
Highest-paying jobs in Corpus Christi that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Corpus Christi 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 Corpus Christi, TX that don't require a college degree.
#50. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $50,870
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530
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)
#49. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $51,860
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#48. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $52,430
- #120 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#47. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,710
- #246 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)
#46. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,040
- #134 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#45. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $54,070
- #365 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)
#44. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $54,230
- #326 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#43. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $54,270
- #218 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
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)
#42. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $54,330
- #316 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#41. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $54,780
- #254 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 860
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)
#40. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $54,980
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 870
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)
#39. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $56,330
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 740
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)
#38. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $56,430
- #395 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,030
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)
#37. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,580
- #270 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,930
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)
#36. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $56,780
- #312 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
#35. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $57,140
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#34. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $57,500
- #241 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,090
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)
#33. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $57,990
- #225 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)
#32. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $58,660
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
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)
#30 (tie). Boilermakers
- Annual mean salary: $59,450
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#30 (tie). Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $59,450
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#29. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $59,510
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 580
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)
#28. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $59,640
- #220 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)
#27. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas
- Annual mean salary: $60,000
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,840
- Employment: 11,170
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($84,210)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($75,750)
--- Lafayette, LA ($75,710)
#26. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $60,180
- #136 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750
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)
#25. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $60,230
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
#24. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers
- Annual mean salary: $60,560
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,400
- Employment: 10,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($75,030)
--- Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($69,840)
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($68,630)
#23. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,850
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)
#22. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $61,430
- #420 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 960
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)
#21. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $63,630
- #105 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#20. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $64,140
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
#19. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $65,960
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#18. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $66,040
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 880
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)
#17. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $67,070
- #316 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#16. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,120
- #287 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,510
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)
#15. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,110
- #407 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
#14. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $71,060
- #225 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,120
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)
#13. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $74,400
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
#12. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $76,510
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800
National
- Annual mean salary: $80,500
- Employment: 34,230
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($105,090)
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($97,860)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($96,520)
#11. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,800
- #151 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
#10. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Annual mean salary: $77,120
- #94 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)
#9. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Annual mean salary: $78,560
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $98,330
- Employment: 33,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($126,420)
--- Anchorage, AK ($118,620)
--- New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($110,750)
#8. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $82,090
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 780
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)
#7. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Annual mean salary: $82,210
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#6. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $82,530
- #143 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#5. Chemical plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $88,120
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,020
- Employment: 21,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Lima, OH ($92,450)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($91,210)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($90,170)
#4. Gas plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $93,360
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#3. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $97,770
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $98,010
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $100,690
- #143 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)