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

(STACKER) — 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA that don’t require a college degree.

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#50. Transportation inspectors

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $53,440
– #87 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

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)

#49. Private detectives and investigators

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $54,310
– #64 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

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)

#48. Maintenance workers, machinery

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $54,320
– #93 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 120

National
– Annual mean salary: $53,570
– Employment: 57,660
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Savannah, GA ($76,260)
— Cedar Rapids, IA ($70,980)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($69,980)

#47. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $55,220
– #187 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 280

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)

#46. Postal service mail carriers

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $55,280
– #44 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 620

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)

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#45. Millwrights

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $55,300
– #120 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $61,260
– Employment: 39,240
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kennewick-Richland, WA ($91,590)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,580)
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($80,780)

#44. Computer user support specialists

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $55,400
– #136 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,570

National
– Annual mean salary: $57,650
– Employment: 654,310
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($90,480)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($76,920)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($76,510)

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

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $55,500
– #123 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,150

National
– Annual mean salary: $54,690
– Employment: 356,960
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,020)
— Fairbanks, AK ($76,750)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($71,710)

#42. Real estate sales agents

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $55,600
– #178 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

National
– Annual mean salary: $61,480
– Employment: 175,920
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Midland, TX ($100,060)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($99,880)
— Worcester, MA-CT ($93,400)

#41. Postal service clerks

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $55,900
– #43 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

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)

#40. Industrial machinery mechanics

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $56,210
– #279 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 750

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)

#39. Advertising sales agents

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $56,400
– #117 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220

National
– Annual mean salary: $66,540
– Employment: 96,660
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($97,840)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($97,720)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($83,050)

#38. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $56,520
– #109 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 300

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)

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

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $56,980
– #200 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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)

#36. Hearing aid specialists

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $57,100
– #20 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $59,960
– Employment: 10,790
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($75,130)
— Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($73,180)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($72,300)

#34 (tie). Lodging managers

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $57,590
– #150 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

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)

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

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $57,590
– #240 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 280

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)

#33. Crane and tower operators

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $58,230
– #103 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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)

#32. Construction and building inspectors

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $58,620
– #220 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 500

National
– Annual mean salary: $68,480
– Employment: 117,830
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New Haven, CT ($121,510)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($107,330)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,190)

#31. Tool and die makers

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $58,710
– #55 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140

National
– Annual mean salary: $56,150
– Employment: 63,630
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,920)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($72,510)
— Santa Rosa, CA ($71,910)

#30. Brickmasons and blockmasons

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $59,040
– #81 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

National
– Annual mean salary: $61,430
– Employment: 55,950
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($95,980)
— Decatur, IL ($92,670)
— Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($89,340)

#29. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $59,240
– #31 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30

National
– Annual mean salary: $65,240
– Employment: 12,300
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,910)
— Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($100,060)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($99,120)

#28. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $60,210
– #88 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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)

#27. Chefs and head cooks

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $60,810
– #52 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 170

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)

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

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $61,920
– #258 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,740

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)

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#25. Food service managers

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $62,480
– #157 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 440

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)

#24. Correctional officers and jailers

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $62,570
– #41 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 860

National
– Annual mean salary: $53,420
– Employment: 392,600
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($96,580)
— Salinas, CA ($89,100)
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($86,260)

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

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $62,600
– #104 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 4,380

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)

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

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $64,390
– #283 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,070

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)

#21. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $64,620
– #286 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,220

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)

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#20. Electricians

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $64,980
– #135 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 990

National
– Annual mean salary: $63,310
– Employment: 650,580
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,900)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($91,090)
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($86,600)

#19. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $65,030
– #83 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 650

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)

#18. Glaziers

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $66,000
– #18 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $51,950
– Employment: 52,700
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($78,840)
— Salem, OR ($78,000)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($74,990)

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

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $68,950
– #188 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,300

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)

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

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $68,970
– #284 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,170

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)

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

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $70,080
– #100 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 290

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)

#14. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $71,080
– #52 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 780

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)

#13. Sheet metal workers

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $73,460
– #15 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 170

National
– Annual mean salary: $58,760
– Employment: 122,630
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fairbanks, AK ($101,150)
— Kennewick-Richland, WA ($94,930)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($93,840)

#12. Insurance sales agents

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $73,690
– #70 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,000

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)

#11. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $74,670
– #30 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 170

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)

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

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $75,910
– #157 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

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

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $75,940
– #117 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,080

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)

#8. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $76,000
– #28 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

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)

#7. Detectives and criminal investigators

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $80,470
– #160 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 270

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. Postmasters and mail superintendents

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $82,820
– #57 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $81,820
– Employment: 12,750
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($97,930)
— Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($96,450)
— San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($94,460)

#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $83,610
– #136 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

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)

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

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $88,020
– #117 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 460

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)

#3. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $95,860
– #16 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $97,740
– #179 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 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)

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
– Annual mean salary: $106,910
– #72 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 290

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)