Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

Highest-paying jobs in Mobile 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 Mobile, AL that don’t require a college degree.

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Pixabay

#50. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $47,380
– #304 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 3,220

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)

Canva

#49. Automotive body and related repairers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $47,490
– #234 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 230

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)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $47,780
– #105 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 420

National
– Annual mean salary: $44,810
– Employment: 551,380
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Odessa, TX ($70,950)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($66,260)
— Bismarck, ND ($64,940)

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

#47. Security and fire alarm systems installers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $47,850
– #112 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

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)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

#46. Computer user support specialists

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $48,490
– #361 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 480

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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David Spates // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $48,550
– #309 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 600

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)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

#44. Millwrights

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $48,920
– #183 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $49,400
– #141 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 180

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)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#42. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $49,550
– #364 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 900

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)

Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#41. Electricians

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $49,890
– #398 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,490

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)

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Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $50,540
– #362 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

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)

Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock

#39. Community health workers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $50,610
– #52 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 180

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)

London Metropolitan Archives/Heritage Images // Getty Images

#38. Machinists

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $51,100
– #103 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 430

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)

Pixabay

#36 (tie). Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $52,060
– #71 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,500

National
– Annual mean salary: $48,290
– Employment: 397,600
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fairbanks, AK ($72,500)
— Anchorage, AK ($71,840)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($66,920)

rlat // Shutterstock

#36 (tie). Postal service clerks

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $52,060
– #270 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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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Unsplash

#35. Crane and tower operators

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,160
– #154 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 270

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)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

#34. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,430
– #115 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

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)

Akimov Igor // Shutterstock

#33. Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,510
– #9 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 990

National
– Annual mean salary: $46,210
– Employment: 31,650
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI ($65,270)
— Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC ($57,100)
— Lynchburg, VA ($57,020)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,780
– #361 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,920

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)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

#31. Postal service mail carriers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,950
– #208 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 410

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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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#30. Advertising sales agents

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $54,430
– #153 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

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)

welcomia // Shutterstock

#29. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $54,730
– #204 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 640

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)

Stealth Communications // Wikimedia Commons

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $54,760
– #317 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)

goodluz // Shutterstock

#27. Real estate sales agents

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $55,090
– #182 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

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)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

#26. Chefs and head cooks

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $55,390
– #144 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $57,150
– #175 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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)

Canva

#24. Construction and building inspectors

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $57,950
– #238 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140

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)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

#23. Industrial machinery mechanics

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $58,260
– #199 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,230

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)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#22. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $59,000
– #200 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 230

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#21. Insurance sales agents

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $61,050
– #232 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 610

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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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#20. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $63,910
– #19 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 460

National
– Annual mean salary: $52,450
– Employment: 106,170
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Billings, MT ($88,420)
— Baton Rouge, LA ($76,050)
— Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($71,340)

Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $63,940
– #192 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,070

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)

sculpies // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $64,040
– #374 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,350

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)

ryanivy308 // Pixabay

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $65,010
– #95 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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#16. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $66,160
– #257 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 480

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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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#15. Lodging managers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $66,500
– #75 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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)

Pandu Agus Wismoyo // Unsplash

#14. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $66,660
– #92 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 290

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)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

#13. Food service managers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $66,890
– #81 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 230

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)

Canva

#12. Tank car, truck, and ship loaders

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $67,350
– #4 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160

National
– Annual mean salary: $55,330
– Employment: 12,090
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI ($94,390)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($72,530)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($68,750)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $67,380
– #238 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,610

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)

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4 PM production // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $69,830
– #257 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,030

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)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $72,820
– #65 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,210

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)

Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock

#8. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $73,330
– #47 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

National
– Annual mean salary: $98,330
– Employment: 33,490
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($126,420)
— Anchorage, AK ($118,620)
— New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($110,750)

Canva

#7. Chemical plant and system operators

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $77,230
– #11 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 580

National
– Annual mean salary: $69,020
– Employment: 21,740
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Lima, OH ($92,450)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($91,210)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($90,170)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $82,730
– #192 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 300

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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Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $83,250
– #137 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

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)

Canva

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $96,000
– #130 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $104,110
– #24 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $105,290
– #86 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 170

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)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

#1. Commercial pilots

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $134,460
– #13 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

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