Highest-paying jobs in Lafayette that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Lafayette 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, LA that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $46,360
- #485 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,300
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)

#49. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $47,000
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,110
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)

#48. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $47,210
- #348 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
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: $47,470
- #308 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $48,220
- #274 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
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#45. Sailors and marine oilers
- Annual mean salary: $48,620
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,800
- Employment: 26,610
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($73,580)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($72,930)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($67,820)

#44. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $49,340
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,130
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)

#43. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $49,640
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,430
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)

#42. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $49,700
- #358 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530
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)

#41. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $50,310
- #215 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
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#40. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $50,400
- #204 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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. Glaziers
- Annual mean salary: $50,600
- #76 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)

#38. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $50,840
- #342 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
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)

#37. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $51,660
- #165 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#36. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $51,990
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,010
- Employment: 112,130
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Huntsville, AL ($55,830)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,260)
--- Wausau, WI ($55,060)
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#35. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $52,110
- #233 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)
#34. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Annual mean salary: $52,280
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,830
- Employment: 134,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Mankato-North Mankato, MN ($54,510)
--- Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC ($52,470)
--- Lafayette, LA ($52,280)

#33. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $52,370
- #345 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,110
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)
#32. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $52,600
- #395 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,280
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)

#31. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $52,730
- #243 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $53,000
- #405 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#29. Derrick operators, oil and gas
- Annual mean salary: $53,520
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,140
- Employment: 7,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($73,160)
--- Pittsburgh, PA ($72,280)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($55,270)

#28. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $53,660
- #320 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)

#27. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,100
- #179 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)

#26. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $54,190
- #326 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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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#25. Service unit operators, oil and gas
- Annual mean salary: $55,200
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,660
- Employment: 32,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($79,050)
--- New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($73,100)
--- Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR ($65,030)

#24. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $55,530
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#23. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,570
- #311 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#22. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $56,660
- #275 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)

#21. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $56,890
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#20. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $57,140
- #242 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 710
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)

#19. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $57,320
- #196 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#18. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $57,530
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#17. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $57,840
- #361 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660
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)

#16. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $58,900
- #203 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
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#15. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $59,840
- #432 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)

#14. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $60,640
- #242 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
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. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $64,570
- #423 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 910
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)

#12. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $64,990
- #315 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,690
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)

#11. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,870
- #226 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800
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)
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#10. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $66,250
- #329 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#9. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $70,790
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040
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)

#8. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $71,140
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#7. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $72,670
- #113 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)
#6. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas
- Annual mean salary: $75,710
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,840
- Employment: 11,170
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($84,210)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($75,750)
--- Lafayette, LA ($75,710)
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#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $86,360
- #322 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)

#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $92,720
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#3. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Annual mean salary: $94,100
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)

#2. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $94,900
- #125 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#1. Ship engineers
- Annual mean salary: $108,770
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
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