What are the top paying vocational jobs?

I'm thinking about going into a vocational career instead of college and I'm wondering which fields tend to offer the highest salaries. Any specific jobs I should consider that don't require a four-year degree?

Certainly, vocational careers can provide a promising salary without the need for a traditional four-year college education. Here are some of the best-paying vocational jobs:

1. Elevator Installers and Repairers: These professionals install, fix, and maintain elevators, escalators, moving walkways, and similar equipment. This field typically requires an apprenticeship. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for these roles in 2020 was $84,990.

2. Radiation Therapists: Working in the medical field, radiation therapists administer radiation treatments to patients with cancer and other diseases. You typically need a two-year associate degree for this role. The 2020 median salary was $85,560.

3. Electrical Lineworker: Linesmen encounter all kinds of weather conditions to install, maintain, or repair the power lines that connect consumers to the power grid. An apprenticeship is typically required, and the average salary is about $72,520.

4. Utility Manager: While this role may require some experience in the field first, it generally doesn't require a four-year degree. Utility managers oversee the operations of a water treatment plant, electricity plant, or other utility services. The median annual wage reported was approximately $95,550.

5. Air Traffic Controller: This high-responsibility job involves coordinating the movement of aircraft to maintain safe distances between them. It necessitates specialized short-term training that can be acquired from non-degree diploma mills and the median pay in 2020 was $130,420.

6. Nuclear Technician: Often working within power production plants, nuclear technicians assist physicists, engineers, and other professionals in nuclear research and nuclear energy production. An associate degree or its equivalent training is required. They earned a median pay of $82,080 in 2020.

Given this, there are several lucrative vocational careers that don't require a traditional four-year degree and offer solid salaries. Keep in mind that even though these jobs don't require a bachelor's degree, they often require specific training, an apprenticeship, or pertinent work experience.