Highest-paying jobs in Portland, Oregon that don't require a college degree

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

Highest-paying jobs in Portland, Oregon 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 Portland, Oregon that don’t require a college degree.

You may also like: 100 Highest paying jobs in America

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Canva

#50. Glaziers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $65,080
- Employment: 580

National
- Annual mean salary: $49,810
- Employment: 52,400
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
2 / 50
Bigflick // Shutterstock

#49. Correctional officers and jailers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $65,120
- Employment: 1,610

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,130
- Employment: 423,050
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
3 / 50
Skycolors // Shutterstock

#48. Commercial pilots

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $65,330
- Employment: 290

National
- Annual mean salary: $102,870
- Employment: 37,830
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
4 / 50
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

#47. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $66,050
- Employment: 430

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,490
- Employment: 123,730
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
5 / 50
Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

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

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $66,100
- Employment: 7,860

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,760
- Employment: 1,039,670
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
6 / 50
Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

#45. Occupational health and safety technicians

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $66,470
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,470
- Employment: 20,580
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
7 / 50
Canva

#44. Tool and die makers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $66,590
- Employment: 420

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

#43. Crane and tower operators

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $66,980
- Employment: 510

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,530
- Employment: 45,480
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
9 / 50
mrak.hr // Shutterstock

#42. Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $67,510
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,160
- Employment: 16,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
10 / 50
Jat306 // Shutterstock

#41. Millwrights

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $67,840
- Employment: 510

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,050
- Employment: 47,320
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
11 / 50
Canva

#40. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $68,110
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $49,120
- Employment: 10,000
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
12 / 50
Guiderom // Shutterstock

#38 (tie). Rail car repairers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $68,280
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,810
- Employment: 25,930
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
13 / 50
Pandu Agus Wismoyo // Unsplash

#38 (tie). Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $68,280
- Employment: 640

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,110
- Employment: 133,310
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
14 / 50
John Leung // Shutterstock

#37. Brickmasons and blockmasons

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $68,530
- Employment: 250

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,470
- Employment: 60,650
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
15 / 50
Yulyazolotko // Shutterstock

#36. Fallers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $69,300
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $49,670
- Employment: 4,890
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
16 / 50
Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#35. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $69,770
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $80,360
- Employment: 5,060
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
17 / 50
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

#34. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $69,880
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,970
- Employment: 32,520
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
18 / 50
Canva

#33. Tapers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $70,530
- Employment: 380

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,550
- Employment: 17,970
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
19 / 50
Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#32. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $70,540
- Employment: 380

National
- Annual mean salary: $52,050
- Employment: 52,890
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
20 / 50
curraheeshutter // Shutterstock

#31. Ship engineers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $71,220
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $79,540
- Employment: 8,410
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
21 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#30. Insurance appraisers, auto damage

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $71,290
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,240
- Employment: 13,750
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
22 / 50
4 PM production // Shutterstock

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

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $71,520
- Employment: 3,220

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,550
- Employment: 485,700
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
23 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#28. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $71,850
- Employment: 2,580

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

#27. Boilermakers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $72,410
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,040
- Employment: 15,820
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
25 / 50
OKFoundryCompany// Flickr

#26. Patternmakers, metal and plastic

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $72,910
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $48,050
- Employment: 3,010
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
26 / 50
Unsplash

#25. Structural iron and steel workers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $73,870
- Employment: 860

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

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

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $74,210
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $73,830
- Employment: 40,370
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
28 / 50
Canva

#23. Construction and building inspectors

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $75,900
- Employment: 1,150

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,390
- Employment: 110,420
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
29 / 50
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#22. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $76,420
- Employment: 4,210

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,800
- Employment: 442,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
30 / 50
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

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

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $76,830
- Employment: 13,750

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,110
- Employment: 1,344,530
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
31 / 50
Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#20. Electricians

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $77,420
- Employment: 7,510

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,370
- Employment: 688,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
32 / 50
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

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

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $79,940
- Employment: 2,220

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,180
- Employment: 249,090
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
33 / 50
sculpies // Shutterstock

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

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $80,140
- Employment: 4,580

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

#17. Postmasters and mail superintendents

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $81,200
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $78,220
- Employment: 13,850
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
35 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#16. Insurance sales agents

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $81,450
- Employment: 2,830

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

#15. Pile driver operators

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $82,300
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,230
- Employment: 3,540
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
37 / 50
Daniel Tausis // Unsplash

#14. Firefighters

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $84,850
- Employment: 1,660

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,650
- Employment: 324,620
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
38 / 50
Canva

#13. Transportation inspectors

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $87,470
- Employment: 150

National
- Annual mean salary: $77,530
- Employment: 30,020
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
39 / 50
Suwin // Shutterstock

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

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $91,840
- Employment: 140

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

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

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $93,200
- Employment: 220

National
- Annual mean salary: $87,420
- Employment: 33,370
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
41 / 50
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

#10. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $93,290
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $69,000
- Employment: 46,430
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
42 / 50
Canva

#9. Fire inspectors and investigators

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $93,500
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,730
- Employment: 13,710
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
43 / 50
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $94,560
- Employment: 550

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,960
- Employment: 111,660
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
44 / 50
Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $95,370
- Employment: 1,490

National
- Annual mean salary: $103,320
- Employment: 132,040
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
45 / 50
Prath // Shutterstock

#6. Detectives and criminal investigators

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $97,880
- Employment: 400

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,030
- Employment: 105,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
46 / 50
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#5. Real estate brokers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $98,970
- Employment: 690

National
- Annual mean salary: $81,450
- Employment: 42,730
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
47 / 50
Canva

#4. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $100,110
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $83,250
- Employment: 28,350
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
48 / 50
U.S. Air Force

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

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $105,320
- Employment: 540

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,010
- Employment: 69,590
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
49 / 50
Canva

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $109,140
- Employment: 670

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

#1. Power distributors and dispatchers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Annual mean salary: $109,150
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $88,910
- Employment: 10,770
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

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