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

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

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

You may also like: 100 Highest paying jobs in America

1 / 50
Canva

#50. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $55,230
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $44,630
- Employment: 45,770
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
2 / 50
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

#49. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $55,430
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $51,850
- Employment: 29,420
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
3 / 50
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock

#48. Airfield operations specialists

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $55,470
- Employment: 280

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,620
- Employment: 10,680
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
4 / 50
4 PM production // Shutterstock

#47. Flight attendants

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $55,890
- Employment: 540

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,230
- Employment: 120,840
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
5 / 50
Chok Chokchai // Shutterstock

#46. Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $56,330
- Employment: 500

National
- Annual mean salary: $45,370
- Employment: 51,160
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
6 / 50
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

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

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $56,360
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,920
- Employment: 52,270
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
7 / 50
Canva

#44. Tool and die makers

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $56,460
- Employment: 940

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,980
- Employment: 70,770
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
8 / 50
Canva

#43. Tank car, truck, and ship loaders

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $56,630
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $47,580
- Employment: 11,620
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
9 / 50
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

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

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $57,080
- Employment: 1,600

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,720
- Employment: 220,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
10 / 50
Canva

#41. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $57,370
- Employment: 1,960

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,210
- Employment: 405,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
11 / 50
Jat306 // Shutterstock

#40. Millwrights

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $57,380
- Employment: 400

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,050
- Employment: 47,320
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
12 / 50
SritanaN // Shutterstock

#39. Industrial machinery mechanics

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $58,290
- Employment: 4,660

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,320
- Employment: 387,630
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
13 / 50
Pixabay

#38. Electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $58,510
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $38,910
- Employment: 10,310
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
14 / 50
Scott Olson // Getty Images

#37. Engine and other machine assemblers

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $58,790
- Employment: 1,150

National
- Annual mean salary: $46,570
- Employment: 45,980
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
15 / 50
Canva

#36. Construction and building inspectors

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $58,970
- Employment: 420

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

#35. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $59,450
- Employment: 280

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,730
- Employment: 25,570
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
17 / 50
Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#34. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $59,490
- Employment: 2,900

National
- Annual mean salary: $62,920
- Employment: 542,690
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
18 / 50
ryanivy308 // Pixabay

#33. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $60,580
- Employment: 220

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,360
- Employment: 58,930
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
19 / 50
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

#32. Food service managers

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $61,020
- Employment: 1,510

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,820
- Employment: 235,470
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
20 / 50
GaudiLab // Shutterstock

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

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $61,090
- Employment: 10,060

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,130
- Employment: 1,487,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
21 / 50
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

#30. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $61,400
- Employment: 150

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,970
- Employment: 32,520
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
22 / 50
Canva

#29. Pest control workers

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $61,690
- Employment: 360

National
- Annual mean salary: $39,910
- Employment: 79,450
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
23 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#28. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $62,560
- Employment: 2,760

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,940
- Employment: 287,960
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
24 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#27. Insurance sales agents

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $64,760
- Employment: 2,670

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,780
- Employment: 410,050
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
25 / 50
4 PM production // Shutterstock

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

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $65,960
- Employment: 3,300

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,550
- Employment: 485,700
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
26 / 50
Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

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

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $66,250
- Employment: 8,290

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,760
- Employment: 1,039,670
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
27 / 50
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

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

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $68,150
- Employment: 5,620

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,220
- Employment: 631,100
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
28 / 50
DenisKlimov // Shutterstock

#23. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $68,190
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,960
- Employment: 9,500
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
29 / 50
Pandu Agus Wismoyo // Unsplash

#22. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $69,480
- Employment: 1,680

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,110
- Employment: 133,310
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
30 / 50
Canva

#21. Chemical plant and system operators

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $69,720
- Employment: 270

National
- Annual mean salary: $62,710
- Employment: 28,840
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
31 / 50
Canva

#20. Fire inspectors and investigators

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $69,810
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,730
- Employment: 13,710
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
32 / 50
U.S. Air Force

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

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $69,880
- Employment: 560

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,010
- Employment: 69,590
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
33 / 50
sculpies // Shutterstock

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

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $70,020
- Employment: 2,850

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,440
- Employment: 626,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
34 / 50
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

#17. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $71,030
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $69,000
- Employment: 46,430
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
35 / 50
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#16. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $71,430
- Employment: 680

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,960
- Employment: 111,660
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
36 / 50
Canva

#15. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $72,160
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $83,250
- Employment: 28,350
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
37 / 50
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

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

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $72,660
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $73,830
- Employment: 40,370
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
38 / 50
Canva

#13. Boilermakers

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $73,830
- Employment: 250

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,040
- Employment: 15,820
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
39 / 50
Suwin // Shutterstock

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

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $73,840
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $81,280
- Employment: 22,650
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
40 / 50
Canva

#11. Transportation inspectors

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $75,480
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $77,530
- Employment: 30,020
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
41 / 50
Prath // Shutterstock

#10. Detectives and criminal investigators

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $79,400
- Employment: 330

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,030
- Employment: 105,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
42 / 50
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

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

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $79,840
- Employment: 12,580

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,110
- Employment: 1,344,530
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
43 / 50
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

#8. Postmasters and mail superintendents

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $82,280
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $78,220
- Employment: 13,850
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
44 / 50
Canva

#7. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $84,330
- Employment: 530

National
- Annual mean salary: $94,950
- Employment: 121,340
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
45 / 50
Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock

#6. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $85,780
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $87,420
- Employment: 33,370
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
46 / 50
michaeljung // Shutterstock

#5. Power plant operators

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $86,440
- Employment: 280

National
- Annual mean salary: $79,370
- Employment: 33,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
47 / 50
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

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

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $89,290
- Employment: 2,040

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,180
- Employment: 249,090
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
48 / 50
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#3. Real estate brokers

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $97,930
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $81,450
- Employment: 42,730
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
49 / 50
Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $98,070
- Employment: 1,160

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

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Annual mean salary: $99,620
- Employment: 170

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

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