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

#50. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $72,310
- Employment: 3,960
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,840
- Employment: 147,800
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#49. Boilermakers
- Annual mean salary: $72,600
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,040
- Employment: 15,820
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#48. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $72,910
- Employment: 3,200
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,060
- Employment: 162,330
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#47. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $73,050
- Employment: 16,200
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,720
- Employment: 220,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#46. Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation
- Annual mean salary: $73,240
- Employment: 680
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,230
- Employment: 25,780
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#45. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $74,010
- Employment: 5,890
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,660
- Employment: 129,740
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#44. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $74,140
- Employment: 1,000
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,530
- Employment: 30,020
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#43. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas
- Annual mean salary: $74,390
- Employment: 230
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,070
- Employment: 21,010
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential

#42. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $74,530
- Employment: 1,560
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,530
- Employment: 45,480
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#41. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $74,690
- Employment: 63,550
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,110
- Employment: 1,344,530
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#40. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $75,270
- Employment: 9,600
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,180
- Employment: 249,090
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#39. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $75,510
- Employment: 2,160
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,130
- Employment: 423,050
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#38. Choreographers
- Annual mean salary: $75,770
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,590
- Employment: 4,630
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#37. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $77,510
- Employment: 920
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,920
- Employment: 52,270
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#35 (tie). Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $78,360
- Employment: 790
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,970
- Employment: 32,520
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#35 (tie). Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $78,360
- Employment: 11,040
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,940
- Employment: 287,960
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#34. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Annual mean salary: $79,150
- Employment: 810
National
- Annual mean salary: $87,420
- Employment: 33,370
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#33. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $81,070
- Employment: 620
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,000
- Employment: 35,000
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#32. Sound engineering technicians
- Annual mean salary: $81,220
- Employment: 3,400
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,090
- Employment: 12,890
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#31. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $81,250
- Employment: 2,610
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,490
- Employment: 123,730
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#30. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $81,740
- Employment: 5,730
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,210
- Employment: 405,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#29. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $82,420
- Employment: 990
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,500
- Employment: 53,030
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#28. Ship engineers
- Annual mean salary: $82,540
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $79,540
- Employment: 8,410
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#27. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $82,870
- Employment: 18,320
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,440
- Employment: 626,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#26. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Annual mean salary: $83,910
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $88,910
- Employment: 10,770
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#25. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Annual mean salary: $84,710
- Employment: 850
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,990
- Employment: 14,530
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
#24. Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment
- Annual mean salary: $85,790
- Employment: 580
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,670
- Employment: 9,790
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#23. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $85,870
- Employment: 12,990
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,550
- Employment: 485,700
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#22. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $86,100
- Employment: 1,140
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,830
- Employment: 40,370
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#21. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $87,550
- Employment: 2,990
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,450
- Employment: 42,730
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#20. Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining
- Annual mean salary: $87,850
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,730
- Employment: 4,200
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential

#19. Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists
- Annual mean salary: $89,520
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,350
- Employment: 2,160
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#18. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $90,240
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $78,220
- Employment: 13,850
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#17. Makeup artists, theatrical and performance
- Annual mean salary: $91,640
- Employment: 1,640
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,600
- Employment: 3,400
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#16. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $92,230
- Employment: 3,270
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,390
- Employment: 110,420
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#15. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $92,700
- Employment: 1,890
National
- Annual mean salary: $79,370
- Employment: 33,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#14. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $92,720
- Employment: 2,140
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,960
- Employment: 111,660
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#13. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $93,790
- Employment: 1,130
National
- Annual mean salary: $83,250
- Employment: 28,350
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#12. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $97,450
- Employment: 9,850
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,650
- Employment: 324,620
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#11. Gas plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $99,180
- Employment: 300
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,050
- Employment: 14,410
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#10. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $99,190
- Employment: 230
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,000
- Employment: 46,430
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#9. Gambling managers
- Annual mean salary: $102,590
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $84,700
- Employment: 4,450
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#8. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $103,370
- Employment: 7,650
National
- Annual mean salary: $103,320
- Employment: 132,040
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#7. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Annual mean salary: $109,100
- Employment: 600
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,280
- Employment: 22,650
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#6. Commercial divers
- Annual mean salary: $109,130
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,100
- Employment: 3,420
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

#5. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $122,130
- Employment: 3,770
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,030
- Employment: 105,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#4. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $123,930
- Employment: 2,030
National
- Annual mean salary: $102,870
- Employment: 37,830
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
#3. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $126,790
- Employment: 240
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,730
- Employment: 13,710
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $166,740
- Employment: 1,980
National
- Annual mean salary: $94,950
- Employment: 121,340
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

#1. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $180,200
- Employment: 580
National
- Annual mean salary: $82,010
- Employment: 69,590
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

