Highest-paying jobs in Wheeling that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Wheeling 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 Wheeling, WV-OH that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $42,430
- #233 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,570
- Employment: 151,340
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,570)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,900)
--- New Haven, CT ($63,790)

#49. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $43,560
- #280 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#48. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $43,740
- #439 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
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)
#47. Construction laborers
- Annual mean salary: $43,860
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,130
- Employment: 968,760
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($65,910)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($64,590)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($63,820)

#46. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $44,750
- #189 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
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)
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#45. Meter readers, utilities
- Annual mean salary: $45,030
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,430
- Employment: 24,000
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($74,040)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($69,530)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($67,510)

#44. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $45,860
- #278 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)

#43. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $46,100
- #357 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
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)

#42. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $46,290
- #415 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#41. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $46,590
- #265 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
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#40. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $46,690
- #352 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#39. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $46,810
- #223 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#38. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $47,030
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
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)

#37. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $47,610
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,650
- Employment: 194,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($64,140)
--- Decatur, IL ($60,740)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($58,620)
#36. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Annual mean salary: $47,760
- #197 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
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#35. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $48,390
- #365 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#34. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $48,480
- #315 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#33. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $49,270
- #433 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#32. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $50,010
- #200 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#31. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $51,020
- #239 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
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#30. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $51,080
- #438 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
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)

#29. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $51,390
- #183 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#28. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $51,700
- #294 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)

#27. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $51,900
- #309 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#26. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $52,590
- #408 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
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#25. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $53,420
- #449 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#24. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $53,800
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,810
- Employment: 551,380
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Odessa, TX ($70,950)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($66,260)
--- Bismarck, ND ($64,940)

#23. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $53,900
- #141 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)

#22. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $54,810
- #367 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)

#21. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $54,950
- #312 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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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#20. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $56,160
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,490
- Employment: 108,440
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($60,690)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,040)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($57,940)

#19. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $56,670
- #175 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)

#18. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $58,130
- #248 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#17. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $58,440
- #213 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#16. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $60,060
- #139 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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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#15. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $60,120
- #450 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 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)

#14. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $60,590
- #177 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#13. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $61,670
- #419 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)

#12. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $62,660
- #18 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)
#11. Conveyor operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $62,910
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,010
- Employment: 28,650
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Wheeling, WV-OH ($62,910)
--- Merced, CA ($53,190)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($46,630)
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#10. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $64,140
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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)
#9. Continuous mining machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $67,910
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,430
- Employment: 14,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Duluth, MN-WI ($70,810)
--- Wheeling, WV-OH ($67,910)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($61,700)

#8. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $68,370
- #142 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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. Roof bolters, mining
- Annual mean salary: $68,820
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,170
- Employment: 1,850
- Metros with highest average pay: data not available

#6. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $68,950
- #408 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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. Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining
- Annual mean salary: $69,280
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,330
- Employment: 4,450
- Metros with highest average pay: data not available

#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $73,240
- #239 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $80,750
- #387 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#2. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $85,760
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)

#1. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $93,840
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
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)
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