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

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 Huntsville, AL that don’t require a college degree.

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Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

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

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $48,240
– #268 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 250

National
– Annual mean salary: $53,270
– Employment: 116,380
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Madera, CA ($76,040)
— Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,800)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($73,360)

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

#49. Security and fire alarm systems installers

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $48,450
– #106 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

National
– Annual mean salary: $52,170
– Employment: 77,420
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Eugene, OR ($70,940)
— Salem, OR ($68,640)
— Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($68,520)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

#48. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $48,800
– #273 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 350

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)

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#47. Automotive body and related repairers

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $49,050
– #190 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 170

National
– Annual mean salary: $50,660
– Employment: 137,300
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Ann Arbor, MI ($71,350)
— Ames, IA ($68,340)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,060)

David Spates // Shutterstock

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

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $49,250
– #282 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 540

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)

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#45. Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $50,390
– #9 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220

National
– Annual mean salary: $42,950
– Employment: 29,980
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($70,440)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($58,640)
— Wichita, KS ($56,010)

Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#44. Electricians

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $50,740
– #383 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)

London Metropolitan Archives/Heritage Images // Getty Images

#43. Machinists

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $51,120
– #101 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 620

National
– Annual mean salary: $49,020
– Employment: 333,220
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($71,070)
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($69,300)
— Monroe, MI ($66,560)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#42. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $51,330
– #328 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 760

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)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

#41. Computer user support specialists

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $52,200
– #229 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,270

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)

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rlat // Shutterstock

#40. Postal service clerks

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $52,480
– #243 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

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)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

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

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $52,610
– #201 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

#38. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $52,680
– #172 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 210

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)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

#37. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $52,710
– #135 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 460

National
– Annual mean salary: $52,220
– Employment: 367,200
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Idaho Falls, ID ($74,970)
— Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($71,160)
— Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($67,140)

ryanivy308 // Pixabay

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

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,140
– #235 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

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)

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Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

#35. Postal service mail carriers

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,560
– #278 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 550

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)

First Class Photography // Shutterstock

#34. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,860
– #6 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 180

National
– Annual mean salary: $55,380
– Employment: 33,320
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($64,250)
— Savannah, GA ($62,660)
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($59,890)

welcomia // Shutterstock

#33. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,920
– #230 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 260

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)

Daniel Tausis // Unsplash

#32. Firefighters

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $54,530
– #131 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 540

National
– Annual mean salary: $55,290
– Employment: 317,310
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($114,210)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($98,150)
— Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($97,470)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

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

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $55,020
– #317 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,120

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)

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Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

#30. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $55,060
– #153 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)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

#29. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $55,830
– #1 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $51,010
– Employment: 112,130
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Huntsville, AL ($55,830)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,260)
— Wausau, WI ($55,060)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

#28. Industrial machinery mechanics

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $56,830
– #258 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 920

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)

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#27. Construction and building inspectors

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $56,850
– #267 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

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)

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#26. Tool and die makers

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $58,080
– #60 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

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)

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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

#25. Chefs and head cooks

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $58,560
– #83 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

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

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $58,730
– #236 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220

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)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#23. Advertising sales agents

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $59,330
– #87 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

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)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

#22. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $59,440
– #127 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

#21. Food service managers

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $59,820
– #215 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 310

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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Stealth Communications // Wikimedia Commons

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

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $59,940
– #180 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 250

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)

Canva

#19. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $62,420
– #47 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $62,360
– Employment: 25,800
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($93,600)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($92,910)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($86,660)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#18. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $65,520
– #74 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 510

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)

Pandu Agus Wismoyo // Unsplash

#17. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $66,540
– #95 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 420

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)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

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

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $67,340
– #428 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220

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)

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sculpies // Shutterstock

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

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $67,790
– #266 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,130

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)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

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

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $68,800
– #131 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,390

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)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

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

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $69,300
– #178 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,550

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)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

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

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $69,400
– #269 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 860

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#11. Insurance sales agents

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $69,420
– #109 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 540

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)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#10. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $70,760
– #153 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#9. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $73,370
– #237 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 350

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)

goodluz // Shutterstock

#8. Real estate sales agents

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $73,490
– #35 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 290

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)

Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

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

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $74,920
– #32 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,710

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)

U.S. Air Force

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

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $75,110
– #162 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available

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)

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#5. Boilermakers

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $76,230
– #11 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

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)

Canva

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $90,530
– #178 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

Prath // Shutterstock

#3. Detectives and criminal investigators

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $97,860
– #45 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160

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)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

#2. Commercial pilots

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $103,170
– #92 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220

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)

Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $104,310
– #98 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 180

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)

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