Highest-paying jobs in Des Moines that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Des Moines 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 Des Moines that don’t require a college degree.
You may also like: 100 Highest paying jobs in America
#50. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $52,510
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,310
- Employment: 95,320
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#49. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $52,590
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,450
- Employment: 42,730
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#48. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $52,830
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $56,470
- Employment: 20,580
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#47. Traffic technicians
- Annual mean salary: $53,000
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,590
- Employment: 7,470
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#46. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $53,010
- Employment: 870
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,640
- Employment: 370,380
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#45. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $53,090
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,050
- Employment: 47,320
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#44. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners
- Annual mean salary: $53,540
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,760
- Employment: 29,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#42 (tie). Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $53,830
- Employment: 1,680
National
- Annual mean salary: $56,550
- Employment: 647,330
- Entry level education requirements: Some college, no degree

#42 (tie). Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $53,830
- Employment: 1,310
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,420
- Employment: 342,040
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#41. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $54,400
- Employment: 1,740
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,370
- Employment: 688,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#40. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $55,420
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,500
- Employment: 53,030
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#39. Carpet installers
- Annual mean salary: $55,560
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,320
- Employment: 26,010
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
#38. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $55,760
- Employment: 1,610
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,920
- Employment: 542,690
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#37. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $55,850
- Employment: 990
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,210
- Employment: 405,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#36. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $56,020
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,630
- Employment: 45,770
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#35. Tool and die makers
- Annual mean salary: $56,080
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,980
- Employment: 70,770
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#34. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,390
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,170
- Employment: 76,570
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#33. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $56,400
- Employment: 620
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,110
- Employment: 139,780
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#32. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $56,630
- Employment: 240
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,840
- Employment: 147,800
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#31. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $57,650
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,490
- Employment: 123,730
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#30. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $57,730
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,530
- Employment: 45,480
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#29. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Annual mean salary: $57,930
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,730
- Employment: 25,570
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $59,030
- Employment: 800
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,800
- Employment: 442,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#27. Brokerage clerks
- Annual mean salary: $59,260
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,190
- Employment: 47,990
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#26. Locksmiths and safe repairers
- Annual mean salary: $59,310
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,460
- Employment: 17,010
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#25. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,530
- Employment: 1,220
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,220
- Employment: 631,100
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#24. Tapers
- Annual mean salary: $61,290
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,550
- Employment: 17,970
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential

#23. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $63,040
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $56,470
- Employment: 60,650
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#22. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Annual mean salary: $63,390
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,360
- Employment: 58,930
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
#21. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,100
- Employment: 3,680
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,130
- Employment: 1,487,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#20. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $64,770
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,110
- Employment: 133,310
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#19. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $65,050
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,920
- Employment: 52,270
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#18. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $66,440
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,570
- Employment: 38,340
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#17. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $66,480
- Employment: 2,100
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,940
- Employment: 287,960
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#16. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Annual mean salary: $66,860
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,990
- Employment: 14,530
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,150
- Employment: 1,630
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,440
- Employment: 626,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#14. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $68,130
- Employment: 1,260
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,550
- Employment: 485,700
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#13. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $70,460
- Employment: 390
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,960
- Employment: 111,660
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#12. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $71,880
- Employment: 2,130
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,760
- Employment: 1,039,670
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#11. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $72,350
- Employment: 230
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,390
- Employment: 110,420
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#10. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $76,260
- Employment: 3,960
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,110
- Employment: 1,344,530
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#9. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $76,880
- Employment: 2,720
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,780
- Employment: 410,050
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#8. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $77,150
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $82,010
- Employment: 69,590
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#7. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $77,240
- Employment: 510
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,720
- Employment: 220,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#6. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $78,710
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,000
- Employment: 46,430
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#5. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $79,600
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,030
- Employment: 105,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $87,370
- Employment: 790
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,180
- Employment: 249,090
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $90,210
- Employment: 300
National
- Annual mean salary: $103,320
- Employment: 132,040
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $93,940
- Employment: 250
National
- Annual mean salary: $94,950
- Employment: 121,340
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#1. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $109,720
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $102,870
- Employment: 37,830
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

