
Highest-paying jobs in Lansing that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Lansing 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 Lansing-East Lansing, MI that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $52,800
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#49. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $53,120
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 970
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)

#48. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $53,420
- #196 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,760
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)
#47. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Annual mean salary: $53,470
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,990
- Employment: 285,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kalamazoo-Portage, MI ($53,630)
--- Lansing-East Lansing, MI ($53,470)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($52,630)
#46. Community health workers
- Annual mean salary: $53,820
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,780
- Employment: 61,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,110)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($65,530)
--- Bend-Redmond, OR ($61,820)
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#45. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $53,840
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#44. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,190
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)
#43. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $54,340
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)

#42. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $54,460
- #347 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
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)

#41. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $54,760
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
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#40. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $55,950
- #292 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)
#39. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $56,120
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,570
- Employment: 151,340
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,570)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,900)
--- New Haven, CT ($63,790)
#38. Massage therapists
- Annual mean salary: $56,210
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,260
- Employment: 81,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($96,260)
--- Kalamazoo-Portage, MI ($74,980)
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($74,850)

#37. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $56,280
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440
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)

#36. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $57,030
- #267 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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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#35. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Annual mean salary: $58,990
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,450
- Employment: 25,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Longview, WA ($74,500)
--- Redding, CA ($72,680)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($71,740)

#34. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $59,080
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#33. Tool and die makers
- Annual mean salary: $59,860
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $60,320
- #248 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 760
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)

#31. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $60,420
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,490
- Employment: 48,460
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($152,460)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($133,810)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($132,320)
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#30. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Annual mean salary: $60,570
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#29. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,840
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#28. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $61,960
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 860
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)

#27. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $62,400
- #168 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,180
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)

#26. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $62,630
- #154 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)
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#25. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $62,840
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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)

#24. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $62,920
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#23. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $63,210
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $63,520
- #134 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $64,650
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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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#20. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $64,780
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 580
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)

#19. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,430
- #211 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 910
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)
#18. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,480
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,940
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)

#17. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $66,930
- #128 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
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. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $67,600
- #231 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,370
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)
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#15. Glaziers
- Annual mean salary: $67,880
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#14. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $69,240
- #189 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
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. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,510
- #203 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#12. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $69,770
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,260
- Employment: 39,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($91,590)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,580)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($80,780)

#11. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $71,530
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
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#10. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Annual mean salary: $71,550
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $78,440
- Employment: 5,220
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($104,810)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($101,650)
--- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($101,610)

#9. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $74,220
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590
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. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $77,790
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 830
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. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $78,720
- #246 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#6. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $80,580
- #158 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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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#5. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $85,090
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $87,180
- #318 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#3. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $91,110
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $97,330
- #122 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)

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $101,670
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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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