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

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June 13, 2022
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Highest-paying jobs in Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth, NH-ME that don't require a college degree.

#50. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $52,130
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750

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)

#49. Carpenters

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $53,710
- #120 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430

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. Postal service mail carriers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $53,850
- #227 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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)

#47. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $54,180
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#46. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $54,420
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560

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)

#45. Postal service clerks

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $54,640
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#44. Machinists

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $55,330
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380

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. Sheet metal workers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $55,980
- #142 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

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)

#42. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $56,580
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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)

#41. Surgical technologists

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $57,310
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $53,590
- Employment: 109,060
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($80,450)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($80,170)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($77,460)

#40. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $57,430
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

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)

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $57,610
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

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)

#38. Electricians

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $58,290
- #226 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530

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)

#37. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $58,380
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $45,790
- Employment: 218,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,830)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($59,120)
--- Portsmouth, NH-ME ($58,380)

#36. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $58,850
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#34 (tie). Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $59,040
- #171 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

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)

#34 (tie). Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $59,040
- #197 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500

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)

#33. Self-enrichment teachers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $59,360
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

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)

#32. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $59,670
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#31. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $60,310
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240

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)

#30. Real estate sales agents

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $60,660
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#29. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $60,940
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $53,270
- Employment: 116,380
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Madera, CA ($76,040)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,800)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($73,360)

#28. Computer user support specialists

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $61,000
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390

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)

#27. Industrial machinery mechanics

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $62,280
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320

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)

#26. Chefs and head cooks

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $62,570
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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)

#25. Construction and building inspectors

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $64,590
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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. Tax preparers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $65,380
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $51,080
- Employment: 83,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($81,880)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($79,470)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($73,170)

#23. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $66,140
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

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)

#22. Tool and die makers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $67,140
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#21. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $67,400
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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)

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $67,680
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 980

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)

#19. Food service managers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $67,700
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

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)

#18. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $68,900
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $69,090
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#16. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $69,170
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#15. Lodging managers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $70,830
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $74,150
- #139 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390

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. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $74,300
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $76,270
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720

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. Insurance sales agents

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $80,060
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250

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)

#10. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $80,710
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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)

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $80,830
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410

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 (tie). Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $80,980
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820

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)

#7 (tie). First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $80,980
- #124 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $81,570
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500

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)

#5. Detectives and criminal investigators

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $86,790
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $91,750
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $94,530
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $113,410
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $116,230
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

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)

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