Highest-paying jobs in Australia that don't need a degree

It's possible to land a six-figure job in Australia without saddling yourself with years of HECS debt, if you know where to look.

New income data from the Australian Tax Office has revealed the highest-paid jobs in Australia that don't require a university degree.

Continue through the gallery to see what they are.

An auctioneer in Australia earns an average of $102,544 a year.

The huge machines are a staple in disaster movies, but real-world accidents are thankfully much rarer. Operators earn an average of $109,165 a year.

The easiest way to make money in property is probably to already have a number of investment properties already paid off.

But real estate agents are on a pretty good wicket as well, earning $112,815 a year.

Railway station managers attend to a number of wide-ranging tasks at these crucial transport hubs, including maintenance and repair works. They earn an average of $115,264.

Sticking to the rails, signals operators earn even more on average, at $124,767 a year.

Chopper pilots earn an average of $125,105 a year.

Few surprises here - coal miners are in the top five with an average annual wage of $130,033 a year.

Rounding out the top three, train drivers earn an average of $132,430 a year.

Plane pilots command high wages of $143,403.

But even they earn less than their colleagues on the ground.

Air traffic controllers have to monitor and communicate with all aircraft in their airspace - landing, take-off, and mid-flight.

Small wonder they take home, on average, $153,445 a year.