sculpies // Shutterstock

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

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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#50. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $40,630
– #287 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 650

National
– Annual mean salary: $45,140
– Employment: 1,509,370
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,750)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($58,670)
— Napa, CA ($54,940)

nullplus // Shutterstock

#49. Light truck drivers

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $40,940
– #221 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 400

National
– Annual mean salary: $42,630
– Employment: 1,010,040
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($51,860)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($51,560)
— Waterbury, CT ($50,100)

Rob Kim // Getty Images

#48. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $41,150
– #402 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 470

National
– Annual mean salary: $46,890
– Employment: 1,143,260
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($57,830)
— Boulder, CO ($56,520)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,930)

Pixabay

#47. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $41,840
– #430 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 350

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)

Canva

#45 (tie). Cement masons and concrete finishers

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $41,900
– #329 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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)

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4 PM production // Shutterstock

#45 (tie). Automotive service technicians and mechanics

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $41,900
– #404 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220

National
– Annual mean salary: $47,990
– Employment: 629,780
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($62,810)
— Fairbanks, AK ($62,690)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($61,350)

Canva

#44. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $42,240
– #182 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $47,250
– Employment: 35,030
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($61,910)
— Bellingham, WA ($61,210)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,760)

Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock

#43. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $42,400
– #145 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $42,490
– Employment: 108,440
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($60,690)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,040)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($57,940)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

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

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $42,850
– #266 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 320

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)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#41. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $43,230
– #311 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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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London Metropolitan Archives/Heritage Images // Getty Images

#40. Machinists

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $44,970
– #320 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

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)

U.S. Air Force photo // Airman 1st Class Greg Erwin

#39. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $45,110
– #112 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $43,900
– Employment: 145,410
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Midland, MI ($60,190)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($58,790)
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($58,480)

Glenn Highcove // Shutterstock

#38. Industrial truck and tractor operators

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $45,290
– #41 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 330

National
– Annual mean salary: $40,950
– Employment: 758,290
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($60,930)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($58,200)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($53,310)

Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

#37. Carpenters

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $45,490
– #292 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 210

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

#36. Maintenance and repair workers, general

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $45,640
– #119 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 560

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)

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Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

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

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $45,680
– #411 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30

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)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

#34. Chefs and head cooks

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $45,920
– #334 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

#33. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $46,440
– #342 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 800

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)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

#32. Surgical technologists

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $47,150
– #222 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

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)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

#31. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $47,750
– #320 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

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)

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Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

#30. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $47,810
– #292 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30

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)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

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

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $48,290
– #266 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

Canva

#28. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $48,430
– #299 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#27. Insurance sales agents

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $48,440
– #443 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

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)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#26. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $48,720
– #244 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

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)

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Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#25. Electricians

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $49,920
– #397 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 230

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)

Canva

#24. Construction and building inspectors

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $50,120
– #383 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

welcomia // Shutterstock

#23. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $50,140
– #356 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

Canva

#22. Tool and die makers

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $51,310
– #159 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

#21. Postal service mail carriers

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $51,400
– #489 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160

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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Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

#20. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $52,530
– #174 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $52,320
– Employment: 121,150
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,980)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($92,370)
— Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($87,990)

David Spates // Shutterstock

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

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $52,810
– #187 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 190

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)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

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

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $52,930
– #200 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available

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)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

#17. Sheet metal workers

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $53,330
– #162 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

#16. Computer user support specialists

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $53,770
– #184 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

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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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#15. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $54,570
– #352 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

#14. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $55,860
– #71 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

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)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#13. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $56,400
– #229 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160

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)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

#12. Food service managers

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $56,640
– #316 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

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

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $57,120
– #256 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 390

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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Pxhere

#10. Maintenance workers, machinery

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $59,270
– #40 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

#9. Industrial machinery mechanics

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $59,310
– #158 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 520

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)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#8. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $59,420
– #29 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)

Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

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

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $59,520
– #311 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

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)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

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

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $63,580
– #465 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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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sculpies // Shutterstock

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

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $65,640
– #332 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 170

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)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

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

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $68,970
– #187 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 430

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)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

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

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $71,060
– #94 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 480

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)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

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

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $76,780
– #85 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

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)

Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Owensboro, KY
– Annual mean salary: $115,810
– #22 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

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