Highest-paying jobs in Boston that don't require a college degree

Written by:
January 4, 2021
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock

Highest-paying jobs in Boston that don't require a college degree

From the moment they first set foot 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, coaches—the list goes on and on. 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 non-degree 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 2019 annual mean wage.

Keep reading to discover the highest-paying jobs in Boston that don’t require a college degree.

You may also like: 100 Highest paying jobs in America

1 / 50
Canva

#50. Tapers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $69,520
- Employment: 610

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,550
- Employment: 17,970
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
2 / 50
Canva

#49. Plasterers and stucco masons

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $69,530
- Employment: 490

National
- Annual mean salary: $49,710
- Employment: 27,360
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
3 / 50
Canva

#48. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $69,740
- Employment: 390

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,730
- Employment: 25,570
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
4 / 50
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#47. Advertising sales agents

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $70,440
- Employment: 1,810

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,660
- Employment: 129,740
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
5 / 50
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

#46. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $70,520
- Employment: 500

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,970
- Employment: 32,520
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
6 / 50
Pandu Agus Wismoyo // Unsplash

#45. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $71,170
- Employment: 1,190

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,110
- Employment: 133,310
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
7 / 50
Canva

#44. Transportation inspectors

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $71,240
- Employment: 560

National
- Annual mean salary: $77,530
- Employment: 30,020
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
8 / 50
Canva

#43. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $71,580
- Employment: 5,400

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,210
- Employment: 405,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
9 / 50
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

#42. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $72,040
- Employment: 8,220

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,220
- Employment: 631,100
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
10 / 50
Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#41. Electricians

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $72,120
- Employment: 12,840

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,370
- Employment: 688,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
11 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#40. Insurance appraisers, auto damage

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $72,850
- Employment: 310

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,240
- Employment: 13,750
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
12 / 50
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

#39. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $73,620
- Employment: 1,080

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,920
- Employment: 52,270
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
13 / 50
Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

#38. Occupational health and safety technicians

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $73,950
- Employment: 210

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,470
- Employment: 20,580
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
14 / 50
Stealth Communications // Wikimedia Commons

#37. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $74,010
- Employment: 2,100

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,560
- Employment: 208,480
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
15 / 50
Canva

#36. Construction and building inspectors

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $74,090
- Employment: 1,870

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,390
- Employment: 110,420
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
16 / 50
Canva

#35. Boilermakers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $74,980
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,040
- Employment: 15,820
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
17 / 50
John Leung // Shutterstock

#34. Brickmasons and blockmasons

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $75,540
- Employment: 1,040

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,470
- Employment: 60,650
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
18 / 50
Canva

#33. Carpet installers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $76,030
- Employment: 540

National
- Annual mean salary: $45,320
- Employment: 26,010
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
19 / 50
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#32. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $76,540
- Employment: 9,330

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,800
- Employment: 442,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
20 / 50
Unsplash

#31. Structural iron and steel workers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $77,280
- Employment: 2,310

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,170
- Employment: 76,570
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
21 / 50
Canva

#30. Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $77,600
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,670
- Employment: 9,790
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
22 / 50
Onk-Q // Shutterstock

#29. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $78,400
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,650
- Employment: 18,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
23 / 50
michaeljung // Shutterstock

#28. Power plant operators

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $79,190
- Employment: 350

National
- Annual mean salary: $79,370
- Employment: 33,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
24 / 50
Canva

#27. Pipelayers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $79,250
- Employment: 260

National
- Annual mean salary: $43,600
- Employment: 36,270
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
25 / 50
4 PM production // Shutterstock

#26. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $80,140
- Employment: 7,810

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,550
- Employment: 485,700
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
26 / 50
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

#25. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $81,230
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $69,000
- Employment: 46,430
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
27 / 50
Canva

#24. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $82,020
- Employment: 210

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,990
- Employment: 14,530
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
28 / 50
Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

#23. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $82,040
- Employment: 19,670

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,760
- Employment: 1,039,670
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
29 / 50
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

#22. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $82,100
- Employment: 2,420

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,670
- Employment: 120,900
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
30 / 50
goodluz // Shutterstock

#21. Real estate sales agents

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $82,780
- Employment: 1,660

National
- Annual mean salary: $62,060
- Employment: 162,330
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
31 / 50
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

#20. Postmasters and mail superintendents

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $83,340
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $78,220
- Employment: 13,850
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
32 / 50
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

#19. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $84,310
- Employment: 19,340

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,110
- Employment: 1,344,530
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
33 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#18. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $84,490
- Employment: 4,260

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,940
- Employment: 287,960
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
34 / 50
Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

#17. Insulation workers, mechanical

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $85,300
- Employment: 610

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,120
- Employment: 26,670
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
35 / 50
Canva

#16. Pile driver operators

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $86,730
- Employment: 210

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,230
- Employment: 3,540
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
36 / 50
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#15. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $89,720
- Employment: 1,580

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,960
- Employment: 111,660
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
37 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#14. Insurance sales agents

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $89,970
- Employment: 5,550

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,780
- Employment: 410,050
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
38 / 50
U.S. Air Force

#13. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $90,260
- Employment: 2,140

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,010
- Employment: 69,590
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
39 / 50
sculpies // Shutterstock

#12. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $91,290
- Employment: 10,650

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,440
- Employment: 626,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
40 / 50
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

#11. Property, real estate, and community association managers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $92,900
- Employment: 4,570

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,720
- Employment: 220,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
41 / 50
IAEA Imagebank // Flickr

#10. Nuclear power reactor operators

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $95,350
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $100,990
- Employment: 5,050
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
42 / 50
Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

#9. Power distributors and dispatchers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $97,360
- Employment: 280

National
- Annual mean salary: $88,910
- Employment: 10,770
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
43 / 50
Skycolors // Shutterstock

#8. Commercial pilots

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $101,760
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $102,870
- Employment: 37,830
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
44 / 50
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

#7. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $102,070
- Employment: 4,720

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,180
- Employment: 249,090
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
45 / 50
Canva

#6. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $105,010
- Employment: 900

National
- Annual mean salary: $83,250
- Employment: 28,350
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
46 / 50
Canva

#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $106,380
- Employment: 3,440

National
- Annual mean salary: $94,950
- Employment: 121,340
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
47 / 50
Prath // Shutterstock

#4. Detectives and criminal investigators

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $106,800
- Employment: 1,120

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,030
- Employment: 105,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
48 / 50
Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $111,560
- Employment: 2,670

National
- Annual mean salary: $103,320
- Employment: 132,040
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
49 / 50
Unsplash

#2. Athletes and sports competitors

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $112,010
- Employment: 330

National
- Annual mean salary: $93,140
- Employment: 11,330
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
50 / 50
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#1. Real estate brokers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $116,740
- Employment: 780

National
- Annual mean salary: $81,450
- Employment: 42,730
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

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