Syda Productions // Shutterstock

Highest-paying jobs in Auburn 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 Auburn-Opelika, AL that don’t require a college degree.

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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#50. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $37,670
– #446 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 470

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)

fizkes // Shutterstock

#49. Public safety telecommunicators

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $38,070
– #299 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $47,030
– Employment: 97,050
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($97,380)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,790)
— Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($76,950)

Canva

#48. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $38,670
– #490 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 280

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)

Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

#47. Carpenters

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $38,700
– #478 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)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

#46. Sheet metal workers

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $39,040
– #359 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)

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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#45. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $39,370
– #518 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

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)

Canva

#44. Dental laboratory technicians

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $39,400
– #155 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

National
– Annual mean salary: $47,320
– Employment: 34,150
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($67,730)
— Idaho Falls, ID ($59,560)
— Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($55,140)

Pixabay

#43. Maintenance and repair workers, general

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $39,460
– #372 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 430

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)

Rob Kim // Getty Images

#42. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $40,270
– #438 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 710

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)

New Africa // Shutterstock

#41. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $40,530
– #308 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

National
– Annual mean salary: $45,100
– Employment: 153,640
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,770)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,250)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($59,160)

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4 PM production // Shutterstock

#40. Automotive service technicians and mechanics

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $41,180
– #441 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 310

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)

Unsplash

#39. Library technicians

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $41,270
– #84 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $39,070
– Employment: 73,000
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($61,740)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,950)
— Napa, CA ($57,890)

Canva

#38. Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $41,370
– #64 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $39,540
– Employment: 54,760
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,360)
— Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($54,750)
— Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($52,300)

Pixabay

#37. Surveying and mapping technicians

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $41,690
– #265 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $49,810
– Employment: 56,070
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($84,710)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($77,840)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($76,960)

Canva

#36. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $42,240
– #238 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 170

National
– Annual mean salary: $46,240
– Employment: 157,840
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($70,030)
— Waco, TX ($63,080)
— Springfield, MA-CT ($57,930)

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Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#35. Electricians

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $42,380
– #514 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 280

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)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

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

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $43,000
– #419 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

London Metropolitan Archives/Heritage Images // Getty Images

#33. Machinists

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $43,040
– #398 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 300

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)

Pixabay

#32. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $43,070
– #382 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 190

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)

Pixabay

#31. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $43,200
– #470 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 840

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)

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Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

#30. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $43,530
– #216 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $48,570
– Employment: 151,340
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,570)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,900)
— New Haven, CT ($63,790)

David Spates // Shutterstock

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

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $45,510
– #398 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160

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)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

#28. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $45,560
– #405 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)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#27. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $45,590
– #452 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)

Canva

#26. Automotive body and related repairers

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $47,180
– #252 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $50,660
– Employment: 137,300
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Ann Arbor, MI ($71,350)
— Ames, IA ($68,340)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,060)

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G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

#25. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $47,430
– #356 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

welcomia // Shutterstock

#24. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $48,420
– #404 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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)

Socrates471 // Shutterstock

#23. Audio and video technicians

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $48,990
– #78 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30

National
– Annual mean salary: $55,310
– Employment: 50,590
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($80,410)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($73,160)
— St. Louis, MO-IL ($68,430)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

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

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $50,890
– #444 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 600

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)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

#21. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $51,300
– #222 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

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Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

#20. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $52,300
– #181 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

#19. Postal service mail carriers

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $52,420
– #431 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

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)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

#18. Industrial machinery mechanics

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $52,510
– #413 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 500

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)

Canva

#17. Construction and building inspectors

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,640
– #330 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30

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)

Prath // Shutterstock

#16. Detectives and criminal investigators

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $54,000
– #328 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

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Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

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

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $55,320
– #289 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)

Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

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

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $56,990
– #383 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 250

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)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

#13. Chefs and head cooks

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $57,260
– #109 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30

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)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

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

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $59,420
– #439 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 460

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)

goodluz // Shutterstock

#11. Real estate sales agents

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $59,950
– #124 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

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)

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sculpies // Shutterstock

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

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $61,670
– #430 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 330

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

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

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $62,600
– #387 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 270

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)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

#8. Computer user support specialists

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $62,890
– #36 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 380

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)

Stealth Communications // Wikimedia Commons

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

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $62,950
– #115 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)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

#6. Food service managers

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $63,410
– #140 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

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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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#5. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $63,510
– #101 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

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-stockstudio // Shutterstock

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

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $64,130
– #461 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

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

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $65,890
– #371 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 280

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#2. Insurance sales agents

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $67,750
– #133 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 120

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)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Auburn-Opelika, AL
– Annual mean salary: $73,780
– #232 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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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