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

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Pixabay

#50. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $48,740
– #141 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 460

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)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

#49. Sheet metal workers

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $49,240
– #213 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

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)

London Metropolitan Archives/Heritage Images // Getty Images

#48. Machinists

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $49,900
– #135 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 510

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)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

#47. Computer user support specialists

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $50,300
– #289 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,040

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)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#46. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $50,310
– #445 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 910

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)

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Indypendenz // Shutterstock

#45. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $50,740
– #84 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 230

National
– Annual mean salary: $51,010
– Employment: 112,130
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Huntsville, AL ($55,830)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,260)
— Wausau, WI ($55,060)

Pixabay

#44. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $51,030
– #130 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 3,550

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)

Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#43. Electricians

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $51,260
– #369 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,240

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)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

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

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $52,530
– #203 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

#41. Massage therapists

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $52,570
– #73 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160

National
– Annual mean salary: $49,260
– Employment: 81,030
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Anchorage, AK ($96,260)
— Kalamazoo-Portage, MI ($74,980)
— Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($74,850)

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#40. Dental laboratory technicians

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $53,080
– #12 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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)

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

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

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $53,230
– #17 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 790

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)

welcomia // Shutterstock

#38. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $53,680
– #238 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 270

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)

Unsplash

#37. Structural iron and steel workers

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $53,790
– #99 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

#36. Postal service mail carriers

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $54,100
– #179 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 530

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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#35. Construction and building inspectors

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $54,140
– #319 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

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)

David Spates // Shutterstock

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

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $54,260
– #150 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 940

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)

Canva

#33. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $54,790
– #201 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 650

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)

John Leung // Shutterstock

#32. Brickmasons and blockmasons

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $55,450
– #111 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $61,430
– Employment: 55,950
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($95,980)
— Decatur, IL ($92,670)
— Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($89,340)

Pxhere

#31. Maintenance workers, machinery

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $55,540
– #82 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 270

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)

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rlat // Shutterstock

#30. Postal service clerks

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $55,810
– #46 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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)

ryanivy308 // Pixabay

#29. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $56,630
– #207 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

National
– Annual mean salary: $64,230
– Employment: 50,780
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($87,890)
— Fresno, CA ($86,230)
— Fairbanks, AK ($85,640)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

#28. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $57,370
– #141 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $69,750
– Employment: 54,470
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($114,400)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,220)
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($112,950)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#27. Insurance sales agents

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $58,880
– #278 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 680

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)

Pandu Agus Wismoyo // Unsplash

#26. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $59,110
– #188 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 330

National
– Annual mean salary: $69,470
– Employment: 125,440
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($86,470)
— Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($86,370)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($85,860)

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Stealth Communications // Wikimedia Commons

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

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $59,250
– #196 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220

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)

Canva

#24. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $59,870
– #27 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $49,850
– Employment: 35,720
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($87,740)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($86,630)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($83,090)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

#23. Food service managers

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $60,310
– #201 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 230

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)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#22. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $60,640
– #175 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 770

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)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

#21. Millwrights

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $61,000
– #69 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

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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Unsplash

#20. Crane and tower operators

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $61,360
– #81 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $65,270
– Employment: 43,400
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($131,160)
— Syracuse, NY ($103,350)
— Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($99,990)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#19. Advertising sales agents

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $62,200
– #64 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

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)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

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

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $62,420
– #108 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,480

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#17. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $62,630
– #312 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 350

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)

U.S. Air Force

#16. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $62,960
– #257 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 260

National
– Annual mean salary: $83,270
– Employment: 80,890
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($171,060)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($145,740)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($135,860)

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Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

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

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $66,300
– #216 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,340

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)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

#14. Industrial machinery mechanics

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $66,520
– #45 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,060

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

#13. Tool and die makers

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $67,270
– #12 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 250

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)

Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

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

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $68,210
– #101 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,610

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)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#11. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $68,280
– #297 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 650

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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sculpies // Shutterstock

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

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $69,220
– #233 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 860

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)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#9. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $70,580
– #31 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

National
– Annual mean salary: $78,440
– Employment: 5,220
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Salinas, CA ($104,810)
— Visalia-Porterville, CA ($101,650)
— Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($101,610)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

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

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $70,830
– #146 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,310

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)

Canva

#7. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $71,610
– #346 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 350

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)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

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

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $73,490
– #150 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 920

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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Canva

#5. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $74,880
– #47 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $91,320
– Employment: 22,510
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($130,290)
— Kansas City, MO-KS ($113,590)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($113,480)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

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

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $77,450
– #265 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 260

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)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

#3. Commercial pilots

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $79,280
– #176 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $115,080
– Employment: 42,770
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($185,920)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($184,260)
— Savannah, GA ($177,450)

Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $92,100
– #260 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 290

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)

Prath // Shutterstock

#1. Detectives and criminal investigators

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $97,860
– #45 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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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