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Highest-paying jobs in Bowling Green 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 Bowling Green, KY that don’t require a college degree.

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Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

#50. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $41,450
– #229 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $52,540
– Employment: 155,250
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,320)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($77,210)
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($72,760)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

#49. Chefs and head cooks

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $41,580
– #383 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)

Pixabay

#48. Maintenance and repair workers, general

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $41,760
– #269 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 730

National
– Annual mean salary: $44,920
– Employment: 1,416,740
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,230)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,870)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($56,650)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $41,770
– #446 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#46. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $42,360
– #194 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 180

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)

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#45. Cement masons and concrete finishers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $42,380
– #310 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140

National
– Annual mean salary: $50,900
– Employment: 186,600
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New Bedford, MA ($90,980)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($82,820)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($79,650)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection // Wikimedia Commons

#44. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $42,850
– #281 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $46,650
– Employment: 194,330
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($64,140)
— Decatur, IL ($60,740)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($58,620)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

#43. Surgical technologists

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $42,880
– #322 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

National
– Annual mean salary: $53,590
– Employment: 109,060
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($80,450)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($80,170)
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($77,460)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $43,110
– #418 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#41. Advertising sales agents

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $43,960
– #274 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

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London Metropolitan Archives/Heritage Images // Getty Images

#40. Machinists

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $44,440
– #344 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160

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)

Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

#39. Carpenters

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $44,640
– #308 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 240

National
– Annual mean salary: $55,190
– Employment: 668,060
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($81,730)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,680)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,280)

Pixabay

#38. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $45,050
– #406 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,250

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)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

#37. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $45,120
– #420 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140

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)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#36. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $45,620
– #235 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $49,560
– Employment: 149,290
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,600)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,240)
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($60,930)

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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#35. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $46,600
– #333 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 260

National
– Annual mean salary: $51,850
– Employment: 641,240
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Napa, CA ($76,890)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,880)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,410)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

#34. Sheet metal workers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $46,900
– #248 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $58,760
– Employment: 122,630
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fairbanks, AK ($101,150)
— Kennewick-Richland, WA ($94,930)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($93,840)

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#33. Cargo and freight agents

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $47,530
– #75 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $48,420
– Employment: 85,750
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($80,300)
— Yakima, WA ($68,030)
— Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($64,030)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

#32. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $47,560
– #351 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 210

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)

RossHelen // Shutterstock

#31. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $47,890
– #31 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

National
– Annual mean salary: $44,180
– Employment: 87,480
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Longview, WA ($65,210)
— Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL ($58,070)
— Lewiston, ID-WA ($57,690)

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David Spates // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $48,560
– #308 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220

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)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

#29. Computer user support specialists

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $48,570
– #352 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 170

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)

Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#28. Electricians

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $49,310
– #413 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 470

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)

PxHere

#27. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $49,690
– #34 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $45,730
– Employment: 61,070
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($59,130)
— Anchorage, AK ($57,900)
— Longview, WA ($57,410)

Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock

#26. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $49,980
– #3 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $40,010
– Employment: 55,930
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bowling Green, KY ($49,980)
— Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL ($48,400)
— Duluth, MN-WI ($48,360)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#25. Insurance sales agents

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $50,030
– #420 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 180

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)

Unsplash

#24. Structural iron and steel workers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $50,860
– #114 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

National
– Annual mean salary: $61,270
– Employment: 68,620
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($95,020)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($88,250)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($83,340)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#23. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $51,460
– #434 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

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)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#22. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $51,850
– #317 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

welcomia // Shutterstock

#21. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $52,050
– #304 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

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rlat // Shutterstock

#20. Postal service clerks

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $52,480
– #243 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

Canva

#19. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $52,690
– #233 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 260

National
– Annual mean salary: $56,280
– Employment: 404,820
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,910)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($91,860)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($91,120)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

#18. Postal service mail carriers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $54,270
– #164 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 180

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)

Pxhere

#17. Maintenance workers, machinery

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $54,590
– #91 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 120

National
– Annual mean salary: $53,570
– Employment: 57,660
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Savannah, GA ($76,260)
— Cedar Rapids, IA ($70,980)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($69,980)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

#16. Millwrights

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $54,600
– #130 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

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GaudiLab // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $55,510
– #303 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 570

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)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

#14. Industrial machinery mechanics

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $55,650
– #300 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 400

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)

Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $55,750
– #403 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 280

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)

Canva

#12. Tool and die makers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $56,040
– #83 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140

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)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

#11. Food service managers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $56,090
– #331 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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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Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $56,930
– #491 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 720

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)

Stealth Communications // Wikimedia Commons

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $59,870
– #182 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#8. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $60,600
– #334 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

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)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $62,060
– #400 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 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)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $65,530
– #386 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220

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)

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#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $66,000
– #390 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

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)

sculpies // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $67,020
– #294 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 230

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)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $67,230
– #430 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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)

Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $72,880
– #420 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $74,350
– #224 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

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