
Highest-paying jobs in California, Maryland that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in California, Maryland 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 California-Lexington Park, MD that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
- Annual mean salary: $43,260
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,840
- Employment: 169,840
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($57,820)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($53,920)
--- Salinas, CA ($52,980)

#49. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $43,980
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,920
- Employment: 1,416,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,230)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,870)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($56,650)
#48. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive
- Annual mean salary: $44,040
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,080
- Employment: 1,825,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,720)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,730)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($54,450)
#47. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Annual mean salary: $44,140
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#46. Security guards
- Annual mean salary: $44,910
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,830
- Employment: 1,057,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($70,350)
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($58,440)
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($55,500)
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#45. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $44,920
- #140 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#44. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $45,010
- #160 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#43. Billing and posting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,190
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,750
- Employment: 429,080
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,850)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($55,130)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($54,960)
#42. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,450
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,140
- Employment: 1,509,370
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,750)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($58,670)
--- Napa, CA ($54,940)

#41. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $46,810
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,650
- Employment: 194,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($64,140)
--- Decatur, IL ($60,740)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($58,620)
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#40. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $47,440
- #299 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#39. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $48,140
- #105 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,890
- Employment: 1,143,260
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($57,830)
--- Boulder, CO ($56,520)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,930)

#38. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $48,650
- #292 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#37. Bill and account collectors
- Annual mean salary: $49,690
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,280
- Employment: 212,900
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($58,700)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($58,610)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,940)
#36. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $50,050
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,990
- Employment: 629,780
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($62,810)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($62,690)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($61,350)
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#35. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Annual mean salary: $50,230
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#34. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $51,200
- #498 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)

#33. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $51,440
- #178 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#32. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $51,740
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#31. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,140
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
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#30. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,430
- #250 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#29. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $53,760
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#28. Procurement clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,090
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,930
- Employment: 61,930
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,800)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($56,330)
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($56,260)

#27. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $55,620
- #121 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#26. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Annual mean salary: $57,040
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,630
- Employment: 271,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- California-Lexington Park, MD ($57,040)
--- Lima, OH ($56,660)
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($50,510)
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#25. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $57,640
- #246 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)

#24. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $58,300
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#23. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $58,320
- #225 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#22. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $58,730
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,230
- Employment: 216,910
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,350)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($66,650)
--- Utica-Rome, NY ($63,470)

#20 (tie). Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $58,930
- #171 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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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#20 (tie). Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $58,930
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#19. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $59,070
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#18. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $61,300
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#17. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $61,370
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#16. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $62,930
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
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#15. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,980
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)

#14. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,570
- #307 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#13. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $68,030
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#12. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $68,730
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#11. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,870
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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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#10. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $71,320
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#9. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $73,010
- #350 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#8. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $73,560
- #148 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#7. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $74,910
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#6. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $76,040
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#5. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,950
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $83,230
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $100,550
- #103 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)
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $111,830
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $175,650
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)