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

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

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

You may also like: 100 Highest paying jobs in America

1 / 50
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#50. Private detectives and investigators

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $52,170
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,000
- Employment: 35,000
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
2 / 50
Canva

#49. Fire inspectors and investigators

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $52,700
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,730
- Employment: 13,710
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
3 / 50
LStockStudio // Shutterstock

#48. Brokerage clerks

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $52,720
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,190
- Employment: 47,990
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
4 / 50
Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#47. Electricians

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $52,800
- Employment: 2,680

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,370
- Employment: 688,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
5 / 50
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#46. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $53,190
- Employment: 2,220

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,800
- Employment: 442,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
6 / 50
Canva

#45. Construction and building inspectors

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $53,300
- Employment: 710

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,390
- Employment: 110,420
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
7 / 50
Unsplash

#44. Crane and tower operators

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $53,330
- Employment: 770

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,530
- Employment: 45,480
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
8 / 50
Unsplash

#43. Tax preparers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $53,370
- Employment: 440

National
- Annual mean salary: $49,550
- Employment: 66,670
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
9 / 50
Kot500 // Shutterstock

#42. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $53,680
- Employment: 890

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,360
- Employment: 266,330
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
10 / 50
U.S. Air Force

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

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $55,630
- Employment: 480

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,010
- Employment: 69,590
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
11 / 50
Canva

#40. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $55,770
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,990
- Employment: 14,530
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
12 / 50
DenisKlimov // Shutterstock

#39. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $55,880
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,960
- Employment: 9,500
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
13 / 50
Chok Chokchai // Shutterstock

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

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $57,510
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $45,370
- Employment: 51,160
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
14 / 50
Jat306 // Shutterstock

#37. Millwrights

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $57,580
- Employment: 280

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,050
- Employment: 47,320
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
15 / 50
Canva

#36. Derrick operators, oil and gas

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $57,650
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $48,030
- Employment: 12,110
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
16 / 50
Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

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

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $57,800
- Employment: 2,470

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,760
- Employment: 1,039,670
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
17 / 50
Canva

#34. Boilermakers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $57,830
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,040
- Employment: 15,820
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
18 / 50
SritanaN // Shutterstock

#33. Industrial machinery mechanics

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $58,120
- Employment: 1,720

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,320
- Employment: 387,630
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
19 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#32. Insurance appraisers, auto damage

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $58,170
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,240
- Employment: 13,750
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
20 / 50
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

#31. Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $58,220
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $45,950
- Employment: 23,590
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
21 / 50
Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

#30. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $61,550
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $52,520
- Employment: 22,560
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
22 / 50
ryanivy308 // Pixabay

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

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 180

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,360
- Employment: 58,930
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
23 / 50
Canva

#28. Pile driver operators

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $63,170
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,230
- Employment: 3,540
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
24 / 50
Stealth Communications // Wikimedia Commons

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

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $63,500
- Employment: 1,050

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,560
- Employment: 208,480
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
25 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#26. Insurance sales agents

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $64,410
- Employment: 1,690

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,780
- Employment: 410,050
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
26 / 50
sculpies // Shutterstock

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

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $65,570
- Employment: 2,330

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,440
- Employment: 626,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
27 / 50
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

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

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $66,130
- Employment: 1,500

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,720
- Employment: 220,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
28 / 50
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

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

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $66,200
- Employment: 710

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,180
- Employment: 249,090
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
29 / 50
Canva

#22. Chemical plant and system operators

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $66,290
- Employment: 1,750

National
- Annual mean salary: $62,710
- Employment: 28,840
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
30 / 50
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#21. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $66,330
- Employment: 270

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,960
- Employment: 111,660
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
31 / 50
Marcin Wichary // Wikicommons

#20. Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $66,550
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $37,860
- Employment: 76,810
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
32 / 50
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

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

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $67,340
- Employment: 1,800

National
- Annual mean salary: $73,830
- Employment: 40,370
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
33 / 50
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

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

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $68,040
- Employment: 6,830

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

#17. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $68,810
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,070
- Employment: 21,010
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
35 / 50
Pandu Agus Wismoyo // Unsplash

#16. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $69,310
- Employment: 400

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,110
- Employment: 133,310
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
36 / 50
4 PM production // Shutterstock

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

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $71,470
- Employment: 2,000

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,550
- Employment: 485,700
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
37 / 50
Suwin // Shutterstock

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

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $72,220
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $81,280
- Employment: 22,650
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
38 / 50
Canva

#13. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $72,710
- Employment: 750

National
- Annual mean salary: $94,950
- Employment: 121,340
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
39 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#11 (tie). Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $73,110
- Employment: 1,030

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,940
- Employment: 287,960
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
40 / 50
Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock

#11 (tie). Gas plant operators

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $73,110
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,050
- Employment: 14,410
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
41 / 50
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

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

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $73,680
- Employment: 2,280

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,220
- Employment: 631,100
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
42 / 50
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

#9. Food service managers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $75,490
- Employment: 850

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,820
- Employment: 235,470
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
43 / 50
Prath // Shutterstock

#8. Detectives and criminal investigators

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $77,420
- Employment: 610

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,030
- Employment: 105,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
44 / 50
curraheeshutter // Shutterstock

#7. Ship engineers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $77,990
- Employment: 350

National
- Annual mean salary: $79,540
- Employment: 8,410
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
45 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#6. Lodging managers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $81,860
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,570
- Employment: 38,340
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
46 / 50
michaeljung // Shutterstock

#5. Power plant operators

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $81,890
- Employment: 50

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

#4. Postmasters and mail superintendents

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $82,040
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $78,220
- Employment: 13,850
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
48 / 50
Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $101,980
- Employment: 530

National
- Annual mean salary: $103,320
- Employment: 132,040
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
49 / 50
Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock

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

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $122,010
- Employment: 2,380

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

#1. Commercial pilots

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $124,560
- Employment: 70

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

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