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

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

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

You may also like: 100 Highest paying jobs in America

1 / 50
SritanaN // Shutterstock

#50. Industrial machinery mechanics

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $55,110
- Employment: 3,450

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,320
- Employment: 387,630
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
2 / 50
Canva

#49. Tool and die makers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $55,610
- Employment: 1,390

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,980
- Employment: 70,770
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
3 / 50
Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

#48. Occupational health and safety technicians

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $55,620
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,470
- Employment: 20,580
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
4 / 50
Canva

#47. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $55,710
- Employment: 530

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,730
- Employment: 25,570
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
5 / 50
Carl Mydans // Library of Congress

#46. Tile and stone setters

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $55,920
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $47,300
- Employment: 40,470
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
6 / 50
Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#45. Electricians

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $56,360
- Employment: 3,940

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,370
- Employment: 688,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
7 / 50
Guiderom // Shutterstock

#44. Rail car repairers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $57,220
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,810
- Employment: 25,930
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
8 / 50
Stealth Communications // Wikimedia Commons

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

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $57,280
- Employment: 1,560

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,560
- Employment: 208,480
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
9 / 50
Canva

#42. Chemical plant and system operators

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $57,290
- Employment: 160

National
- Annual mean salary: $62,710
- Employment: 28,840
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
10 / 50
Canva

#41. Plasterers and stucco masons

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $57,870
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $49,710
- Employment: 27,360
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
11 / 50
welcomia // Shutterstock

#40. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $58,470
- Employment: 690

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,840
- Employment: 147,800
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
12 / 50
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#39. Private detectives and investigators

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $58,550
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,000
- Employment: 35,000
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
13 / 50
Canva

#38. Glaziers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $59,280
- Employment: 330

National
- Annual mean salary: $49,810
- Employment: 52,400
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
14 / 50
Canva

#37. Fire inspectors and investigators

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $60,310
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,730
- Employment: 13,710
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
15 / 50
Jat306 // Shutterstock

#36. Millwrights

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $60,360
- Employment: 390

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,050
- Employment: 47,320
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
16 / 50
GaudiLab // Shutterstock

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

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $60,370
- Employment: 9,680

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,130
- Employment: 1,487,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
17 / 50
Canva

#34. Tapers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $60,410
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,550
- Employment: 17,970
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
18 / 50
Canva

#33. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $60,430
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $48,580
- Employment: 44,090
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
19 / 50
Vera Larina // Shutterstock

#32. Sheet metal workers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $60,510
- Employment: 550

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,480
- Employment: 131,300
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
20 / 50
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

#31. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $60,620
- Employment: 240

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,970
- Employment: 32,520
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
21 / 50
Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#30. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $61,430
- Employment: 2,730

National
- Annual mean salary: $62,920
- Employment: 542,690
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
22 / 50
Canva

#29. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $63,530
- Employment: 1,730

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,210
- Employment: 405,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
23 / 50
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $64,160
- Employment: 1,660

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,800
- Employment: 442,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
24 / 50
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

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

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $64,700
- Employment: 6,020

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,220
- Employment: 631,100
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
25 / 50
Suwin // Shutterstock

#26. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $65,340
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $81,280
- Employment: 22,650
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
26 / 50
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

#25. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $66,330
- Employment: 80

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

#24. Brickmasons and blockmasons

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $67,960
- Employment: 510

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,470
- Employment: 60,650
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
28 / 50
sculpies // Shutterstock

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

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $68,350
- Employment: 2,810

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,440
- Employment: 626,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
29 / 50
4 PM production // Shutterstock

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

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $68,470
- Employment: 2,850

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,550
- Employment: 485,700
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
30 / 50
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#21. Advertising sales agents

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $69,260
- Employment: 590

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,660
- Employment: 129,740
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
31 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#20. Insurance sales agents

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $69,350
- Employment: 3,840

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,780
- Employment: 410,050
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
32 / 50
Pandu Agus Wismoyo // Unsplash

#19. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $69,680
- Employment: 550

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,110
- Employment: 133,310
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
33 / 50
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

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

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $70,050
- Employment: 13,270

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,110
- Employment: 1,344,530
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
34 / 50
Canva

#17. Gas compressor and gas pumping station operators

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $70,400
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $62,710
- Employment: 3,440
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
35 / 50
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

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

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $70,650
- Employment: 1,930

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,720
- Employment: 220,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
36 / 50
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

#15. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $71,350
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $73,830
- Employment: 40,370
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
37 / 50
Unsplash

#14. Structural iron and steel workers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $71,640
- Employment: 250

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,170
- Employment: 76,570
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
38 / 50
Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

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

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $71,750
- Employment: 7,080

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,760
- Employment: 1,039,670
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
39 / 50
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

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

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $71,940
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,920
- Employment: 52,270
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
40 / 50
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#11. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $71,960
- Employment: 540

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,960
- Employment: 111,660
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
41 / 50
Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

#10. Power distributors and dispatchers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $75,190
- Employment: 160

National
- Annual mean salary: $88,910
- Employment: 10,770
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
42 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#9. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $76,800
- Employment: 2,400

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,940
- Employment: 287,960
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
43 / 50
U.S. Air Force

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

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $79,370
- Employment: 410

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,010
- Employment: 69,590
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
44 / 50
michaeljung // Shutterstock

#7. Power plant operators

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $83,240
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $79,370
- Employment: 33,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
45 / 50
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

#6. Postmasters and mail superintendents

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $83,860
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $78,220
- Employment: 13,850
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
46 / 50
Prath // Shutterstock

#5. Detectives and criminal investigators

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $85,640
- Employment: 410

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,030
- Employment: 105,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
47 / 50
Canva

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $87,410
- Employment: 670

National
- Annual mean salary: $94,950
- Employment: 121,340
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
48 / 50
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

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

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $88,990
- Employment: 1,890

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,180
- Employment: 249,090
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
49 / 50
Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $97,890
- Employment: 980

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

#1. Commercial pilots

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $114,680
- Employment: 170

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

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