
Highest-paying jobs in Charlotte that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Charlotte 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Hearing aid specialists
- Annual mean salary: $56,090
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,960
- Employment: 10,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($75,130)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($73,180)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($72,300)

#49. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $56,300
- #179 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
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)

#48. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $56,360
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)

#47. Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $57,820
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,440
- Employment: 15,540
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Charleston-North Charleston, SC ($73,990)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($61,150)
--- Duluth, MN-WI ($58,790)

#46. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $57,950
- #210 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,350
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)
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#45. Pourers and casters, metal
- Annual mean salary: $58,040
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,910
- Employment: 6,570
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC ($58,040)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($55,770)
--- Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL ($51,330)

#44. Brokerage clerks
- Annual mean salary: $58,090
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,710
- Employment: 39,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,310)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,330)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,970)
#43. Flight attendants
- Annual mean salary: $58,180
- #18 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)

#42. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $58,360
- #264 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,290
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)

#41. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $58,590
- #210 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,920
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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#40. Choreographers
- Annual mean salary: $59,460
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,630
- Employment: 3,990
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($94,910)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($79,760)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($63,250)

#39. Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $60,020
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,770
- Employment: 21,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($76,120)
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($75,470)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($68,110)

#38. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $60,580
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)
#36 (tie). Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Annual mean salary: $61,150
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#36 (tie). Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $61,150
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
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#35. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,580
- #125 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 11,880
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)

#34. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $62,510
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,640
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)

#33. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $62,640
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#32. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $62,980
- #138 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,390
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. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $64,840
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#30. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,510
- #238 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,520
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)

#29. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,640
- #332 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 8,610
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)

#28. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,060
- #226 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800
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)

#27. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $67,460
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,630
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)

#26. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $67,570
- #137 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,660
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)
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#25. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Annual mean salary: $67,880
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $98,330
- Employment: 33,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($126,420)
--- Anchorage, AK ($118,620)
--- New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($110,750)
#24. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $67,960
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,950
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)
#23. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $69,040
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#22. Insurance appraisers, auto damage
- Annual mean salary: $70,630
- #17 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)

#21. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $71,470
- #261 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770
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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#20. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $71,790
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,280
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)

#19. Gas plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $73,380
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#18. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $74,920
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,550
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)

#17. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $75,380
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,020
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)

#16. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $75,750
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
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#15. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $76,180
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 13,950
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)

#14. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $77,290
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,970
- Employment: 28,860
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Jackson, MI ($93,360)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($91,080)
--- Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($87,760)

#13. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $77,490
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#12. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $78,160
- #182 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
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: $78,860
- #99 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $86,490
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#9. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Annual mean salary: $87,470
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#8. Athletes and sports competitors
- Annual mean salary: $90,360
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)

#7. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $90,920
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,570
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)
#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $92,540
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840
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)
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#5. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $107,700
- #12 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)

#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $108,160
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,300
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)
#3. Nuclear power reactor operators
- Annual mean salary: $110,750
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $111,220
- Employment: 4,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($111,440)
--- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC ($110,750)
--- Raleigh, NC ($108,100)
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $112,630
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,180
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. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $112,640
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
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