College is looked at as standard today. Many parents expect it and high schools focus on getting you ready. But you can still find a great paying job (and not be saddled by debt) without going to college. Stacker recently looked at the highest paying Charlotte jobs that don’t require a college degree. To find this they 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. They ranked the jobs by 2020 annual mean wage. Job descriptions are from O*NET.

Cost of Living Increases 14.5% In Charlotte

Keep reading to discover the highest paying Charlotte jobs that don’t require a college degree.

• #50. Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $54,790
  – #15 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: data not available

  – Job description: Repair, maintain, or install electric motors, wiring, or switches.

• #49. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $55,070
  – #205 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 1,640

  – Job description: Install, set up, rearrange, or remove switching, distribution, routing, and dialing equipment used in central offices or headends. Service or repair telephone, cable television, Internet, and other communications equipment on customers’ property. May install communications equipment or communications wiring in buildings.

• #48. Industrial machinery mechanics

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $55,300
  – #192 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 3,870

  – Job description: Repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems. May also install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to plans.

• #47. Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $55,770
  – #2 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 130

  – Job description: Set up, operate, or tend lathe and turning machines to turn, bore, thread, form, or face metal or plastic materials, such as wire, rod, or bar stock.

• #46. Real estate sales agents

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $55,780
  – #102 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 2,710

  – Job description: Rent, buy, or sell property for clients. Perform duties such as study property listings, interview prospective clients, accompany clients to property site, discuss conditions of sale, and draw up real estate contracts. Includes agents who represent buyer.

• #45. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $56,240
  – #56 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 2,480

  – Job description: Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul buses and trucks, or maintain and repair any type of diesel engine. Includes mechanics working primarily with automobile or marine diesel engines.

  

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

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $56,310
  – #35 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 50

  – Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of agricultural, forestry, aquacultural, and related workers.

• #43. Brokerage clerks

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $56,820
  – #37 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 1,120

  – Job description: Perform duties related to the purchase, sale, or holding of securities. Duties include writing orders for stock purchases or sales, computing transfer taxes, verifying stock transactions, accepting and delivering securities, tracking stock price fluctuations, computing equity, distributing dividends, and keeping records of daily transactions and holdings.

• #42. Construction and building inspectors

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $57,060
  – #184 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 1,780

  – Job description: Inspect structures using engineering skills to determine structural soundness and compliance with specifications, building codes, and other regulations. Inspections may be general in nature or may be limited to a specific area, such as electrical systems or plumbing.

• #41. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $58,020
  – #59 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 120

  – Job description: Develop programs to control machining or processing of materials by automatic machine tools, equipment, or systems. May also set up, operate, or maintain equipment.

• #40. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $58,570
  – #72 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 60

  – Job description: Operate or maintain stationary engines, boilers, or other mechanical equipment to provide utilities for buildings or industrial processes. Operate equipment such as steam engines, generators, motors, turbines, and steam boilers.

• #39. Coil winders, tapers, and finishers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $58,910
  – #1 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 140

  – Job description: Wind wire coils used in electrical components, such as resistors and transformers, and in electrical equipment and instruments, such as field cores, bobbins, armature cores, electrical motors, generators, and control equipment.

  

• #38. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $59,170
  – #191 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 850

  – Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in firefighting and fire prevention and control.

• #37. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $59,330
  – #51 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: data not available

  – Job description: Operate or control petroleum refining or processing units. May specialize in controlling manifold and pumping systems, gauging or testing oil in storage tanks, or regulating the flow of oil into pipelines.

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

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $59,780
  – #123 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 12,810

  – Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of clerical and administrative support workers.

• #35. Food service managers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $60,250
  – #147 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: data not available

  – Job description: Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.

• #34. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $61,180
  – #97 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 630

  

  – Job description: Repair, test, adjust, or install electronic equipment, such as industrial controls, transmitters, and antennas.

• #33. Pourers and casters, metal

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $61,950
  – #1 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 60

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $61,950
  – #1 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 60

• #32. Private detectives and investigators

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $62,730
  – #25 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: data not available

  – Job description: Gather, analyze, compile, and report information regarding individuals or organizations to clients, or detect occurrences of unlawful acts or infractions of rules in private establishment.

• #31. Flight attendants

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $63,110
  – #5 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 3,910

  – Job description: Monitor safety of the aircraft cabin. Provide services to airline passengers, explain safety information, serve food and beverages, and respond to emergency incidents.

• #30. Automotive body and related repairers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $63,310
  – #13 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 1,690

  – Job description: Repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames.

• #29. Fire inspectors and investigators

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $63,600
  – #37 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 130

  – Job description: Inspect buildings to detect fire hazards and enforce local ordinances and state laws, or investigate and gather facts to determine cause of fires and explosions

• #28. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $63,610
  – #228 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 5,210

  – Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of production and operating workers, such as inspectors, precision workers, machine setters and operators, assemblers, fabricators, and plant and system operators. Excludes team or work leaders.

• #27. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $63,790
  – #64 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 3,650

  – Job description: Provide high-level administrative support by conducting research, preparing statistical reports, and handling information requests, as well as performing routine administrative functions such as preparing correspondence, receiving visitors, arranging conference calls, and scheduling meetings. May also train and supervise lower-level clerical staff.

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

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $64,450
  – #129 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 12,520

  – Job description: Sell services to individuals or businesses. May describe options or resolve client problems.

• #25. Carpet installers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $64,730
  – #5 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 90

  – Job description: Lay and install carpet from rolls or blocks on floors. Install padding and trim flooring materials.

  

• #24. Boilermakers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $65,310
  – #16 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: data not available

  – Job description: Construct, assemble, maintain, and repair stationary steam boilers and boiler house auxiliaries. Align structures or plate sections to assemble boiler frame tanks or vats, following blueprints. Work involves use of hand and power tools, plumb bobs, levels, wedges, dogs, or turnbuckles. Assist in testing assembled vessels. Direct cleaning of boilers and boiler furnaces. Inspect and repair boiler fittings, such as safety valves, regulators, automatic-control mechanisms, water columns, and auxiliary machines.

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

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $65,690
  – #225 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 9,510

  – Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate activities of construction or extraction workers.

• #22. Insurance sales agents

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $66,300
  – #128 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 4,790

  – Job description: Sell life, property, casualty, health, automotive, or other types of insurance. May refer clients to independent brokers, work as an independent broker, or be employed by an insurance company.

• #21. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $69,150
  – #132 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 3,030

  – Job description: Review settled claims to determine that payments and settlements are made in accordance with company practices and procedures. Confer with legal counsel on claims requiring litigation. May also settle insurance claims.

• #20. Insurance appraisers, auto damage

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $70,510
  – #18 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: data not available

  – Job description: Appraise automobile or other vehicle damage to determine repair costs for insurance claim settlement. Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost or cost estimates and recommendations. May seek agreement with automotive repair shop on repair costs.

• #19. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $70,820
  – #133 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 730

  – Job description: Install or repair cables or wires used in electrical power or distribution systems. May erect poles and light or heavy duty transmission towers.

• #18. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $70,990
  – #47 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 130

  – Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate activities of correctional officers and jailers.

• #17. Transportation inspectors

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $71,590
  – #57 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 70

  – Job description: Inspect equipment or goods in connection with the safe transport of cargo or people. Includes rail transportation inspectors, such as freight inspectors, rail inspectors, and other inspectors of transportation vehicles not elsewhere classified.

• #16. Detectives and criminal investigators

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $72,210
  – #187 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 590

  – Job description: Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.

  

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

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $72,610
  – #77 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 1,890

  – Job description: Plan, direct, or coordinate the selling, buying, leasing, or governance activities of commercial, industrial, or residential real estate properties. Includes managers of homeowner and condominium associations, rented or leased housing units, buildings, or land (including rights-of-way).

• #14. Gas plant operators

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $73,090
  – #14 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 80

  – Job description: Distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines.

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

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $73,930
  – #117 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 4,500

  – Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of mechanics, installers, and repairers. May also advise customers on recommended services. Excludes team or work leaders.

• #12. Advertising sales agents

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $74,360
  – #16 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 1,190

  – Job description: Sell or solicit advertising space, time, or media in publications, signage, TV, radio, or Internet establishments or public spaces.

• #11. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $78,870
  – #15 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 1,580

  – Job description: Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul aircraft engines and assemblies, such as hydraulic and pneumatic systems.

• #10. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $79,290
  – #226 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 1,060

  – Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.

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

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $79,800
  – #41 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 100

  – Job description: Inspect, test, repair, or maintain electrical equipment in generating stations, substations, and in-service relays.

• #8. Lodging managers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $80,700
  – #20 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 50
  – Job description: Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that provides lodging and other accommodations.

• #7. Power plant operators

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $83,050
  – #41 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 210

  – Job description: Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.

• #6. Postmasters and mail superintendents

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $85,090
  – #21 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 60

  – Job description: Plan, direct, or coordinate operational, administrative, management, and support services of a U.S. post office; or coordinate activities of workers engaged in postal and related work in assigned post office.

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

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $88,910
  – #10 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 16,190

  – Job description: Sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses or groups of individuals. Work requires substantial knowledge of items sold.

• #4. Real estate brokers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $106,290
  – #7 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 980

  – Job description: Operate real estate office, or work for commercial real estate firm, overseeing real estate transactions. Other duties usually include selling real estate or renting properties and arranging loans.

• #3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $106,780
  – #14 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 3,790

  – Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate activities of sales workers other than retail sales workers. May perform duties such as budgeting, accounting, and personnel work, in addition to supervisory duties.

• #2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $110,660
  – #49 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 870

  – Job description: Plan, direct, or coordinate transportation, storage, or distribution activities in accordance with organizational policies and applicable government laws or regulations. Includes logistics managers.

• #1. Commercial pilots

  Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
  – Annual mean salary: $133,050
  – #11 highest pay among all metros
  – Employment: 240

  – Job description: Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. Requires Commercial Pilot certificate. Includes charter pilots with similar certification, and air ambulance and air tour pilots. Excludes regional, national, and international airline pilots.

  

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