
Highest-paying jobs in Spokane that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Spokane 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 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $57,980
- #208 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660
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)

#48 (tie). Brokerage clerks
- Annual mean salary: $58,000
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,710
- Employment: 39,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,310)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,330)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,970)
#48 (tie). Tapers
- Annual mean salary: $58,000
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#47. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $58,400
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#45 (tie). Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $58,830
- #206 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)
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#45 (tie). Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Annual mean salary: $58,830
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,900
- Employment: 186,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New Bedford, MA ($90,980)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($82,820)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($79,650)

#44. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,640
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,450
- Employment: 25,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Longview, WA ($74,500)
--- Redding, CA ($72,680)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($71,740)

#43. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $59,990
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
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)
#42. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $60,080
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 670
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. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $60,110
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $60,150
- #252 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,260
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)

#39. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $60,260
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,590
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)

#38. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $60,700
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)

#37. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $62,670
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#36. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $62,800
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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)
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#35. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,140
- #93 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,170
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)

#34. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $63,200
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#33. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $63,880
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#32. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Annual mean salary: $64,690
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,850
- Employment: 35,720
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($87,740)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($86,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($83,090)
#31. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Annual mean salary: $64,700
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,360
- Employment: 25,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($93,600)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($92,910)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($86,660)
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#30. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $64,850
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#29. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,490
- #239 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,240
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)

#28. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $65,590
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680
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)
#27. Carpet installers
- Annual mean salary: $67,250
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,710
- Employment: 19,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($74,390)
--- Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($67,250)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($66,330)

#26. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $67,730
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040
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)
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#25. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $67,810
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#24. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $68,290
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,270
- Employment: 43,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($131,160)
--- Syracuse, NY ($103,350)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($99,990)

#23. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $68,440
- #206 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
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)

#22. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $68,900
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)
#21. Glaziers
- Annual mean salary: $69,030
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,950
- Employment: 52,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($78,840)
--- Salem, OR ($78,000)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($74,990)
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#20. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $69,350
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,100
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)

#19. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $70,180
- #163 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,350
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)

#18. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $70,680
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770
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)

#17. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $72,520
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $73,170
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
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#15. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $75,570
- #105 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 810
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)

#14. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $78,630
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#13. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $79,160
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#12. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $80,140
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,620
- Employment: 25,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($112,260)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($111,930)
--- Anchorage, AK ($108,140)

#11. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $82,040
- #45 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)
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#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $82,640
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,090
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. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $83,590
- #181 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)
#8. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $84,730
- #336 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)

#7. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $86,270
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#6. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $89,630
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
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#5. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $89,660
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $83,740
- Employment: 28,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($129,650)
--- Wenatchee, WA ($123,180)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($114,660)

#4. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $94,530
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $94,590
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#2. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $98,380
- #1 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)

#1. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $100,720
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $91,320
- Employment: 22,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($130,290)
--- Kansas City, MO-KS ($113,590)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($113,480)
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