
Highest-paying jobs in Waco that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Waco 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 Waco, TX that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $45,610
- #286 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#49. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $45,980
- #210 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
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. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $46,150
- #297 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#47. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $46,280
- #370 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)
#46. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $46,350
- #279 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
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#45. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,500
- #392 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)

#44. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $46,790
- #236 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#43. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $46,880
- #344 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
#42. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $47,420
- #149 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#41. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $47,470
- #306 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
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#40. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $47,600
- #174 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#39. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Annual mean salary: $47,770
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#38. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $47,960
- #506 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680
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. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $48,200
- #399 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)

#36. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $48,430
- #362 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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)
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#35. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $48,500
- #253 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 700
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)

#34. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $48,660
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#33. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $48,700
- #427 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560
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. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $48,920
- #487 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)

#31. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $49,140
- #416 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
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#30. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $49,250
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#29. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $49,790
- #365 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#28. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $50,550
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#27. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $50,650
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#26. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers
- Annual mean salary: $50,890
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,380
- Employment: 33,320
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($64,250)
--- Savannah, GA ($62,660)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($59,890)
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#25. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $51,470
- #392 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)

#24. Tax preparers
- Annual mean salary: $52,330
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,080
- Employment: 83,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($81,880)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($79,470)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($73,170)

#23. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,700
- #248 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)

#22. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,600
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#21. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $55,180
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
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#20. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $55,730
- #292 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#19. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $55,900
- #292 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)

#18. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $56,000
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#17. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,360
- #276 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,260
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)

#16. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $57,670
- #282 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
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#15. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $58,880
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)

#14. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $61,460
- #188 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#13. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $62,410
- #355 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800
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. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $63,080
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#11. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $63,190
- #116 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)
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#10. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $64,060
- #435 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)

#9. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $66,820
- #252 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)

#8. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,050
- #291 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720
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)

#7. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $67,470
- #309 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,640
- #397 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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#5. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $70,670
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 780
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)

#4. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $70,820
- #232 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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 firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $78,560
- #140 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $87,900
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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: $100,650
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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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