
Highest-paying jobs in Altoona that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Altoona 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 Altoona, PA that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $42,690
- #220 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,240
- Employment: 157,840
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($70,030)
--- Waco, TX ($63,080)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($57,930)
#49. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $42,800
- #182 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,900
- Employment: 145,410
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Midland, MI ($60,190)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($58,790)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($58,480)

#48. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $43,130
- #269 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,650
- Employment: 194,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($64,140)
--- Decatur, IL ($60,740)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($58,620)

#47. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $43,290
- #307 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
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)
#46. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Annual mean salary: $43,310
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
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#45. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $43,530
- #360 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#43 (tie). Highway maintenance workers
- Annual mean salary: $43,580
- #203 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,340
- Employment: 141,150
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($70,690)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($67,340)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($65,550)
#43 (tie). Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Annual mean salary: $43,580
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,830
- Employment: 134,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Mankato-North Mankato, MN ($54,510)
--- Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC ($52,470)
--- Lafayette, LA ($52,280)

#42. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $43,620
- #455 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $43,820
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,490
- Employment: 108,440
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($60,690)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,040)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($57,940)
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#40. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $44,230
- #373 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#39. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $44,270
- #456 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#38. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $44,690
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,180
- Employment: 87,480
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Longview, WA ($65,210)
--- Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL ($58,070)
--- Lewiston, ID-WA ($57,690)

#37. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $45,330
- #259 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#36. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $45,460
- #276 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)
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#35. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $45,830
- #387 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#34. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $46,090
- #336 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $46,850
- #156 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,570
- Employment: 151,340
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,570)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,900)
--- New Haven, CT ($63,790)

#32. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $46,960
- #317 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#31. Helpers--carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $47,110
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,340
- Employment: 27,540
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,070)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($47,550)
--- Altoona, PA ($47,110)
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#30. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $47,420
- #301 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
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)

#29. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $47,570
- #297 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,250
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)

#28. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $48,810
- #266 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#27. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $49,080
- #202 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
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)

#26. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $49,120
- #495 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)
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#25. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $50,290
- #105 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,010
- Employment: 112,130
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Huntsville, AL ($55,830)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,260)
--- Wausau, WI ($55,060)

#24. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $51,030
- #266 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#23. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $51,430
- #453 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#22. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $51,550
- #320 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#21. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $52,190
- #183 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
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#20. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,020
- #360 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#19. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $53,880
- #333 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#18. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $54,050
- #266 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#17. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $54,450
- #300 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $55,320
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $55,520
- #308 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#14. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $55,740
- #294 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
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)

#13. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $56,720
- #314 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $58,020
- #237 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#11. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $58,630
- #250 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
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#10. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,140
- #443 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)

#9. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $65,000
- #408 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 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)

#8. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $65,980
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#7. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $66,540
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
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)

#6. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,360
- #274 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 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)
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#5. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $68,040
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $73,360
- #346 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $74,410
- #223 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $86,750
- #215 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $89,530
- #295 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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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