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

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January 4, 2021
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock

Highest-paying jobs in Cedar Rapids 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 Cedar Rapids that don’t require a college degree.

You may also like: 100 Highest paying jobs in America

1 / 50
John Leung // Shutterstock

#50. Brickmasons and blockmasons

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $49,990
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,470
- Employment: 60,650
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
2 / 50
rlat // Shutterstock

#49. Postal service clerks

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $50,000
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,610
- Employment: 81,170
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
3 / 50
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

#48. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $50,100
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,490
- Employment: 123,730
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
4 / 50
DuxX // Shutterstock

#47. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $50,360
- Employment: 700

National
- Annual mean salary: $33,590
- Employment: 390,540
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
5 / 50
Canva

#46. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $50,930
- Employment: 510

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,210
- Employment: 405,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
6 / 50
fizkes // Shutterstock

#45. Public safety telecommunicators

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $51,300
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $44,310
- Employment: 95,320
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
7 / 50
David Spates // Shutterstock

#44. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $51,630
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $51,420
- Employment: 342,040
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
8 / 50
Picsfive // Shutterstock

#43. Food cooking machine operators and tenders

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $51,660
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $32,320
- Employment: 30,030
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
9 / 50
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

#42. Postal service mail carriers

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $52,270
- Employment: 360

National
- Annual mean salary: $52,180
- Employment: 339,650
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
10 / 50
Canva

#41. Tool and die makers

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $52,370
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,980
- Employment: 70,770
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
11 / 50
Needpix

#40. Food batchmakers

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $52,470
- Employment: 540

National
- Annual mean salary: $33,120
- Employment: 159,390
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
12 / 50
Unsplash

#39. Structural iron and steel workers

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $52,770
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,170
- Employment: 76,570
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
13 / 50
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

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

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $52,810
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,920
- Employment: 52,270
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
14 / 50
Pandu Agus Wismoyo // Unsplash

#37. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $52,840
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,110
- Employment: 133,310
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
15 / 50
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

#36. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $53,350
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $47,110
- Employment: 139,780
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
16 / 50
Bigflick // Shutterstock

#35. Correctional officers and jailers

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $53,820
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,130
- Employment: 423,050
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
17 / 50
Pixabay

#34. Helpers--electricians

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $53,860
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $34,300
- Employment: 79,260
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
18 / 50
Vera Larina // Shutterstock

#33. Sheet metal workers

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $54,160
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,480
- Employment: 131,300
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
19 / 50
Daniel Tausis // Unsplash

#32. Firefighters

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $54,530
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,650
- Employment: 324,620
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
20 / 50
welcomia // Shutterstock

#31. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $54,670
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,840
- Employment: 147,800
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
21 / 50
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#30. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $55,080
- Employment: 520

National
- Annual mean salary: $43,000
- Employment: 576,950
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
22 / 50
Pixabay

#29. Surveying and mapping technicians

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $55,330
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $48,500
- Employment: 53,030
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
23 / 50
GaudiLab // Shutterstock

#28. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $55,410
- Employment: 1,130

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,130
- Employment: 1,487,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
24 / 50
Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#27. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $55,460
- Employment: 410

National
- Annual mean salary: $62,920
- Employment: 542,690
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
25 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#26. Insurance sales agents

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $55,980
- Employment: 540

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,780
- Employment: 410,050
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
26 / 50
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

#25. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $56,480
- Employment: 320

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,640
- Employment: 370,380
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
27 / 50
Jat306 // Shutterstock

#24. Millwrights

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $56,850
- Employment: 390

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,050
- Employment: 47,320
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
28 / 50
Canva

#23. Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $57,930
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $33,880
- Employment: 20,830
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
29 / 50
Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#22. Electricians

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $58,310
- Employment: 1,020

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,370
- Employment: 688,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
30 / 50
Stealth Communications // Wikimedia Commons

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

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $58,550
- Employment: 460

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,560
- Employment: 208,480
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
31 / 50
RossHelen // Shutterstock

#20. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $58,620
- Employment: 300

National
- Annual mean salary: $40,980
- Employment: 100,290
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
32 / 50
Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

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

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $59,110
- Employment: 540

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,760
- Employment: 1,039,670
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
33 / 50
SritanaN // Shutterstock

#18. Industrial machinery mechanics

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $59,570
- Employment: 510

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,320
- Employment: 387,630
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
34 / 50
Canva

#17. Construction and building inspectors

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $61,290
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,390
- Employment: 110,420
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
35 / 50
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#16. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $61,900
- Employment: 710

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,800
- Employment: 442,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
36 / 50
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

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

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $63,080
- Employment: 680

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,220
- Employment: 631,100
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
37 / 50
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

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

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $66,180
- Employment: 1,730

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,110
- Employment: 1,344,530
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
38 / 50
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

#13. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $66,290
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,670
- Employment: 120,900
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
39 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#12. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $69,520
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,940
- Employment: 287,960
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
40 / 50
4 PM production // Shutterstock

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

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $70,190
- Employment: 470

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,550
- Employment: 485,700
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
41 / 50
sculpies // Shutterstock

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

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $70,340
- Employment: 810

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,440
- Employment: 626,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
42 / 50
Unsplash

#9. Crane and tower operators

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $74,780
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,530
- Employment: 45,480
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
43 / 50
Prath // Shutterstock

#8. Detectives and criminal investigators

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $76,580
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,030
- Employment: 105,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
44 / 50
U.S. Air Force

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

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $77,640
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,010
- Employment: 69,590
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
45 / 50
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#6. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $78,460
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,960
- Employment: 111,660
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
46 / 50
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

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

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $79,820
- Employment: 260

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,180
- Employment: 249,090
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
47 / 50
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

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

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $88,410
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,720
- Employment: 220,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
48 / 50
Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $100,000
- Employment: 140

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

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $104,380
- Employment: 130

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

#1. Commercial pilots

Cedar Rapids, IA
- Annual mean salary: $118,340
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $102,870
- Employment: 37,830
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

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