
Highest-paying jobs in Kansas City that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Kansas City 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 Kansas City, MO-KS that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $59,450
- #163 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#49. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Annual mean salary: $59,600
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#48. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,650
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,960
- Employment: 16,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($97,000)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($88,350)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($75,440)

#47. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $59,830
- #195 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650
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)

#46. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,990
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)
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#45. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Annual mean salary: $60,380
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,240
- Employment: 12,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,910)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($100,060)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($99,120)

#44. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $60,880
- #123 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,770
- Employment: 35,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($121,090)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($111,410)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)

#43. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $61,270
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,050
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)

#42. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,900
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,160
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)

#41. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $61,980
- #151 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)
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#40. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $62,620
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,270
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)

#39. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $62,760
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040
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)

#38. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $62,790
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,640
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)

#37. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $62,810
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)

#36. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $62,860
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,510
- Employment: 29,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,300)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,930)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($99,740)
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#35. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $63,150
- #156 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,550
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)
#34. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,020
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 10,390
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)
#33. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $64,750
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,590
- Employment: 44,200
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,510)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($78,180)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,380)

#32. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $66,960
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 880
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)

#31. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $67,550
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 10,030
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)
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#30. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $68,140
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 580
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)
#29. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers
- Annual mean salary: $68,470
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,400
- Employment: 10,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($75,030)
--- Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($69,840)
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($68,630)

#28. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $68,830
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,200
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)

#27. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $69,910
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,560
- Employment: 21,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Evansville, IN-KY ($77,880)
--- Anchorage, AK ($77,690)
--- Oklahoma City, OK ($77,100)
#26. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $69,950
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,680
- Employment: 14,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Dayton, OH ($116,740)
--- Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($112,040)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($107,220)
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#25. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $71,110
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)

#24. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $71,210
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,640
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)

#23. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $71,280
- #219 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,620
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)

#22. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $71,510
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
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)

#21. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $71,890
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,610
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)
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#20. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $73,730
- #84 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,390
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)

#19. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $74,060
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,620
- Employment: 25,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($112,260)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($111,930)
--- Anchorage, AK ($108,140)

#18. Gas plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $74,990
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $76,970
- Employment: 15,110
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($98,750)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($97,080)

#17. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,500
- #154 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 910
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)

#16. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $77,070
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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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#15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $78,120
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,060
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)

#14. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $78,660
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#13. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $81,540
- #67 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)

#12. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $84,280
- #136 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
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)

#11. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $87,060
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
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#10. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $87,270
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,030
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 non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $89,050
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,280
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 police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $89,260
- #193 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,060
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)
#7. Flight attendants
- Annual mean salary: $94,320
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,280
- Employment: 96,900
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kansas City, MO-KS ($94,320)
--- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($72,130)
--- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL ($67,620)

#6. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Annual mean salary: $95,500
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
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#5. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Annual mean salary: $97,230
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $95,520
- Employment: 9,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($131,560)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($129,570)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($123,540)
#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $99,260
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,120
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. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $108,720
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)
#2. Athletes and sports competitors
- Annual mean salary: $109,570
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $116,930
- Employment: 12,320
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN ($212,500)
--- Cleveland-Elyria, OH ($210,210)
--- Columbus, OH ($201,290)

#1. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $113,590
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)
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