50 High-Paying Jobs In San Diego That Don't Require A College Degree

Not everyone has the patience or resources to attend a 4-year university, in pursuit of a career. If you are one of those people, or you have a degree but are looking for a different career path, these jobs might be of interest to you.

This list of the 50 highest paying jobs in San Diego (that don't require a degree) was compiled by Stacker, who consulted the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook. These jobs do not require higher education, but do require a high school diploma. In some cases the positions require some level of college education (without degree), trade school classes or previous experience.

Even if you're not looking for a new career, it's interesting to see what people in other professions make.

50. Sales representatives of services (except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel)

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $67,440
  • National - Annual mean salary: $70,490

49. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

  • San Diego – Annual mean salary: $67,510
  • National – Annual mean salary: $65,230

48. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $68,160
  • National - Annual mean salary: $63,350

47. Tool and die makers

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $68,510
  • National – Annual mean salary: $55,520

46. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $68,630
  • National - Annual mean salary: $51,890

45. Airfield operations specialists

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $68,750
  • National – Annual mean salary: $58,360

44. Brickmasons and blockmasons

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $68,950
  • National – Annual mean salary: $58,420

43. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $70,340
  • National – Annual mean salary: $61,860

42. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $70,430
  • National - Annual mean salary: $69,040

41. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $71,290
  • National - Annual mean salary: $61,980

40. Firefighters

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $72,020
  • National - Annual mean salary: $56,360

39. Structural iron and steel workers

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $72,580
  • National - Annual mean salary: $58,650

38. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $72,670
  • National - Annual mean salary: $61,010

37. Advertising sales agents

  • San Diego– Annual mean salary: $72,870
  • National - Annual mean salary: $68,040

36. Insurance sales agents

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $73,030
  • National -Annual mean salary: $69,100

35. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $73,330
  • National - Annual mean salary: $66,800

34. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $73,750
  • National - Annual mean salary: $90,120

33. Millwrights

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $74,400
  • National – Annual mean salary: $59,080

32. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $74,480
  • National - Annual mean salary: $70,650

31. Construction and building inspectors

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $74,510
  • National – Annual mean salary: $66,470

30. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $74,770
  • National - Annual mean salary: $73,100

29. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $75,450
  • National – Annual mean salary: $73,500

28. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $75,740
  • National - Annual mean salary: $55,280

27. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $75,920
  • National - Annual mean salary: $62,400

26. Property, real estate, and community association managers

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $75,960
  • National - Annual mean salary: $73,210

25. Correctional officers and jailers

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $77,070
  • National - Annual mean salary: $52,340

24. Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $77,170
  • National - Annual mean salary: $52,130

23. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $77,310
  • National - Annual mean salary: $89,740

22. Real estate brokers

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $77,360
  • National – Annual mean salary: $81,630

21. Commercial pilots

  • San Diego– Annual mean salary: $78,320
  • National - Annual mean salary: $110,830

20. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $79,690
  • National - Annual mean salary: $66,710

19. Glaziers

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $80,720
  • National – Annual mean salary: $50,970

18. Power plant operators

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $81,870
  • National – Annual mean salary: $81,890

17. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

  • San Diego– Annual mean salary: $82,320
  • National – Annual mean salary: $68,170

16. Fire inspectors and investigators

  • San Diego, CA – Annual mean salary: $83,050
  • National – Annual mean salary: $67,680

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

  • San Diego – Annual mean salary: $83,430
  • National – Annual mean salary: $72,990

14. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

  • San Diego – Annual mean salary: $83,830
  • National – Annual mean salary: $86,200

13. Transportation inspectors

  • San Diego – Annual mean salary: $85,090
  • National – Annual mean salary: $81,320

12. Gambling managers

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $87,400
  • National – Annual mean salary: $85,440

11. Crane and tower operators

  • San Diego – Annual mean salary: $89,250
  • National – Annual mean salary: $64,010

10. Postmasters and mail superintendents

  • San Diego – Annual mean salary: $92,630
  • National – Annual mean salary: $79,660

9. Chefs and head cooks

  • San Diego – Annual mean salary: $98,210
  • National - Annual mean salary: $58,740

8. Gas plant operators

  • San Diego – Annual mean salary: $98,230
  • National – Annual mean salary: $73,290

7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $100,790
  • National – Annual mean salary: $105,100

6. Detectives and criminal investigators

  • San Diego – Annual mean salary: $103,900
  • National – Annual mean salary: $89,300

5. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

  • San Diego – Annual mean salary: $104,900
  • National – Annual mean salary: $67,600

4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

  • San Diego – Annual mean salary: $108,870
  • National – Annual mean salary: $74,410

3. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $111,660
  • National - Annual mean salary: $83,150

2. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $116,470
  • National - Annual mean salary: $83,170

1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

  • San Diego - Annual mean salary: $143,580
  • National - Annual mean salary: $97,180

Jobs were ranked by 2020 annual mean wage. Job descriptions are from O*NET.


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