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

Written by:
January 13, 2021
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock

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

You may also like:100 Highest paying jobs in America

1 / 50
U.S. Air Force photo // Airman 1st Class Greg Erwin

#50. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $50,100
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $41,260
- Employment: 146,350
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

2 / 50
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

#49. Postal service mail carriers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $50,580
- Employment: 140

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

3 / 50
Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#48. Dental assistants

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $51,170
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $41,170
- Employment: 351,470
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

4 / 50
rlat // Shutterstock

#47. Postal service clerks

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $51,240
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,610
- Employment: 81,170
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

5 / 50
Sabel Blanco // Pexels

#46. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $51,760
- Employment: 360

National
- Annual mean salary: $45,110
- Employment: 325,500
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

6 / 50
Chok Chokchai // Shutterstock

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $52,460
- Employment: 280

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

7 / 50
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#44. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $52,590
- Employment: 440

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

8 / 50
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#43. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $52,720
- Employment: 610

National
- Annual mean salary: $43,000
- Employment: 576,950
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

9 / 50
Canva

#42. Cargo and freight agents

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $52,970
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $46,770
- Employment: 95,810
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

10 / 50
Vera Larina // Shutterstock

#41. Sheet metal workers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $53,410
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,480
- Employment: 131,300
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

11 / 50
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#40. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $53,680
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $47,390
- Employment: 142,700
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

12 / 50
London Metropolitan Archives/Heritage Images // Getty Images

#39. Machinists

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $54,080
- Employment: 330

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

13 / 50
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#38. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $54,310
- Employment: 160

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

14 / 50
Pandu Agus Wismoyo // Unsplash

#37. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $55,180
- Employment: 160

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,110
- Employment: 133,310
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

15 / 50
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

#36. Chefs and head cooks

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $55,430
- Employment: 170

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

16 / 50
Shift Drive // Shutterstock

#35. Computer user support specialists

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $55,620
- Employment: 410

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,550
- Employment: 647,330
- Entry level education requirements: Some college, no degree

17 / 50
Kot500 // Shutterstock

#33 (tie). Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $55,660
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,360
- Employment: 266,330
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

18 / 50
ryanivy308 // Pixabay

#33 (tie). Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $55,660
- Employment: 200

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

19 / 50
Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#32. Electricians

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $55,720
- Employment: 540

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

20 / 50
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

#31. Surgical technologists

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $56,670
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,110
- Employment: 109,000
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

21 / 50
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $57,060
- Employment: 90

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

22 / 50
welcomia // Shutterstock

#29. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $57,290
- Employment: 70

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

23 / 50
SritanaN // Shutterstock

#28. Industrial machinery mechanics

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $57,550
- Employment: 430

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

24 / 50
David Spates // Shutterstock

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $57,800
- Employment: 380

National
- Annual mean salary: $51,420
- Employment: 342,040
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

25 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#26. Lodging managers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $58,250
- Employment: 60

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

26 / 50
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

#24 (tie). Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $59,330
- Employment: 90

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

27 / 50
Stealth Communications // Wikimedia Commons

#24 (tie). Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $59,330
- Employment: 130

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

28 / 50
LStockStudio // Shutterstock

#23. Brokerage clerks

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $59,900
- Employment: data not available

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

29 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#22. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $60,990
- Employment: 170

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

30 / 50
Canva

#21. Automotive body and related repairers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $61,280
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $47,390
- Employment: 144,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

31 / 50
Canva

#20. Tool and die makers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $61,900
- Employment: 30

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

32 / 50
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

#19. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $63,810
- Employment: 290

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,640
- Employment: 370,380
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

33 / 50
GaudiLab // Shutterstock

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $65,320
- Employment: 1,050

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

34 / 50
Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#17. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $65,870
- Employment: 240

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

35 / 50
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#16. Insurance sales agents

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $66,200
- Employment: 130

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

36 / 50
Canva

#15. Construction and building inspectors

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $68,440
- Employment: 50

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

37 / 50
sculpies // Shutterstock

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $71,260
- Employment: 390

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,440
- Employment: 626,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

38 / 50
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $72,410
- Employment: 110

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

39 / 50
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

#12. Food service managers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $74,730
- Employment: 180

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

40 / 50
4 PM production // Shutterstock

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $76,750
- Employment: 420

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

41 / 50
U.S. Air Force

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $77,290
- Employment: 50

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

42 / 50
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $78,010
- Employment: 560

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,220
- Employment: 631,100
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

43 / 50
Aniwat phromrungsee // Shutterstock

#8. Commercial divers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $82,050
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,100
- Employment: 3,420
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

44 / 50
Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $83,250
- Employment: 750

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

45 / 50
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#6. Real estate brokers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $85,560
- Employment: 30

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

46 / 50
Prath // Shutterstock

#5. Detectives and criminal investigators

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $85,980
- Employment: 50

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

47 / 50
Canva

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $90,790
- Employment: 70

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

48 / 50
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $90,850
- Employment: 1,030

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

49 / 50
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

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

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $104,850
- Employment: 290

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

50 / 50
Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Portsmouth, NH-ME
- Annual mean salary: $126,920
- Employment: 80

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

Trending Now