Highest-paying jobs in Syracuse that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Syracuse 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 Syracuse, NY that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $57,490
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#49. Meter readers, utilities
- Annual mean salary: $57,550
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,430
- Employment: 24,000
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($74,040)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($69,530)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($67,510)

#48. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $57,660
- #118 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)

#47. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $57,870
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 780
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)

#46. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $59,540
- #100 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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)
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#45. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $59,960
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,220
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)
#44. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Annual mean salary: $62,370
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#43. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $63,760
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#42. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $64,290
- #70 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)

#41. Bailiffs
- Annual mean salary: $64,500
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,340
- Employment: 16,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN ($69,600)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,050)
--- Glens Falls, NY ($66,980)
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#40. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $64,950
- #114 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)

#39. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $65,210
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750
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)
#38. Tapers
- Annual mean salary: $65,550
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,140
- Employment: 14,580
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($93,010)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($87,750)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($86,880)

#37. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $66,560
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 960
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)
#36. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,130
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,560
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)
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#35. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $67,170
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $67,570
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
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)

#33. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $67,640
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)

#31 (tie). Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $68,790
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#31 (tie). Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $68,790
- #192 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,530
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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#30. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $69,120
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,290
- Employment: 317,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($114,210)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($98,150)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($97,470)
#29. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $69,240
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,810
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)

#28. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $69,470
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#27. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $69,540
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,840
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)

#26. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $70,260
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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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#25. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $70,360
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#24. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $70,930
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#23. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $71,080
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 730
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)

#21 (tie). First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $71,240
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#21 (tie). Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $71,240
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
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#20. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $71,770
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)

#19. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $75,330
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,300
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 mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $75,640
- #104 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,260
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. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $76,150
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)

#16. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $79,390
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 850
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)
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#15. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $80,960
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $81,120
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#13. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $83,560
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 790
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)

#12. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $84,740
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,260
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)

#11. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $87,000
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $89,710
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#9. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $89,830
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)

#8. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Annual mean salary: $91,270
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#7. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $91,470
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#6. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $91,510
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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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#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $94,980
- #139 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Annual mean salary: $97,670
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $98,290
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530
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)
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $100,490
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $103,350
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
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