
Highest-paying jobs in Pittsburgh that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh, PA that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,830
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 10,970
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)

#48 (tie). Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $61,990
- #150 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,200
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)

#48 (tie). Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $61,990
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,810
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)
#47. Athletes and sports competitors
- Annual mean salary: $62,070
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#46. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Annual mean salary: $62,080
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,080
- Employment: 8,590
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN ($79,660)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($72,800)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($71,910)
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#45. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $62,290
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,220
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)
#44. Pipelayers
- Annual mean salary: $62,310
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,510
- Employment: 33,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($86,310)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($75,510)
--- Madison, WI ($70,810)

#43. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $62,350
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,340
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,420
- Employment: 392,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($96,580)
--- Salinas, CA ($89,100)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($86,260)
#42. Glaziers
- Annual mean salary: $62,560
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,950
- Employment: 52,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($78,840)
--- Salem, OR ($78,000)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($74,990)

#41. Gas compressor and gas pumping station operators
- Annual mean salary: $63,110
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,130
- Employment: 2,910
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($92,260)
--- Charleston, WV ($67,600)
--- Pittsburgh, PA ($63,110)
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#40. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $63,270
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660
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)

#39. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $63,540
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,360
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)

#38. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,040
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)
#37. Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining
- Annual mean salary: $64,150
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,330
- Employment: 4,450
- Metros with highest average pay: data not available

#36. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $64,670
- #178 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,560
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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#35. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $64,900
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)

#34. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $65,150
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,120
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)

#33. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $65,400
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,830
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)

#32. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $65,870
- #262 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,970
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)

#31. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $66,000
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,870
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)
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#30. Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles
- Annual mean salary: $66,100
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,880
- Employment: 18,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($79,100)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($78,800)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($77,540)

#29. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Annual mean salary: $66,150
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#28. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $66,420
- #116 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)

#27. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $68,110
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,970
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)

#26. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $68,280
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,180
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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#25. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $69,030
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 760
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)

#24. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,730
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 670
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)

#23. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $70,770
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#22. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $71,510
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,370
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)

#21. Pile driver operators
- Annual mean salary: $71,670
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $75,950
- Employment: 3,760
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($106,620)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($106,340)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($104,880)
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#20. Derrick operators, oil and gas
- Annual mean salary: $72,280
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,140
- Employment: 7,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($73,160)
--- Pittsburgh, PA ($72,280)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($55,270)

#19. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $73,390
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,910
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)

#18. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $73,580
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 8,770
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)

#17. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $73,720
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
National
- Annual mean salary: $80,500
- Employment: 34,230
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($105,090)
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($97,860)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($96,520)

#16. Gas plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $74,210
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)
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#15. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $76,150
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#14. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,800
- #104 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,130
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)

#13. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Annual mean salary: $81,360
- #80 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)

#12. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $81,550
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
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)

#11. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Annual mean salary: $83,120
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $95,520
- Employment: 9,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($131,560)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($129,570)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($123,540)
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#10. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $83,770
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#9. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $85,480
- #89 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)

#8. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $86,500
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $91,120
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#6. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $92,410
- #24 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)
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#5. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $92,560
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,120
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)

#4. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $93,300
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
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)
#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $99,420
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 640
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. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $100,760
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $108,490
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800
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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