
Highest-paying jobs in Staunton that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Staunton 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 Staunton-Waynesboro, VA that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $42,120
- #229 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,420
- Employment: 392,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($96,580)
--- Salinas, CA ($89,100)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($86,260)

#49. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $42,460
- #176 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,230
- Employment: 216,910
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,350)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($66,650)
--- Utica-Rome, NY ($63,470)

#48. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $42,970
- #372 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,320
- Employment: 121,150
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($92,370)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($87,990)
#47. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $43,200
- #359 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)

#46. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $44,070
- #376 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
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#45. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $44,170
- #374 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#44. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $44,220
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,010
- Employment: 55,930
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bowling Green, KY ($49,980)
--- Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL ($48,400)
--- Duluth, MN-WI ($48,360)
#43. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $44,530
- #169 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#42. Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $45,220
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,060
- Employment: 48,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($92,800)
--- Napa, CA ($68,470)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($63,240)

#41. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $45,310
- #204 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
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)
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#40. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $45,340
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,750
- Employment: 358,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Battle Creek, MI ($60,150)
--- Albany, GA ($53,570)
--- Fort Collins, CO ($50,590)

#39. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $45,930
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,920
- Employment: 1,416,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,230)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,870)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($56,650)
#38. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $46,160
- #347 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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. Opticians, dispensing
- Annual mean salary: $46,280
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,060
- Employment: 73,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,300)
--- New Haven, CT ($69,460)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($65,010)
#36. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $47,070
- #186 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
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#35. Printing press operators
- Annual mean salary: $47,240
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,120
- Employment: 145,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($56,850)
--- Dover-Durham, NH-ME ($51,730)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($50,370)

#34. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $47,380
- #396 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#33. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $47,730
- #321 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#32. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $48,760
- #236 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,120
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)

#31. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $49,130
- #379 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
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#30. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $49,540
- #376 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#29. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $51,410
- #191 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#28. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $51,470
- #222 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#27. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $51,930
- #168 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#26. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,040
- #272 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
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#25. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $52,330
- #419 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
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. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $52,880
- #381 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#23. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $53,370
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#22. Tool and die makers
- Annual mean salary: $53,660
- #120 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#21. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $54,050
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
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#20. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $55,010
- #333 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#19. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $55,300
- #285 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#18. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $55,640
- #295 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
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)

#17. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $57,260
- #250 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#16. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $57,320
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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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#15. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $59,450
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#14. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $59,610
- #99 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#13. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $60,480
- #244 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#12. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $61,600
- #264 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#11. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $62,670
- #470 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
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#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,060
- #390 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)

#9. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $65,650
- #295 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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 production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,060
- #221 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $67,850
- #224 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $72,390
- #339 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
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#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $72,510
- #252 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#4. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $72,750
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#3. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $78,610
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $86,470
- #138 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $91,790
- #267 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)