I always thought that one of the highest paying job that did not require a college degree was air traffic controller.
This article is specific to the oil/gas industry in the upstream market.
My buddies son got out of the Air Force about three years ago. He was an air traffic controller over in Bagdad for a year. He now works at Miami International. He had a choice of 3 or 4 airports to work at. His starting pay was $75k.
My electrian was a air traffic controller at their main Northeast tracking facility here in Nashua,NH. He got fired by Reagan and had to find a new career. He never forgave Ronnie for that. It is one of those subjects we do not discuss.