
Highest-paying jobs in Kennewick that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Kennewick 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 Kennewick-Richland, WA that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Pipelayers
- Annual mean salary: $57,440
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,510
- Employment: 33,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($86,310)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($75,510)
--- Madison, WI ($70,810)

#49. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $57,600
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#48. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $57,810
- #53 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)

#47. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $57,820
- #88 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)
#45 (tie). Massage therapists
- Annual mean salary: $58,310
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,260
- Employment: 81,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($96,260)
--- Kalamazoo-Portage, MI ($74,980)
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($74,850)
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#45 (tie). Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall
- Annual mean salary: $58,310
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,810
- Employment: 30,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- St. Cloud, MN ($70,180)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($67,500)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($61,160)

#44. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $58,480
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 580
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)
#43. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Annual mean salary: $59,230
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,810
- Employment: 97,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($86,380)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($82,560)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($81,460)
#42. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $59,690
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#41. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $59,790
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,540
- Employment: 96,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($97,840)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($97,720)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($83,050)
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#40. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $60,520
- #72 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)

#39. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $60,570
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)

#38. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $61,730
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#37. Tapers
- Annual mean salary: $61,740
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,140
- Employment: 14,580
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($93,010)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($87,750)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($86,880)

#36. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $61,970
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,170
- Employment: 77,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Eugene, OR ($70,940)
--- Salem, OR ($68,640)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($68,520)
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#35. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $62,100
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#34. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $62,690
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#33. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $62,750
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#32. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $62,870
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,150
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,190
- Employment: 668,060
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($81,730)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,680)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,280)

#31. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $63,420
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
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)
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#30. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $64,290
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#29. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $65,180
- #159 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
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)
#28. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,160
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 910
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)
#27. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $66,530
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)

#26. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $66,610
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
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#25. Hazardous materials removal workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,730
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,280
- Employment: 44,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($76,120)
--- Amarillo, TX ($73,270)
--- Knoxville, TN ($70,000)

#24. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $68,710
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,450
- Employment: 106,170
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Billings, MT ($88,420)
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($76,050)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($71,340)

#23. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $69,840
- #105 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)

#21 (tie). Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $70,080
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)

#21 (tie). Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $70,080
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
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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#20. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $74,190
- #329 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#19. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $75,180
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#18. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $75,330
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 860
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)

#17. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $75,640
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#16. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $77,680
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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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#15. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $78,170
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,510
- Employment: 29,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,300)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,930)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($99,740)

#14. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $78,190
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
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)

#13. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $78,300
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#12. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $80,000
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,020
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)

#11. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $83,800
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 890
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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#10. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $85,780
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#9. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $86,380
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#8. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $86,710
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,070
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. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $87,320
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $91,590
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $94,220
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $94,930
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#3. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $97,870
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $99,310
- #160 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#1. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $104,350
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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