Highest-paying jobs in Albuquerque that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Albuquerque 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 Albuquerque, NM that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $51,590
- #322 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,610
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)
#49. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
- Annual mean salary: $51,750
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,630
- Employment: 100,860
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tulsa, OK ($58,060)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($55,720)
--- Columbus, OH ($53,800)

#48. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $52,480
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560
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)

#47. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $52,810
- #334 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,020
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)
#46. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $52,840
- #86 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,660
- Employment: 137,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($71,350)
--- Ames, IA ($68,340)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,060)
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#45. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $52,900
- #376 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 920
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)

#44. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $53,720
- #318 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
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)
#43. Locksmiths and safe repairers
- Annual mean salary: $54,070
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,810
- Employment: 15,380
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Reno, NV ($66,780)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($60,200)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,970)

#42. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $54,130
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#41. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $54,800
- #200 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
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#40. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Annual mean salary: $55,300
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $56,260
- Employment: 28,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($109,380)
--- Syracuse, NY ($97,670)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($93,740)

#39. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $55,810
- #185 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#38. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $55,890
- #106 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#37. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $55,980
- #286 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,270
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)
#36. Skincare specialists
- Annual mean salary: $56,180
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,700
- Employment: 50,580
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($79,860)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($67,750)
--- Danbury, CT ($67,480)
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#34 (tie). Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $56,260
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#34 (tie). Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $56,260
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,570
- Employment: 57,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Savannah, GA ($76,260)
--- Cedar Rapids, IA ($70,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($69,980)
#33. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $56,290
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800
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)
#32. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Annual mean salary: $56,370
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,850
- Employment: 35,720
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($87,740)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($86,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($83,090)

#31. Hazardous materials removal workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,690
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,280
- Employment: 44,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($76,120)
--- Amarillo, TX ($73,270)
--- Knoxville, TN ($70,000)
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#30. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $56,760
- #267 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660
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)

#29. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $57,040
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,750
- Employment: 54,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($114,400)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,220)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($112,950)

#28. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $57,890
- #478 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,120
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)

#27. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $58,030
- #114 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)

#26. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $58,810
- #218 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
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#25. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $58,850
- #245 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
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)

#24. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,240
- #441 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 940
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. Riggers
- Annual mean salary: $59,700
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,100
- Employment: 17,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($89,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($73,310)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($73,160)

#22. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,870
- #484 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)

#21. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $60,340
- #337 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
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. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $60,380
- #159 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#19. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $61,950
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660
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)

#18. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $62,770
- #206 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
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. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $62,910
- #226 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,770
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. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,340
- #46 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)
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#15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,390
- #384 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,250
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. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $63,840
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)

#13. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $63,890
- #352 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#12. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,600
- #245 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)

#11. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $65,190
- #274 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
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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#10. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $66,090
- #82 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)

#9. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $66,590
- #357 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,190
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. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Annual mean salary: $71,280
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#7. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $73,490
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#6. Insurance appraisers, auto damage
- Annual mean salary: $73,580
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
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#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $74,660
- #317 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
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)

#4. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $84,780
- #160 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#3. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $93,040
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#2. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $93,120
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $102,230
- #128 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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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