Highest-paying jobs in Norfolk that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Norfolk that don't require a college degree
College isn't for everyone—despite what today's youth may hear from the adults in their lives.
From the moment they arrive freshman year, 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.
The median wage for high school diploma recipients is about $809 a week—higher than those without a diploma ($626), but well below the median for bachelor's degree holders ($1,334). But many jobs without college degree requirements still pay decent wages. Some even pay better than jobs reserved for degree earners.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Norfolk that don't require higher education. 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 are ranked by their annual median salaries as of May 2022.
Keep reading to discover the highest-paying jobs in Norfolk that don't require a college degree.
This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.
#50. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $56,120
- Median hourly wage: $26.98
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 80 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#49. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $56,380
- Median hourly wage: $27.11
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 630 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#48. Riggers
- Median annual wage: $56,590
- Median hourly wage: $27.21
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 1,090 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#47. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $56,670
- Median hourly wage: $27.25
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 120 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#46. Real estate brokers
- Median annual wage: $57,090
- Median hourly wage: $27.45
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: Not available
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#45. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $57,760
- Median hourly wage: $27.77
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 6,850 people (9.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#44. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $57,950
- Median hourly wage: $27.86
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 340 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#43. Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment
- Median annual wage: $58,120
- Median hourly wage: $27.94
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 480 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#42. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $58,170
- Median hourly wage: $27.97
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 210 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#41. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $58,500
- Median hourly wage: $28.13
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 5,090 people (7.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#40. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $58,560
- Median hourly wage: $28.15
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 970 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#39. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $58,840
- Median hourly wage: $28.29
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 1,690 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#38. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $58,910
- Median hourly wage: $28.32
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 3,670 people (5.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#37. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Median annual wage: $59,120
- Median hourly wage: $28.42
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 100 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#36. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $59,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 5,030 people (6.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#35. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $60,150
- Median hourly wage: $28.92
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 440 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#34. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $60,670
- Median hourly wage: $29.17
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 1,020 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#33. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $60,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 1,400 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#32. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $60,970
- Median hourly wage: $29.31
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 4,000 people (5.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#31. Layout workers, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $61,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.51
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 2,200 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#30. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $61,610
- Median hourly wage: $29.62
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 930 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#28. Power distributors and dispatchers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $61,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 40 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#28. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $61,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 70 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#27. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 4,010 people (5.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#26. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $62,540
- Median hourly wage: $30.07
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 150 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#25. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $62,600
- Median hourly wage: $30.10
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 300 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#24. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $63,080
- Median hourly wage: $30.33
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 70 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#23. Commercial divers
- Median annual wage: $63,350
- Median hourly wage: $30.46
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 100 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#22. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $63,550
- Median hourly wage: $30.55
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 910 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#21. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $63,580
- Median hourly wage: $30.57
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 590 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#20. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $65,320
- Median hourly wage: $31.41
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 540 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#19. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $65,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.54
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 4,830 people (6.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#18. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $65,960
- Median hourly wage: $31.71
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 30 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#17. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $66,770
- Median hourly wage: $32.10
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 70 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#16. Hearing aid specialists
- Median annual wage: $69,280
- Median hourly wage: $33.31
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 90 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#15. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $71,050
- Median hourly wage: $34.16
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 3,430 people (4.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#14. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $71,310
- Median hourly wage: $34.28
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 660 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#13. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $76,350
- Median hourly wage: $36.71
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 3,240 people (4.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#12. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $76,530
- Median hourly wage: $36.79
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 450 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#11. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $78,450
- Median hourly wage: $37.72
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 460 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#10. Ship engineers
- Median annual wage: $79,230
- Median hourly wage: $38.09
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 1,400 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#9. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $80,810
- Median hourly wage: $38.85
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 1,910 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#8. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $80,950
- Median hourly wage: $38.92
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 100 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#7. Surgical assistants
- Median annual wage: $82,270
- Median hourly wage: $39.55
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 250 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#6. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $82,700
- Median hourly wage: $39.76
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 570 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#5. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $88,650
- Median hourly wage: $42.62
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 1,260 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#4. Media and communication equipment workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $93,370
- Median hourly wage: $44.89
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 160 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#3. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $94,010
- Median hourly wage: $45.20
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 100 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $94,670
- Median hourly wage: $45.52
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
- Total employment: 480 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#1. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $115,170
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Total employment: 80 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
