
Highest-paying jobs in Nashville that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Nashville 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $53,800
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)

#49. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $54,450
- #114 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#48. Tool and die makers
- Annual mean salary: $54,500
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,070
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)

#47. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,630
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)

#46. Hearing aid specialists
- Annual mean salary: $54,640
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,960
- Employment: 10,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($75,130)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($73,180)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($72,300)
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#45. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,730
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,910
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)
#44. Community health workers
- Annual mean salary: $54,740
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#43. Traffic technicians
- Annual mean salary: $55,140
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#42. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $55,610
- #299 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,400
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)

#41. Brokerage clerks
- Annual mean salary: $55,770
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
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#40. Sound engineering technicians
- Annual mean salary: $56,090
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,360
- Employment: 10,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($96,070)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($84,930)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($84,620)

#39. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $56,170
- #233 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,620
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)

#38. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $56,980
- #156 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
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)

#37. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $58,410
- #86 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 980
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)

#36. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,400
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,450
- Employment: 25,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Longview, WA ($74,500)
--- Redding, CA ($72,680)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($71,740)
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#35. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $59,450
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#34. Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment
- Annual mean salary: $59,830
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,650
- Employment: 10,710
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($89,080)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($87,130)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($86,160)
#33. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $60,020
- #176 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,280
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)

#32. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $60,070
- #451 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,820
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)

#31. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $60,710
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,770
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. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $61,530
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#29. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $61,680
- #262 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,460
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)
#28. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,970
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 17,970
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. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Annual mean salary: $62,180
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#25 (tie). Gas plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $64,460
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $76,970
- Employment: 15,110
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($98,750)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($97,080)
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#25 (tie). Boilermakers
- Annual mean salary: $64,460
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#24. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $65,440
- #104 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 870
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)

#23. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $65,460
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)

#21 (tie). First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,710
- #239 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
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)

#21 (tie). First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,710
- #331 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,470
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)
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#20. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $65,800
- #267 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,870
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)

#19. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $65,810
- #158 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,980
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)

#18. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,430
- #211 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,530
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. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $67,350
- #334 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,360
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)

#16. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Annual mean salary: $69,270
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,080
- Employment: 8,590
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN ($79,660)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($72,800)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($71,910)
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#15. Bailiffs
- Annual mean salary: $69,600
- #1 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)

#14. Insurance appraisers, auto damage
- Annual mean salary: $70,480
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#13. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $72,780
- #334 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,410
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)

#12. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $72,980
- #244 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 950
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. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $75,730
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
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#10. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $78,280
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 730
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)

#9. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $80,410
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,130
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)

#8. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $86,150
- #141 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,230
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)

#7. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Annual mean salary: $86,800
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $87,000
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
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#5. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $88,960
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $93,980
- #233 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,670
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)

#3. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Annual mean salary: $97,910
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $95,520
- Employment: 9,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($131,560)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($129,570)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($123,540)

#2. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $102,560
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#1. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $102,580
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)
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