
Highest-paying jobs in Rapid City that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Rapid City 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 Rapid City, SD that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $44,010
- #333 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#49. Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers
- Annual mean salary: $44,040
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#48. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $44,660
- #336 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#47. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $45,590
- #235 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)
#45 (tie). Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $45,890
- #267 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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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#45 (tie). Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $45,890
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
#44. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $45,960
- #487 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)

#43. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $46,060
- #232 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#42. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $46,340
- #174 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)
#41. Glaziers
- Annual mean salary: $46,380
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
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#40. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $46,650
- #402 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#39. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $47,130
- #256 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#38. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $47,510
- #413 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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 (tie). Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $48,060
- #274 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 880
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)

#36 (tie). Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $48,060
- #320 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 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)
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#35. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $48,410
- #439 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#34. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $48,760
- #275 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#33. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $48,810
- #290 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
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)

#32. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $49,430
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#31. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $49,610
- #481 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#30. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $50,020
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 580
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)

#29. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $50,090
- #393 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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)
#28. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $50,420
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,590
- Employment: 44,200
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,510)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($78,180)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,380)

#27. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $50,440
- #196 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,770
- Employment: 35,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($121,090)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($111,410)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)
#26. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $52,120
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,250
- Employment: 35,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($61,910)
--- Bellingham, WA ($61,210)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,760)
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#25. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $52,250
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $52,320
- #408 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)

#23. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $52,480
- #424 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#22. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $52,580
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,170
- Employment: 77,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Eugene, OR ($70,940)
--- Salem, OR ($68,640)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($68,520)

#21. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $52,910
- #237 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)
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#20. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $53,430
- #125 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#19. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $54,660
- #104 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#18. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $54,860
- #149 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#17. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $57,350
- #247 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#16. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $58,010
- #274 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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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#15. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $59,410
- #318 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#14. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $60,830
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#13. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $61,200
- #156 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#12. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $62,220
- #363 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#11. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $66,500
- #149 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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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#10. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $67,510
- #233 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 690
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)

#9. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $70,300
- #211 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)

#8. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $70,710
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#7. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $72,650
- #248 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#6. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $72,870
- #187 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)
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#5. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $72,950
- #173 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)

#4. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $80,020
- #165 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $83,070
- #360 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $87,200
- #212 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. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $96,120
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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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