Highest-paying jobs in Providence that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Providence 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 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA that don't require a college degree.
#50. Roofers
- Annual mean salary: $61,290
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,890
- Employment: 129,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Worcester, MA-CT ($81,450)
--- Anchorage, AK ($74,990)
--- Danbury, CT ($73,020)
#49. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $61,360
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,720
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)
#48. Audio and video technicians
- Annual mean salary: $61,850
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,310
- Employment: 50,590
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($80,410)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($73,160)
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($68,430)
#47. Model makers, metal and plastic
- Annual mean salary: $62,310
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,080
- Employment: 3,690
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($81,140)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($76,210)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($74,210)
#46. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $62,670
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,230
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)
#45. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $62,910
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)
#44. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $63,480
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#43. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $63,600
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
#42. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Annual mean salary: $63,660
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#41. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,320
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,590
- Employment: 19,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,710)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($65,990)
--- Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY ($65,510)
#40. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $64,680
- #55 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)
#39. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $65,010
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 830
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. Riggers
- Annual mean salary: $65,940
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,100
- Employment: 17,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($89,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($73,310)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($73,160)
#37. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $67,370
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,600
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. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $67,720
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)
#35. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $68,010
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)
#34. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $68,040
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#33. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $68,250
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#32. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $68,530
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#31. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $68,770
- #24 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)
#30. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $68,810
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,030
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)
#29. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Annual mean salary: $69,500
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#28. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,520
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,730
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)
#27. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $70,190
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)
#26. Insurance appraisers, auto damage
- Annual mean salary: $73,150
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)
#25. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $73,540
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#24. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $73,690
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
#23. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $73,940
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,680
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)
#22. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $74,210
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)
#21. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $74,990
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,060
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)
#20. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $75,050
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,910
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)
#19. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,300
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)
#18. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $76,490
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#17. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,880
- #148 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 860
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)
#16. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $77,010
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,620
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)
#15. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $78,410
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,160
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)
#14. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Annual mean salary: $79,910
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,240
- Employment: 12,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,910)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($100,060)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($99,120)
#13. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $80,980
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,260
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. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $84,150
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,470
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)
#11. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $85,890
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750
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)
#10. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $86,370
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $86,790
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
#8. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $87,650
- #21 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)
#7. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $92,120
- #164 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 810
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)
#6. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $94,300
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#5. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Annual mean salary: $94,900
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#4. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $107,010
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $109,890
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 810
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: $113,920
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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: $127,980
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)