
Highest-paying jobs in Midland that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Midland 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 Midland, TX that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $50,610
- #264 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,020
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)
#49. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $50,660
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)
#48. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $50,690
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#47. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $50,750
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
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)

#46. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $51,090
- #500 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
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#45. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $51,120
- #124 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,480
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)
#44. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $51,200
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#43. Home appliance repairers
- Annual mean salary: $51,900
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#42. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,300
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,560
- Employment: 149,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,600)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,240)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($60,930)
#41. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $52,590
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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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#40. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $53,740
- #120 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)

#39. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $54,490
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#38. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $54,520
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,850
- Employment: 641,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Napa, CA ($76,890)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,880)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,410)

#37. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $55,150
- #134 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)

#36. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $55,230
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
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#35. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $55,740
- #240 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)

#34. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $56,060
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)

#33. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $58,340
- #224 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
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)

#32. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $59,430
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#31. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $59,880
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 690
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)
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#30. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $60,200
- #159 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#29. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $62,050
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#28. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $63,010
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
#27. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers
- Annual mean salary: $63,030
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#26. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $63,250
- #17 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)
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#25. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $63,900
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,420
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)

#24. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $65,100
- #93 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)
#23. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,210
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 950
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)
#22. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Annual mean salary: $65,350
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,390
- Employment: 51,040
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($81,390)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($80,460)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($73,070)
#21. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas
- Annual mean salary: $65,510
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)
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#20. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $65,700
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#19. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $67,220
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#18. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $69,850
- #281 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#17. Gas plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $70,650
- #41 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)

#16. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $73,880
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
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#15. Wellhead pumpers
- Annual mean salary: $74,690
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,060
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,170
- Employment: 16,040
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($77,750)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($75,610)
--- Midland, TX ($74,690)
#14. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $75,780
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#13. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $76,760
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770
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)

#12. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $78,800
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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 non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $80,200
- #219 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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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#10. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $83,670
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,190
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)

#9. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $83,910
- #139 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#8. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $84,140
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
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. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $84,220
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 640
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)

#6. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $88,340
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,230
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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#5. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $96,530
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $97,410
- #121 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#3. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $99,030
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $100,060
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,480
- Employment: 175,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Midland, TX ($100,060)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($99,880)
--- Worcester, MA-CT ($93,400)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $110,940
- #47 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)
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