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

Written by:
January 5, 2021
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock

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

You may also like: 100 Highest paying jobs in America

1 / 50
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

#50. Chefs and head cooks

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $51,680
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,310
- Employment: 128,190
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
2 / 50
Canva

#49. Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $51,990
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $37,620
- Employment: 99,400
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
3 / 50
Canva

#48. Cement masons and concrete finishers

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $52,270
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $48,330
- Employment: 196,120
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
4 / 50
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#47. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $52,470
- Employment: 520

National
- Annual mean salary: $48,500
- Employment: 697,510
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
5 / 50
ITisha // Shutterstock

#46. Bailiffs

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $52,570
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $51,840
- Employment: 19,650
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
6 / 50
GolF2532 // Shutterstock

#45. Security and fire alarm systems installers

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $52,720
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,210
- Employment: 71,600
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
7 / 50
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#44. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $52,980
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $51,540
- Employment: 87,120
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
8 / 50
SritanaN // Shutterstock

#43. Industrial machinery mechanics

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $53,310
- Employment: 870

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,320
- Employment: 387,630
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
9 / 50
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

#42. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $53,390
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $52,340
- Employment: 103,580
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
10 / 50
goodluz // Shutterstock

#41. Real estate sales agents

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $53,840
- Employment: 160

National
- Annual mean salary: $62,060
- Employment: 162,330
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
11 / 50
Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

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

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $53,990
- Employment: 960

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,760
- Employment: 1,039,670
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
12 / 50
Indypendenz // Shutterstock

#39. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $54,450
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $51,190
- Employment: 102,390
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
13 / 50
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

#38. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $54,460
- Employment: 410

National
- Annual mean salary: $47,110
- Employment: 139,780
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
14 / 50
Canva

#37. Tool and die makers

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $54,910
- Employment: 430

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,980
- Employment: 70,770
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
15 / 50
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

#36. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $55,440
- Employment: 150

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,490
- Employment: 123,730
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
16 / 50
Canva

#35. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $56,160
- Employment: 360

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,210
- Employment: 405,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
17 / 50
Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#34. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $56,980
- Employment: 980

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

#33. Plasterers and stucco masons

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $57,470
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $49,710
- Employment: 27,360
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
19 / 50
welcomia // Shutterstock

#32. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $57,570
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,840
- Employment: 147,800
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
20 / 50
Canva

#31. Construction and building inspectors

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $57,660
- Employment: 220

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,390
- Employment: 110,420
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
21 / 50
ryanivy308 // Pixabay

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

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $57,970
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,360
- Employment: 58,930
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
22 / 50
David Spates // Shutterstock

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

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $58,500
- Employment: 290

National
- Annual mean salary: $51,420
- Employment: 342,040
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
23 / 50
Shift Drive // Shutterstock

#28. Computer user support specialists

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $59,060
- Employment: 2,230

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,550
- Employment: 647,330
- Entry level education requirements: Some college, no degree
24 / 50
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

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

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $59,690
- Employment: 430

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,720
- Employment: 220,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
25 / 50
Canva

#26. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $60,370
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,730
- Employment: 25,570
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
26 / 50
Unsplash

#25. Structural iron and steel workers

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $60,610
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,170
- Employment: 76,570
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
27 / 50
John Leung // Shutterstock

#24. Brickmasons and blockmasons

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $60,980
- Employment: 160

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

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

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $61,090
- Employment: 2,010

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,130
- Employment: 1,487,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
29 / 50
Canva

#22. Tapers

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $61,840
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,550
- Employment: 17,970
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
30 / 50
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

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

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $64,560
- Employment: 1,630

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,110
- Employment: 1,344,530
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
31 / 50
U.S. Air Force

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

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $65,160
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,010
- Employment: 69,590
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
32 / 50
Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#19. Electricians

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $65,730
- Employment: 950

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,370
- Employment: 688,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
33 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#18. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $66,330
- Employment: 570

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,940
- Employment: 287,960
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
34 / 50
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#17. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $66,790
- Employment: 370

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,800
- Employment: 442,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
35 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#16. Insurance sales agents

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $67,520
- Employment: 750

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,780
- Employment: 410,050
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
36 / 50
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

#15. Food service managers

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $68,430
- Employment: 290

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,820
- Employment: 235,470
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
37 / 50
Stealth Communications // Wikimedia Commons

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

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $70,360
- Employment: 290

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,560
- Employment: 208,480
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
38 / 50
Canva

#13. Glaziers

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $70,760
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $49,810
- Employment: 52,400
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
39 / 50
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

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

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $70,850
- Employment: 940

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,220
- Employment: 631,100
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
40 / 50
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

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

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $71,190
- Employment: 280

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,180
- Employment: 249,090
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
41 / 50
michaeljung // Shutterstock

#10. Power plant operators

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $73,100
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $79,370
- Employment: 33,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
42 / 50
4 PM production // Shutterstock

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

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $73,240
- Employment: 660

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,550
- Employment: 485,700
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
43 / 50
sculpies // Shutterstock

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

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $73,310
- Employment: 630

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,440
- Employment: 626,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
44 / 50
Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#7. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $74,060
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $80,360
- Employment: 5,060
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
45 / 50
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

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

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $76,260
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,920
- Employment: 52,270
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
46 / 50
Prath // Shutterstock

#5. Detectives and criminal investigators

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $79,490
- Employment: 170

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

#4. Transportation inspectors

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $89,610
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $77,530
- Employment: 30,020
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
48 / 50
Canva

#3. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $91,350
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $83,250
- Employment: 28,350
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
49 / 50
Canva

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $92,570
- Employment: 90

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

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Lansing-East Lansing, MI
- Annual mean salary: $115,000
- Employment: 210

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

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