
Highest-paying jobs in Madison that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Madison 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 Madison, WI that don’t require a college degree.
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#50. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $57,970
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#49. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Annual mean salary: $58,160
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#48. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $58,420
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)

#46 (tie). Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $58,440
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#46 (tie). Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $58,440
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,760
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)
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#45. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Annual mean salary: $58,560
- #29 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)

#44. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $58,680
- #249 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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)

#43. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $59,050
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
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)

#42. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Annual mean salary: $59,120
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $56,260
- Employment: 28,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($109,380)
--- Syracuse, NY ($97,670)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($93,740)

#41. Brokerage clerks
- Annual mean salary: $59,660
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#40. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $59,860
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 810
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)
#39. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $60,610
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)

#38. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $60,690
- #171 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,470
- Employment: 125,440
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($86,470)
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($86,370)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($85,860)

#37. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $61,160
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#36. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $62,380
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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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#35. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $62,410
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#34. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $62,760
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $63,230
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,560
- Employment: 21,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Evansville, IN-KY ($77,880)
--- Anchorage, AK ($77,690)
--- Oklahoma City, OK ($77,100)

#32. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $63,850
- #148 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#31. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $65,190
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 830
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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#30. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $65,460
- #125 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,410
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)

#29. Hearing aid specialists
- Annual mean salary: $66,650
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,960
- Employment: 10,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($75,130)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($73,180)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($72,300)

#28. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,670
- #198 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,120
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)

#27. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $67,660
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#26. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $67,950
- #105 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,100
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. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $69,050
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#24. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $69,400
- #187 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,130
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)
#23. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,530
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,660
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)

#22. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $70,340
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)
#21. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $70,460
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,060
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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#20. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $70,780
- #149 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,700
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)
#19. Pipelayers
- Annual mean salary: $70,810
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#18. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $70,930
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#17. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $71,690
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#16. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $73,880
- #70 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)
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#15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $73,890
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,870
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)

#14. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $74,690
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,280
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)
#13. Glaziers
- Annual mean salary: $74,990
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#12. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $75,190
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,340
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)

#11. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $79,870
- #166 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)
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#10. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $82,440
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,350
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)

#9. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $84,460
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#8. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $87,110
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#7. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $88,350
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#6. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $91,120
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
National
- Annual mean salary: $90,370
- Employment: 107,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($132,210)
--- Anchorage, AK ($127,070)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($123,460)
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#5. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Annual mean salary: $96,690
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $87,640
- Employment: 22,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($120,210)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($118,510)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($114,280)

#4. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $100,270
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $105,890
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,480
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $107,110
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $111,450
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
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