(Stacker) – Gen Z has figured out that college isn’t the only way to land a high-paying job. According to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 2 in 5 (38.6%) recent high school graduates opted out of college in 2023, up from 33.8% in 2019.
This shift comes at a good time for high school grads, as companies face labor shortages for many jobs that don’t require a college degree. Baby boomers retiring and a trend to reopen factories in the United States have both driven demand for young talent. A July 2024 Intelligent report found that 1 in 3 companies have already dropped bachelor’s degree requirements across entry-level, mid-tier, and even senior positions to attract more employees.
The need for skilled workers, regardless of educational attainment, means better pay. Median wages for those with a high school degree are at their highest since 1990, according to the New York Federal Reserve.
At $40,000 on average, these wages are still $20,000 lower than those of a college grad. Yet nearly 1 in 5 workers who opt out of college earn more than employees with bachelor’s degrees. Two million high school grads across the U.S. make six-figure annual salaries—without the financial burden of attending a four-year university. As of 2025, the average annual cost of college is more than $38,200 per student, and the average college graduate has more than $39,000 in student debt. It’s little wonder that, according to a May 2024 survey from Pew Research, 29% of Americans think attending college is not worthwhile.
However, not every career field pays high school grads equally well, and understanding what the good jobs are is the first step to landing one. Stacker ranked the 40 highest-paying jobs that don’t require a college degree in Appleton using annual compensation data from the BLS. The analysis included jobs that listed a high school diploma, a postsecondary nondegree award, or had no formal education requirements for entry-level positions. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
#40. CarpentersMedian annual wage: $61,490Median hourly wage: $29.56Total employment: 860 people (6.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#39. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface miningMedian annual wage: $61,650Median hourly wage: $29.64Total employment: 60 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#38. ParamedicsMedian annual wage: $61,930Median hourly wage: $29.77Total employment: 60 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#37. Engine and other machine assemblersMedian annual wage: $61,990Median hourly wage: $29.80Total employment: 110 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#36. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installersMedian annual wage: $62,000Median hourly wage: $29.81Total employment: 270 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#35. Correctional officers and jailersMedian annual wage: $62,050Median hourly wage: $29.83Total employment: 90 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#34. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operatorsMedian annual wage: $62,780Median hourly wage: $30.18Total employment: 90 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#33. Construction and building inspectorsMedian annual wage: $63,050Median hourly wage: $30.31Total employment: 60 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#32. Industrial machinery mechanicsMedian annual wage: $63,190Median hourly wage: $30.38Total employment: 1,050 people (8.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#31. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tendersMedian annual wage: $63,380Median hourly wage: $30.47Total employment: 210 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#30. Elevator and escalator installers and repairersMedian annual wage: $63,430Median hourly wage: $30.50Total employment: 50 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#29. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except enginesMedian annual wage: $63,540Median hourly wage: $30.55Total employment: 100 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#28. Cement masons and concrete finishersMedian annual wage: $63,710Median hourly wage: $30.63Total employment: 380 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#27. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific productsMedian annual wage: $64,100Median hourly wage: $30.82Total employment: 1,570 people (12.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#26. Insurance sales agentsMedian annual wage: $64,180Median hourly wage: $30.86Total employment: 560 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#25. Surgical technologistsMedian annual wage: $64,400Median hourly wage: $30.96Total employment: 120 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#24. Computer numerically controlled tool programmersMedian annual wage: $64,470Median hourly wage: $31.00Total employment: 50 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#23. Coil winders, tapers, and finishersMedian annual wage: $64,530Median hourly wage: $31.03Total employment: 80 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#22. ElectriciansMedian annual wage: $65,210Median hourly wage: $31.35Total employment: 840 people (6.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#21. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistantsMedian annual wage: $65,640Median hourly wage: $31.56Total employment: 180 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#20. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workersMedian annual wage: $66,560Median hourly wage: $32.00Total employment: 1,030 people (8.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#19. Occupational health and safety techniciansMedian annual wage: $67,790Median hourly wage: $32.59Total employment: 30 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#18. Tool and die makersMedian annual wage: $69,170Median hourly wage: $33.26Total employment: 70 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#17. First-line supervisors of production and operating workersMedian annual wage: $74,820Median hourly wage: $35.97Total employment: 1,280 people (10.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#16. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operatorsMedian annual wage: $76,010Median hourly wage: $36.54Total employment: 480 people (3.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#15. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigatorsMedian annual wage: $77,830Median hourly wage: $37.42Total employment: 180 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#14. Sheet metal workersMedian annual wage: $78,100Median hourly wage: $37.55Total employment: 360 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#13. Brickmasons and blockmasonsMedian annual wage: $78,700Median hourly wage: $37.84Total employment: 50 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#12. Police and sheriff’s patrol officersMedian annual wage: $79,100Median hourly wage: $38.03Total employment: 360 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#11. MillwrightsMedian annual wage: $80,400Median hourly wage: $38.66Total employment: 90 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workersMedian annual wage: $82,410Median hourly wage: $39.62Total employment: 810 people (6.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#9. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairersMedian annual wage: $82,980Median hourly wage: $39.90Total employment: 580 people (4.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#8. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfittersMedian annual wage: $85,890Median hourly wage: $41.29Total employment: 850 people (6.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#7. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operatorsMedian annual wage: $89,810Median hourly wage: $43.18Total employment: 90 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#6. Transportation, storage, and distribution managersMedian annual wage: $90,400Median hourly wage: $43.46Total employment: 140 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#5. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workersMedian annual wage: $90,960Median hourly wage: $43.73Total employment: 70 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#4. Detectives and criminal investigatorsMedian annual wage: $91,680Median hourly wage: $44.08Total employment: 50 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workersMedian annual wage: $94,180Median hourly wage: $45.28Total employment: 310 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectivesMedian annual wage: $98,170Median hourly wage: $47.20Total employment: 120 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairersMedian annual wage: $102,970Median hourly wage: $49.50Total employment: 140 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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