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

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From the moment they arrive 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, and coaches. 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 nondegree 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 2021 annual mean wage.

Keep reading to discover the highest paying jobs in Memphis, TN-MS-AR that don’t require a college degree.

#50. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $51,540
– #195 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 340

National
– Annual mean salary: $52,320
– Employment: 121,150
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,980)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($92,370)
— Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($87,990)

#49. Crane and tower operators

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $52,610
– #160 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

National
– Annual mean salary: $65,270
– Employment: 43,400
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($131,160)
— Syracuse, NY ($103,350)
— Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($99,990)

#48. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $52,730
– #294 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,520

National
– Annual mean salary: $63,350
– Employment: 417,620
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,580)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($89,500)
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($89,190)

#47. Chefs and head cooks

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $52,870
– #199 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 430

National
– Annual mean salary: $56,920
– Employment: 129,810
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Leominster-Gardner, MA ($81,020)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($79,600)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($79,430)

#46. Food service managers

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $52,890
– #408 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,320

National
– Annual mean salary: $63,970
– Employment: 210,680
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Trenton, NJ ($91,320)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($89,860)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,750)

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#45. Lodging managers

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $53,160
– #185 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

National
– Annual mean salary: $67,770
– Employment: 35,920
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($121,090)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($111,410)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)

#44. Community health workers

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $53,510
– #28 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

National
– Annual mean salary: $47,780
– Employment: 61,010
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,110)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($65,530)
— Bend-Redmond, OR ($61,820)

#43. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $53,550
– #50 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 14,850

National
– Annual mean salary: $50,340
– Employment: 1,903,420
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Cape Girardeau, MO-IL ($62,600)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($62,290)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($61,540)

#42. Industrial machinery mechanics

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $54,480
– #346 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,720

National
– Annual mean salary: $58,780
– Employment: 373,090
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fairbanks, AK ($85,900)
— Lake Charles, LA ($85,360)
— Anchorage, AK ($82,890)

#41. Postal service clerks

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $54,550
– #95 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220

National
– Annual mean salary: $53,210
– Employment: 79,320
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Houma-Thibodaux, LA ($59,410)
— Florence, SC ($59,360)
— Monroe, MI ($59,320)

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

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $54,700
– #191 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140

National
– Annual mean salary: $67,310
– Employment: 44,870
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($98,380)
— Salt Lake City, UT ($94,070)
— Santa Rosa, CA ($92,800)

#39. Postal service mail carriers

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $54,970
– #72 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,240

National
– Annual mean salary: $54,370
– Employment: 335,540
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Modesto, CA ($57,160)
— Bismarck, ND ($57,090)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,820)

#38. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $55,030
– #85 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,330

National
– Annual mean salary: $53,020
– Employment: 261,420
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,900)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($73,400)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,480)

#37. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $55,630
– #174 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 370

National
– Annual mean salary: $57,280
– Employment: 145,230
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fairbanks, AK ($86,740)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($82,520)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($79,470)

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

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $56,040
– #289 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 670

National
– Annual mean salary: $60,350
– Employment: 172,830
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Anchorage, AK ($88,140)
— Fairbanks, AK ($84,690)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($80,570)

#35. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $56,620
– #132 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

National
– Annual mean salary: $62,250
– Employment: 101,530
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,680)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($90,370)
— Salinas, CA ($88,050)

#34. Insurance sales agents

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $57,070
– #308 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,190

National
– Annual mean salary: $69,340
– Employment: 422,600
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($104,230)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,470)
— Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($95,620)

#33. Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $57,510
– #16 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $70,650
– Employment: 10,710
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($89,080)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($87,130)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($86,160)

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

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $57,750
– #365 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,980

National
– Annual mean salary: $71,110
– Employment: 1,026,390
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($103,810)
— Boulder, CO ($101,630)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($97,360)

#31. Private detectives and investigators

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $58,480
– #44 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

National
– Annual mean salary: $60,970
– Employment: 28,860
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Jackson, MI ($93,360)
— Bakersfield, CA ($91,080)
— Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($87,760)

#30. Boilermakers

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $58,990
– #34 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $69,070
– Employment: 12,920
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,660)
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($96,080)
— Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($90,620)

#29. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $59,090
– #129 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 120

National
– Annual mean salary: $69,750
– Employment: 54,470
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($114,400)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,220)
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($112,950)

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

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $59,630
– #184 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 9,040

National
– Annual mean salary: $63,380
– Employment: 1,443,630
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($82,050)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($79,520)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,430)

#27. Occupational health and safety technicians

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $60,150
– #57 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $57,560
– Employment: 21,750
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Evansville, IN-KY ($77,880)
— Anchorage, AK ($77,690)
— Oklahoma City, OK ($77,100)

#26. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $60,900
– #155 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 980

National
– Annual mean salary: $66,870
– Employment: 466,910
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,590)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($87,760)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($87,420)

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#25. Fire inspectors and investigators

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $62,070
– #59 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $69,680
– Employment: 14,600
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Dayton, OH ($116,740)
— Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($112,040)
— Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($107,220)

#24. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $62,250
– #71 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

National
– Annual mean salary: $70,510
– Employment: 29,820
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,300)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,930)
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($99,740)

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

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $63,420
– #113 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160

National
– Annual mean salary: $64,230
– Employment: 50,780
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($87,890)
— Fresno, CA ($86,230)
— Fairbanks, AK ($85,640)

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

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $63,540
– #157 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 910

National
– Annual mean salary: $70,030
– Employment: 234,680
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($109,540)
— Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($106,420)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($103,610)

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

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $64,600
– #276 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,770

National
– Annual mean salary: $67,330
– Employment: 629,420
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Baton Rouge, LA ($98,170)
— Lake Charles, LA ($97,910)
— Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($90,410)

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

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $65,080
– #357 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,110

National
– Annual mean salary: $75,060
– Employment: 665,870
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($112,020)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,820)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($101,210)

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

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $66,010
– #277 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,800

National
– Annual mean salary: $72,390
– Employment: 1,242,490
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($102,280)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($92,660)
— Napa, CA ($92,620)

#18. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $66,040
– #332 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 390

National
– Annual mean salary: $79,060
– Employment: 123,940
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($117,700)
— Salinas, CA ($110,180)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,490)

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

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $66,710
– #353 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,910

National
– Annual mean salary: $73,590
– Employment: 526,240
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($93,830)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($93,030)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,870)

#16. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $66,910
– #10 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30

National
– Annual mean salary: $62,080
– Employment: 8,590
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN ($79,660)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($72,800)
— Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($71,910)

#15. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $67,280
– #86 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 4,240

National
– Annual mean salary: $69,470
– Employment: 125,440
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($86,470)
— Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($86,370)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($85,860)

#14. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $68,080
– #217 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 610

National
– Annual mean salary: $70,960
– Employment: 278,140
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kennewick-Richland, WA ($104,350)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($95,200)
— Salinas, CA ($90,800)

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

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $69,270
– #8 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $54,450
– Employment: 25,770
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Longview, WA ($74,500)
— Redding, CA ($72,680)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($71,740)

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

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $72,020
– #191 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 680

National
– Annual mean salary: $83,270
– Employment: 80,890
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($171,060)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($145,740)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($135,860)

#11. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $72,190
– #341 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,060

National
– Annual mean salary: $98,760
– Employment: 128,230
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($182,700)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($170,740)
— Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($164,600)

#10. Athletes and sports competitors

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $75,220
– #27 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 360

National
– Annual mean salary: $116,930
– Employment: 12,320
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN ($212,500)
— Cleveland-Elyria, OH ($210,210)
— Columbus, OH ($201,290)

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

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $76,550
– #98 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $87,640
– Employment: 22,490
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($120,210)
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($118,510)
— Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($114,280)

#8. Power distributors and dispatchers

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $81,170
– #41 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30

National
– Annual mean salary: $95,520
– Employment: 9,660
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($131,560)
— Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($129,570)
— Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($123,540)

#7. Detectives and criminal investigators

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $81,770
– #146 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 310

National
– Annual mean salary: $90,370
– Employment: 107,890
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($132,210)
— Anchorage, AK ($127,070)
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($123,460)

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

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $84,440
– #22 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 180

National
– Annual mean salary: $80,500
– Employment: 34,230
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($105,090)
— St. Louis, MO-IL ($97,860)
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($96,520)

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

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $86,820
– #130 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,100

National
– Annual mean salary: $92,320
– Employment: 243,920
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Portland-South Portland, ME ($129,860)
— Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($121,360)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($121,250)

#4. Transportation inspectors

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $87,770
– #26 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

National
– Annual mean salary: $77,620
– Employment: 25,070
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Portland-South Portland, ME ($112,260)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($111,930)
— Anchorage, AK ($108,140)

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $96,600
– #200 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,460

National
– Annual mean salary: $105,580
– Employment: 144,640
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($159,890)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,170)
— Trenton, NJ ($144,620)

#2. Commercial pilots

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $99,620
– #107 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

National
– Annual mean salary: $115,080
– Employment: 42,770
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($185,920)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($184,260)
— Savannah, GA ($177,450)

#1. Power plant operators

Memphis, TN-MS-AR
– Annual mean salary: $103,580
– #8 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $83,740
– Employment: 28,960
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fresno, CA ($129,650)
— Wenatchee, WA ($123,180)
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($114,660)