Highest-paying jobs in Charlotte that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Charlotte 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 Charlotte that don’t require a college degree.
You may also like: 100 Highest paying jobs in America

#50. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $52,800
- Employment: 3,750
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,320
- Employment: 387,630
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#49. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $53,230
- Employment: 1,420
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,390
- Employment: 110,420
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#48. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $53,290
- Employment: 2,600
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,360
- Employment: 266,330
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#47. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $53,510
- Employment: 870
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,340
- Employment: 103,580
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#46. Brokerage clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,140
- Employment: 1,140
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,190
- Employment: 47,990
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#45. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,250
- Employment: 390
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,610
- Employment: 81,170
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#44. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $55,010
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,830
- Employment: 40,370
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#43. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $55,360
- Employment: 430
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,360
- Employment: 58,930
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
#42. Audio and video technicians
- Annual mean salary: $55,670
- Employment: 410
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,260
- Employment: 73,960
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#41. Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $55,740
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,280
- Employment: 17,150
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#40. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $55,790
- Employment: 910
National
- Annual mean salary: $56,310
- Employment: 128,190
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#39. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $56,060
- Employment: 1,510
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,560
- Employment: 208,480
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
#38. Flight attendants
- Annual mean salary: $56,190
- Employment: 3,900
National
- Annual mean salary: $56,230
- Employment: 120,840
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#37. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Annual mean salary: $56,220
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,730
- Employment: 25,570
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#36. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $57,080
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,000
- Employment: 35,000
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#35. Coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Annual mean salary: $57,420
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,760
- Employment: 12,690
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#34. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $57,890
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $56,470
- Employment: 20,580
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#33. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $58,930
- Employment: 870
National
- Annual mean salary: $82,010
- Employment: 69,590
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#32. Tile and stone setters
- Annual mean salary: $59,240
- Employment: 260
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,300
- Employment: 40,470
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
#31. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $59,370
- Employment: 1,990
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,390
- Employment: 144,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#30. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,720
- Employment: 12,770
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,130
- Employment: 1,487,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#29. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $60,150
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,820
- Employment: 235,470
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#28. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $61,680
- Employment: 4,140
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,920
- Employment: 542,690
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#27. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $61,710
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,730
- Employment: 13,710
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#26. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $61,730
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,970
- Employment: 32,520
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#25. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $61,840
- Employment: 12,030
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,760
- Employment: 1,039,670
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#24. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,150
- Employment: 5,520
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,220
- Employment: 631,100
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#23. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,190
- Employment: 9,100
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,440
- Employment: 626,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#22. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $65,090
- Employment: 750
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,960
- Employment: 111,660
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#21. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $65,460
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,000
- Employment: 46,430
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#20. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $66,210
- Employment: 3,150
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,940
- Employment: 287,960
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#19. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $67,580
- Employment: 2,200
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,720
- Employment: 220,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#18. Pourers and casters, metal
- Annual mean salary: $67,850
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,850
- Employment: 8,010
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#17. Insurance appraisers, auto damage
- Annual mean salary: $68,660
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,240
- Employment: 13,750
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#16. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $68,790
- Employment: 600
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,030
- Employment: 105,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#15. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $71,500
- Employment: 1,050
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,660
- Employment: 129,740
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#14. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $71,970
- Employment: 4,740
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,550
- Employment: 485,700
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#13. Gas plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $72,320
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,050
- Employment: 14,410
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#12. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Annual mean salary: $73,610
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,280
- Employment: 22,650
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#11. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $76,280
- Employment: 4,010
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,780
- Employment: 410,050
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#10. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $76,630
- Employment: 1,550
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,110
- Employment: 133,310
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
#9. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $77,020
- Employment: 1,180
National
- Annual mean salary: $94,950
- Employment: 121,340
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#8. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $81,100
- Employment: 760
National
- Annual mean salary: $102,870
- Employment: 37,830
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#7. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $82,370
- Employment: 17,030
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,110
- Employment: 1,344,530
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#6. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $82,550
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,530
- Employment: 30,020
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#5. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $84,410
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $78,220
- Employment: 13,850
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#4. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $85,340
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,570
- Employment: 38,340
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $101,850
- Employment: 3,630
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,180
- Employment: 249,090
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#2. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $110,350
- Employment: 870
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,450
- Employment: 42,730
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $113,060
- Employment: 930
National
- Annual mean salary: $103,320
- Employment: 132,040
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent


