Highest-paying jobs in Worcester that don't require a college degree

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June 13, 2022
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Highest-paying jobs in Worcester 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 Worcester, MA-CT that don't require a college degree.

#50. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $59,200
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620

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)

#49. Cargo and freight agents

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $59,810
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $48,420
- Employment: 85,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($80,300)
--- Yakima, WA ($68,030)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($64,030)

#48. Chefs and head cooks

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $59,930
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260

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)

#47. Tool and die makers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $60,570
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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)

#46. Carpenters

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $60,840
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,360

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)

#45. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $60,910
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

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)

#44. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $61,130
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,700

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)

#43. Cement masons and concrete finishers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $61,530
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

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)

#42. Security and fire alarm systems installers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $62,200
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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)

#41. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $62,260
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560

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)

#40. Computer user support specialists

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $62,320
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840

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)

#39. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $62,560
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

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)

#38. Correctional officers and jailers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $62,710
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#37. Audio and video technicians

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $63,090
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#36. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $63,270
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#35. Food service managers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $65,110
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330

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)

#34. Advertising sales agents

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $65,230
- #38 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)

#33. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $65,630
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#32. Power plant operators

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $65,740
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $83,740
- Employment: 28,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($129,650)
--- Wenatchee, WA ($123,180)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($114,660)

#31. Construction and building inspectors

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $65,760
- #116 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

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)

#30. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $67,590
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,120

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)

#29. Insurance appraisers, auto damage

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $68,820
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,180
- Employment: 11,430
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($89,810)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($86,970)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($86,050)

#28. Sheet metal workers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $69,270
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270

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)

#27. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $69,300
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,020

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)

#26. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $69,840
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 730

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)

#25. Brickmasons and blockmasons

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $70,390
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#24. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $71,530
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,360

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)

#23. Electricians

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $71,640
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,350

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. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $72,330
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

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)

#21. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $72,760
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

National
- Annual mean salary: $62,250
- Employment: 101,530
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,680)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($90,370)
--- Salinas, CA ($88,050)

#20. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $76,080
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750

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)

#19. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $77,000
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,310

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)

#18. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $78,520
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 920

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)

#17. Detectives and criminal investigators

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $78,730
- #177 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)

#16. Postmasters and mail superintendents

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $79,320
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $81,820
- Employment: 12,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($97,930)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($96,450)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($94,460)

#15. Property, real estate, and community association managers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $79,390
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180

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)

#14. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $79,750
- #225 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270

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)

#13. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $81,190
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,200

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)

#12. Roofers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $81,450
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330

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)

#11. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $82,660
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 980

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)

#10. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $83,880
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $87,640
- Employment: 22,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($120,210)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($118,510)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($114,280)

#9. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $84,710
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

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)

#8. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $85,110
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#7. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $86,380
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 930

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)

#6. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $92,890
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $91,320
- Employment: 22,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($130,290)
--- Kansas City, MO-KS ($113,590)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($113,480)

#5. Real estate sales agents

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $93,400
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

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)

#4. Insurance sales agents

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $94,390
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660

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)

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $94,900
- #141 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

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. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $101,800
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

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)

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $112,010
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260

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)

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