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

DALLAS (KDAF) — 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 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX that don’t require a college degree.

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#50. Cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $58,810
– #2 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

National
– Annual mean salary: $42,910
– Employment: 7,500
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($61,370)
— Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($58,810)
— Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($56,960)

#49. Firefighters

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $58,870
– #92 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 7,910

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)

#48. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $59,400
– #13 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 510

National
– Annual mean salary: $54,400
– Employment: 10,600
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($75,030)
— Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($69,840)
— St. Louis, MO-IL ($68,630)

#47. Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $60,060
– #7 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $54,340
– Employment: 2,770
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($134,990)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($104,060)
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($84,900)

#46. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $60,580
– #63 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 430

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)

#45. Crane and tower operators

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $60,640
– #87 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,420

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)

#44. Real estate sales agents

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $60,650
– #119 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 7,200

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)

#43. Flight attendants

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $61,000
– #13 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 8,320

National
– Annual mean salary: $62,280
– Employment: 96,900
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kansas City, MO-KS ($94,320)
— Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($72,130)
— Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL ($67,620)

#42. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $61,230
– #92 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 4,100

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)

#41. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $62,510
– #20 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 780

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)

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#40. Hearing aid specialists

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $62,700
– #11 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160

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)

#39. Tax preparers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $62,820
– #12 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available

National
– Annual mean salary: $51,080
– Employment: 83,190
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Anchorage, AK ($81,880)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($79,470)
— Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($73,170)

#38. Insurance appraisers, auto damage

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $62,870
– #27 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 710

National
– Annual mean salary: $68,180
– Employment: 11,430
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Salt Lake City, UT ($89,810)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($86,970)
— Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($86,050)

#37. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $63,060
– #39 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $78,440
– Employment: 5,220
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Salinas, CA ($104,810)
— Visalia-Porterville, CA ($101,650)
— Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($101,610)

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

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $63,650
– #84 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 46,560

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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#35. Private detectives and investigators

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $63,680
– #31 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 630

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)

#34. Bailiffs

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $63,690
– #10 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140

National
– Annual mean salary: $52,340
– Employment: 16,420
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN ($69,600)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,050)
— Glens Falls, NY ($66,980)

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

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $65,900
– #225 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 14,590

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)

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

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $66,270
– #137 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 33,600

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. Fire inspectors and investigators

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $67,440
– #46 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220

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)

#30. Food service managers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $67,560
– #72 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 3,600

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)

#29. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $67,730
– #53 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 9,480

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)

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

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $68,750
– #243 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 19,460

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)

#27. Lodging managers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $69,300
– #57 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 520

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)

#26. Construction and building inspectors

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $69,830
– #77 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,960

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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#25. Model makers, metal and plastic

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $69,950
– #4 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $59,080
– Employment: 3,690
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($81,140)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($76,210)
— Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($74,210)

#24. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $70,860
– #269 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,830

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)

#23. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $71,840
– #128 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 10,530

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)

#22. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $72,280
– #76 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 480

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)

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

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $72,290
– #188 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 14,640

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)

#20. Insurance sales agents

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $72,370
– #83 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 11,630

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)

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

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $72,740
– #107 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 28,330

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. Power plant operators

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $77,140
– #105 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

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)

#17. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $77,650
– #20 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 7,120

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)

#16. Wellhead pumpers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $77,750
– #1 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,440

National
– Annual mean salary: $67,170
– Employment: 16,040
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($77,750)
— Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($75,610)
— Midland, TX ($74,690)

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

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $78,490
– #37 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 540

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)

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

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $79,030
– #47 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 7,520

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)

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

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $79,910
– #85 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 380

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)

#12. Power distributors and dispatchers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $82,720
– #36 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 180

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)

#11. Gas plant operators

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $83,380
– #14 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 270

National
– Annual mean salary: $76,970
– Employment: 15,110
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($98,750)
— Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($97,080)

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

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $83,560
– #99 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,550

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 non-retail sales workers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $86,760
– #132 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 7,900

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)

#8. Detectives and criminal investigators

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $89,950
– #87 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,750

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)

#7. Postmasters and mail superintendents

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $90,900
– #7 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

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)

#6. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $96,990
– #4 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160

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)

#5. Transportation inspectors

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $104,290
– #5 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 790

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)

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $104,490
– #84 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,750

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)

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

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $108,650
– #7 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

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)

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $111,740
– #42 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 4,610

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. Commercial pilots

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
– Annual mean salary: $120,230
– #35 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,750

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)