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

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January 5, 2021
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock

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

You may also like: 100 Highest paying jobs in America

1 / 50
Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

#50. Insulation workers, mechanical

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $43,390
- Employment: 250

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,120
- Employment: 26,670
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
2 / 50
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

#49. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $43,480
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,490
- Employment: 123,730
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
3 / 50
GolF2532 // Shutterstock

#48. Security and fire alarm systems installers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $43,900
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,210
- Employment: 71,600
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
4 / 50
LStockStudio // Shutterstock

#47. Brokerage clerks

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $44,120
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,190
- Employment: 47,990
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
5 / 50
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#46. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $44,160
- Employment: 460

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,800
- Employment: 442,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
6 / 50
Brian S. Hagberg // Wikimedia Commons

#45. Self-enrichment teachers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $44,380
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $46,120
- Employment: 252,780
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
7 / 50
Shift Drive // Shutterstock

#43 (tie). Computer user support specialists

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $44,720
- Employment: 540

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,550
- Employment: 647,330
- Entry level education requirements: Some college, no degree
8 / 50
Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

#43 (tie). Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $44,720
- Employment: 730

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,760
- Employment: 1,039,670
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
9 / 50
New Africa // Shutterstock

#42. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $44,820
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $44,160
- Employment: 155,550
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
10 / 50
London Metropolitan Archives/Heritage Images // Getty Images

#41. Machinists

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $45,200
- Employment: 180

National
- Annual mean salary: $46,120
- Employment: 383,470
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
11 / 50
Pxhere

#40. Maintenance workers, machinery

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $45,300
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $49,450
- Employment: 72,890
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
12 / 50
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

#39. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $45,890
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,900
- Employment: 168,140
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
13 / 50
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

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

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $45,990
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $52,340
- Employment: 103,580
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
14 / 50
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#37. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $46,240
- Employment: 740

National
- Annual mean salary: $48,500
- Employment: 697,510
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
15 / 50
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#36. Advertising sales agents

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $46,410
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,660
- Employment: 129,740
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
16 / 50
Pixabay

#35. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $47,650
- Employment: 1,850

National
- Annual mean salary: $46,850
- Employment: 1,856,130
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
17 / 50
welcomia // Shutterstock

#34. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $47,840
- Employment: 210

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,840
- Employment: 147,800
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
18 / 50
FrameStockFootages // Shutterstock

#33. First-line supervisors of personal service and entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $48,420
- Employment: 130

National
- Annual mean salary: $43,400
- Employment: 217,680
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
19 / 50
Pixabay

#32. Surveying and mapping technicians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $48,580
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $48,500
- Employment: 53,030
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
20 / 50
John Leung // Shutterstock

#31. Brickmasons and blockmasons

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $48,640
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,470
- Employment: 60,650
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
21 / 50
Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#30. Electricians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $48,670
- Employment: 530

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,370
- Employment: 688,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
22 / 50
SritanaN // Shutterstock

#29. Industrial machinery mechanics

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $48,740
- Employment: 340

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,320
- Employment: 387,630
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
23 / 50
Canva

#28. Tool and die makers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $48,950
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,980
- Employment: 70,770
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
24 / 50
Canva

#27. Construction and building inspectors

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $49,680
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,390
- Employment: 110,420
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
25 / 50
Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#26. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $51,390
- Employment: 310

National
- Annual mean salary: $62,920
- Employment: 542,690
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
26 / 50
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

#25. Postal service mail carriers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $51,640
- Employment: 290

National
- Annual mean salary: $52,180
- Employment: 339,650
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
27 / 50
rlat // Shutterstock

#24. Postal service clerks

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $51,840
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,610
- Employment: 81,170
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
28 / 50
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

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

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $51,970
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,920
- Employment: 52,270
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
29 / 50
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

#22. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $52,420
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $69,000
- Employment: 46,430
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
30 / 50
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#21. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $53,880
- Employment: 90

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

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

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $54,190
- Employment: 1,010

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,130
- Employment: 1,487,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
32 / 50
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#19. Private detectives and investigators

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $54,230
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,000
- Employment: 35,000
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
33 / 50
Unsplash

#18. Crane and tower operators

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $54,400
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,530
- Employment: 45,480
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
34 / 50
Canva

#17. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $55,020
- Employment: 320

National
- Annual mean salary: $43,170
- Employment: 151,700
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
35 / 50
4 PM production // Shutterstock

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

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $56,080
- Employment: 330

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,550
- Employment: 485,700
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
36 / 50
Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#15. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $56,120
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $80,360
- Employment: 5,060
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
37 / 50
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

#14. Food service managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $56,720
- Employment: 130

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,820
- Employment: 235,470
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
38 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#13. Insurance sales agents

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $58,310
- Employment: 300

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,780
- Employment: 410,050
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
39 / 50
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

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

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $60,320
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,720
- Employment: 220,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
40 / 50
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

#11. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $60,860
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,670
- Employment: 120,900
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
41 / 50
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

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

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $62,270
- Employment: 700

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

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

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $62,290
- Employment: 840

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,110
- Employment: 1,344,530
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
43 / 50
ryanivy308 // Pixabay

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

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $62,750
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,360
- Employment: 58,930
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
44 / 50
sculpies // Shutterstock

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

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $64,760
- Employment: 600

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,440
- Employment: 626,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
45 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#6. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $65,300
- Employment: 700

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,940
- Employment: 287,960
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
46 / 50
Daniel Tausis // Unsplash

#5. Firefighters

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $68,300
- Employment: 240

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,650
- Employment: 324,620
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
47 / 50
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

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

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $77,140
- Employment: 160

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,180
- Employment: 249,090
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
48 / 50
Prath // Shutterstock

#3. Detectives and criminal investigators

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $78,980
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,030
- Employment: 105,620
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
49 / 50
Canva

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $83,530
- Employment: 50

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

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $88,130
- Employment: 80

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

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