Highest-paying jobs in Dayton 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 Dayton, OH that don't require a college degree.
#50. Bailiffs
- Annual mean salary: $52,240
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,340
- Employment: 16,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN ($69,600)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,050)
--- Glens Falls, NY ($66,980)
#49. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $52,320
- #347 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,350
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)
#48. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $52,330
- #150 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#47. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $52,520
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#46. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $52,530
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,030
- Employment: 97,050
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($97,380)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,790)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($76,950)
#45. Tool and die makers
- Annual mean salary: $52,930
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530
National
- Annual mean salary: $56,150
- Employment: 63,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,920)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($72,510)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($71,910)
#44. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $53,010
- #270 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#43. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $53,030
- #200 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#42. Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks
- Annual mean salary: $53,280
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,540
- Employment: 16,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($56,580)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($56,370)
--- Madison, WI ($54,930)
#41. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $53,670
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)
#40. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners
- Annual mean salary: $54,680
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,390
- Employment: 28,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($72,260)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($65,320)
--- Joplin, MO ($65,210)
#39. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,990
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
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)
#38. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $55,890
- #291 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 870
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)
#37. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,330
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
#36. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $56,440
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
#35. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $58,300
- #221 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650
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)
#34. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $58,480
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
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. Brokerage clerks
- Annual mean salary: $58,540
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,710
- Employment: 39,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,310)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,330)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,970)
#32. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Annual mean salary: $58,770
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,360
- Employment: 25,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($93,600)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($92,910)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($86,660)
#31. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $59,190
- #197 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
#30. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,490
- #187 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,800
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)
#28 (tie). Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $59,750
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#28 (tie). Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $59,750
- #185 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040
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)
#27. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,270
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#26. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $60,380
- #204 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)
#25. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $60,810
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#24. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $60,830
- #167 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)
#22 (tie). Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $61,500
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#22 (tie). Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $61,500
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,570
- Employment: 57,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Savannah, GA ($76,260)
--- Cedar Rapids, IA ($70,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($69,980)
#21. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $61,520
- #141 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#20. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $61,740
- #170 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)
#19. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $64,630
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,970
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)
#18. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,390
- #244 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,030
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)
#17. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $67,620
- #226 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
#16. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $68,780
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
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. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $69,040
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#14. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,280
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 950
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. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $69,770
- #100 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#12. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $71,330
- #262 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $71,670
- #209 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040
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)
#10. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $73,070
- #99 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,620
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. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $78,470
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#8. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $80,830
- #171 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#7. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Annual mean salary: $82,610
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#6. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $83,800
- #97 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#5. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $85,290
- #154 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660
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: $89,730
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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: $95,710
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $98,830
- #167 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $116,740
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)