,050
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($70,740)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($69,470)
--- Napa, CA ($60,830)

#43. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $46,320
- #257 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
#42. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $46,350
- #253 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#41. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $46,470
- #253 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
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#40. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $46,530
- #324 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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. Roofers
- Annual mean salary: $46,630
- #120 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#38. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $46,730
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,240
- Employment: 157,840
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($70,030)
--- Waco, TX ($63,080)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($57,930)

#37. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $46,820
- #262 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
#36. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $47,940
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,250
- Employment: 35,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($61,910)
--- Bellingham, WA ($61,210)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,760)
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#35. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $48,300
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#34. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $49,320
- #220 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#33. Highway maintenance workers
- Annual mean salary: $49,800
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#32. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Annual mean salary: $49,880
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#31. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $49,900
- #178 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,340
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)
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#30. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $50,130
- #298 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#29. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $50,560
- #149 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)

#28. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $51,000
- #192 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)

#27. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $52,100
- #128 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,570
- Employment: 57,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Savannah, GA ($76,260)
--- Cedar Rapids, IA ($70,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($69,980)
#26. Tool and die makers
- Annual mean salary: $52,230
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
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#25. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $52,410
- #417 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#24. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $52,850
- #185 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#23. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $53,650
- #239 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#22. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $54,160
- #359 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#21. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,370
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
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#20. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $55,210
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#19. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $55,980
- #286 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
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)

#18. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $56,180
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $56,590
- #271 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#16. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $56,880
- #223 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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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#15. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $57,990
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#14. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $58,710
- #349 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#13. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $59,100
- #234 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#12. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $60,690
- #282 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $60,740
- #198 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#10. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $61,840
- #483 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $62,940
- #141 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#8. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $62,970
- #394 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $63,300
- #196 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)

#6. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $67,030
- #317 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
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#5. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,190
- #177 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)

#4. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $72,370
- #114 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 670
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)

#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $78,770
- #244 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $99,130
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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: $100,470
- #104 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)
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