
Highest-paying jobs in Chattanooga that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Chattanooga 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA that don’t require a college degree.
You may also like: Metros where people in Chattanooga are getting new jobs
#50. Tool and die makers
- Annual mean salary: $48,180
- #207 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)
#49. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $48,260
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,240
- Employment: 157,840
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($70,030)
--- Waco, TX ($63,080)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($57,930)

#48. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $49,050
- #391 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#47. Home appliance repairers
- Annual mean salary: $50,030
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,340
- Employment: 28,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($61,210)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($58,670)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($57,420)

#46. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $50,040
- #250 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Chattanooga

#45. Traffic technicians
- Annual mean salary: $50,210
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,210
- Employment: 7,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($85,160)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($77,500)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($76,460)
#44. Ophthalmic medical technicians
- Annual mean salary: $50,260
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,120
- Employment: 65,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Springfield, IL ($68,780)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($63,650)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($62,050)

#43. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $50,470
- #195 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#42. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $50,820
- #141 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,100
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)
#41. Community health workers
- Annual mean salary: $50,860
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,780
- Employment: 61,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,110)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($65,530)
--- Bend-Redmond, OR ($61,820)
You may also like: Highest-earning zip codes in Chattanooga metro area

#40. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $51,140
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
#39. Audio and video technicians
- Annual mean salary: $51,230
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#38. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $51,430
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#37. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $51,440
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#36. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $51,700
- #360 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,290
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)
You may also like: Zip codes with the most expensive homes in Chattanooga metro area

#35. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $52,060
- #425 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 730
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)

#34. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $52,090
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
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)

#33. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $52,670
- #399 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560
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)
#32. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Annual mean salary: $52,930
- #141 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $53,390
- #151 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,270
- Employment: 43,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($131,160)
--- Syracuse, NY ($103,350)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($99,990)
You may also like: How Chattanooga feels about climate change

#30. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $53,830
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
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)

#29. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $53,960
- #268 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590
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)

#28. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $54,740
- #336 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,010
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)

#27. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $54,860
- #164 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#26. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $54,880
- #337 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in Chattanooga metro area
#25. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,470
- #273 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,320
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)

#24. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,480
- #312 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#23. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $56,530
- #120 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)

#22. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $57,470
- #371 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,340
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)

#21. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $57,560
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Chattanooga in the last week

#20. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $58,710
- #207 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)

#19. Boilermakers
- Annual mean salary: $59,030
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,070
- Employment: 12,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,660)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($96,080)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($90,620)

#18. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $59,190
- #166 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#17. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $60,780
- #330 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650
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. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $60,850
- #76 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)
You may also like: Closest national parks to Chattanooga

#15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,980
- #442 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 990
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)

#14. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $61,190
- #425 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,180
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)

#13. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $62,420
- #354 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,810
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)

#12. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $62,480
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#11. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $64,560
- #425 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 890
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)
You may also like: Cities with the fastest growing home prices in Chattanooga metro area

#10. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $64,690
- #117 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#9. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $65,170
- #398 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)

#8. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $66,670
- #65 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)

#7. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $67,360
- #310 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $70,590
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
You may also like: Metros sending the most people to Chattanooga

#5. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $70,680
- #97 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 690
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)

#4. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $71,480
- #228 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $87,530
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $90,560
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $92,430
- #253 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
You may also like: Where people in Chattanooga are moving to most