
Highest-paying jobs in Jacksonville, North Carolina that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Jacksonville, North Carolina 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 Jacksonville, NC that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $38,330
- #278 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#49. Billing and posting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $38,660
- #285 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,750
- Employment: 429,080
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,850)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($55,130)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($54,960)
#48. Dental assistants
- Annual mean salary: $39,690
- #275 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,510
- Employment: 347,170
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,150)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($55,020)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,590)

#47. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $39,830
- #516 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)

#46. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $41,130
- #307 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)
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#45. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $41,200
- #398 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#44. Painters, construction and maintenance
- Annual mean salary: $41,260
- #250 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,140
- Employment: 214,220
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($62,490)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($62,380)
--- Champaign-Urbana, IL ($62,380)

#43. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $41,980
- #484 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#42. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Annual mean salary: $42,000
- #225 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,910
- Employment: 238,610
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($59,060)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($58,140)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,710)

#41. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $42,370
- #354 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,890
- Employment: 1,143,260
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($57,830)
--- Boulder, CO ($56,520)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,930)
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#40. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $42,580
- #403 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $43,390
- #385 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#38. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $43,560
- #229 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,810
- Employment: 56,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($84,710)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($77,840)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($76,960)
#37. Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers
- Annual mean salary: $43,590
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,170
- Employment: 86,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,420)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,320)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($55,120)

#36. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $43,620
- #379 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
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#35. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $43,710
- #389 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#34. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $43,750
- #224 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#33. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $44,210
- #304 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,990
- Employment: 629,780
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($62,810)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($62,690)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($61,350)

#32. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $44,730
- #471 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)

#31. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $44,880
- #374 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#30. Procurement clerks
- Annual mean salary: $45,270
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,930
- Employment: 61,930
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,800)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($56,330)
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($56,260)

#29. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $45,720
- #446 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#28. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $45,960
- #362 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#27. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $46,050
- #183 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#26. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $46,210
- #373 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#25. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $47,010
- #510 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
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)

#24. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $47,420
- #458 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#23. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $48,690
- #301 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#22. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $48,740
- #252 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#21. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $49,920
- #385 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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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#20. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $50,960
- #405 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#19. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $51,790
- #178 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#18. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $52,240
- #422 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#17. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,360
- #317 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)

#16. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,860
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
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#15. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $56,450
- #272 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#14. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $57,270
- #488 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#13. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $57,480
- #499 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)

#12. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $58,000
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#11. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $58,470
- #456 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
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#10. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $58,710
- #337 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)

#9. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $59,200
- #187 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#8. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $59,990
- #177 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,550
- #278 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $61,950
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
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#5. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $62,920
- #116 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#4. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $68,260
- #304 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 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)
#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $71,550
- #347 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $75,360
- #203 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#1. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $79,770
- #224 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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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