
Highest-paying jobs in Sumter that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Sumter 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 Sumter, SC that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Painters, construction and maintenance
- Annual mean salary: $36,180
- #411 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#49. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $36,260
- #404 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $36,380
- #332 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#47. Billing and posting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $36,540
- #387 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#46. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive
- Annual mean salary: $36,850
- #294 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,080
- Employment: 1,825,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,720)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,730)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($54,450)
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#45. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $37,560
- #503 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
- Annual mean salary: $37,870
- #438 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,140
- Employment: 1,509,370
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,750)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($58,670)
--- Napa, CA ($54,940)

#43. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $38,160
- #218 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,450
- Employment: 106,170
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Billings, MT ($88,420)
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($76,050)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($71,340)

#42. Light truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $38,630
- #342 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,630
- Employment: 1,010,040
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($51,860)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($51,560)
--- Waterbury, CT ($50,100)

#41. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $38,650
- #404 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,920
- Employment: 1,416,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,230)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,870)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($56,650)
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#40. Dental assistants
- Annual mean salary: $38,830
- #326 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#39. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $38,940
- #440 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#38. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $39,100
- #259 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#37. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $39,210
- #412 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)

#36. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $39,280
- #509 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
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#34 (tie). First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $39,530
- #461 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)

#34 (tie). Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $39,530
- #490 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#33. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $39,650
- #477 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)
#32. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $40,090
- #474 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#31. Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $40,720
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,050
- Employment: 56,570
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Roanoke, VA ($52,760)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($49,570)
--- Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ ($49,260)
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#30. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $41,460
- #297 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#29. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $42,040
- #362 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,560
- Employment: 149,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,600)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,240)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($60,930)

#28. Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Annual mean salary: $42,130
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,030
- Employment: 67,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Charleston-North Charleston, SC ($59,780)
--- Syracuse, NY ($51,600)
--- Albany, OR ($50,470)

#27. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $42,240
- #300 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#26. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $43,340
- #315 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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#25. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $43,730
- #463 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#24. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $43,860
- #177 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,100
- Employment: 153,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,770)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,250)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($59,160)

#23. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $44,120
- #375 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
#22. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $44,620
- #413 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#21. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $44,970
- #410 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530
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)
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#20. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $45,690
- #481 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#19. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $46,280
- #434 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#18. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $47,410
- #281 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)

#17. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $48,750
- #342 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#16. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $48,820
- #272 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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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#15. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $51,040
- #501 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#14. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $51,110
- #465 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#13. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $51,680
- #427 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#12. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $53,250
- #258 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)

#11. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $53,550
- #448 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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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#10. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $53,770
- #364 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)

#9. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $54,410
- #374 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#8. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $59,360
- #435 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,450
- #388 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)

#6. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $64,130
- #343 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
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#5. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $65,540
- #385 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#4. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $66,020
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#3. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $67,900
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#2. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $68,840
- #240 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#1. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $70,820
- #384 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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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