{"id":79459,"date":"2025-07-21T01:54:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T01:54:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/79459\/"},"modified":"2025-07-21T01:54:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T01:54:10","slug":"40-highest-paying-jobs-in-appleton-without-a-college-degree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/79459\/","title":{"rendered":"40 highest-paying jobs in Appleton without a college degree"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"text | article-text\">(Stacker) &#8211; Gen Z has figured out that college isn\u2019t 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<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/opub\/ted\/2024\/61-4-percent-of-recent-high-school-graduates-enrolled-in-college-in-october-2023.htm\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> opted out of college<\/a> in 2023, up from 33.8% in 2019.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">This shift comes at a good time for high school grads, as companies face labor shortages for many jobs that don\u2019t require a college degree. Baby boomers retiring and a trend to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/help-wanted-u-s-factories-seek-workers-for-the-nearshoring-boom-ef0209aa?mod=article_inline\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> reopen factories<\/a> in the United States have both driven demand for young talent. A July 2024 Intelligent report found that 1 in 3 companies have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.intelligent.com\/1-in-3-companies-eliminated-bachelors-degree-requirements-so-far-this-year\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">already dropped bachelor\u2019s degree requirements<\/a> across entry-level, mid-tier, and even senior positions to attract more employees.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">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<a href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorkfed.org\/research\/college-labor-market#--:explore:wages\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> since 1990<\/a>, according to the New York Federal Reserve.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">At $40,000 on average, these wages are still $20,000 lower than those of a college grad. Yet nearly<a href=\"https:\/\/www.asa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Launchpad-Jobs.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> 1 in 5 workers<\/a> who opt out of college earn more than employees with bachelor\u2019s degrees. Two million high school grads across the U.S. make six-figure annual salaries\u2014without the financial burden of attending a four-year university. As of 2025, the <a href=\"https:\/\/educationdata.org\/average-cost-of-college\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">average annual cost<\/a> of college is more than $38,200 per student, and the average college graduate has more than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fool.com\/research\/student-loan-debt-statistics\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">$39,000 in student debt<\/a>. It\u2019s little wonder that, according to a May 2024 survey from Pew Research, 29% of Americans <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/social-trends\/2024\/05\/23\/is-college-worth-it-2\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">think attending college<\/a> is not worthwhile.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">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. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacker.com\/wisconsin\/green-bay\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Stacker<\/a> ranked the 40 highest-paying jobs that don\u2019t require a college degree in Appleton using annual compensation data from the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/oes\/tables.htm\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> BLS<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n<p>#40. Carpenters<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $61,490<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $29.56<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 860 people (6.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#39. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $61,650<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $29.64<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 60 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#38. Paramedics<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $61,930<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $29.77<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 60 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#37. Engine and other machine assemblers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $61,990<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $29.80<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 110 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#36. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $62,000<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $29.81<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 270 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#35. Correctional officers and jailers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $62,050<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $29.83<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 90 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#34. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $62,780<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $30.18<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 90 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#33. Construction and building inspectors<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $63,050<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $30.31<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 60 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#32. Industrial machinery mechanics<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $63,190<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $30.38<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 1,050 people (8.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#31. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $63,380<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $30.47<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 210 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#30. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $63,430<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $30.50<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 50 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#29. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $63,540<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $30.55<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 100 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#28. Cement masons and concrete finishers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $63,710<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $30.63<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 380 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#27. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $64,100<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $30.82<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 1,570 people (12.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#26. Insurance sales agents<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $64,180<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $30.86<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 560 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#25. Surgical technologists<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $64,400<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $30.96<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 120 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#24. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $64,470<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $31.00<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 50 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#23. Coil winders, tapers, and finishers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $64,530<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $31.03<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 80 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#22. Electricians<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $65,210<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $31.35<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 840 people (6.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#21. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $65,640<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $31.56<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 180 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#20. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $66,560<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $32.00<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 1,030 people (8.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#19. Occupational health and safety technicians<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $67,790<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $32.59<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 30 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#18. Tool and die makers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $69,170<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $33.26<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 70 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#17. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $74,820<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $35.97<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 1,280 people (10.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#16. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $76,010<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $36.54<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 480 people (3.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#15. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $77,830<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $37.42<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 180 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#14. Sheet metal workers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $78,100<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $37.55<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 360 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#13. Brickmasons and blockmasons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $78,700<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $37.84<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 50 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#12. Police and sheriff\u2019s patrol officers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $79,100<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $38.03<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 360 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#11. Millwrights<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $80,400<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $38.66<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 90 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $82,410<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $39.62<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 810 people (6.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#9. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $82,980<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $39.90<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 580 people (4.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#8. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $85,890<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $41.29<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 850 people (6.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#7. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $89,810<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $43.18<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 90 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#6. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $90,400<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $43.46<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 140 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#5. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $90,960<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $43.73<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 70 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#4. Detectives and criminal investigators<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $91,680<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $44.08<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 50 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $94,180<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $45.28<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 310 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $98,170<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $47.20<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 120 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list | article-list\">\n<li>Median annual wage: $102,970<\/li>\n<li>Median hourly wage: $49.50<\/li>\n<li>Total employment: 140 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.<\/p>\n<p class=\"copyright |\">Copyright 2025 Stacker via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"(Stacker) &#8211; Gen Z has figured out that college isn\u2019t the only way to land a high-paying job.&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":79460,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[64,420,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-79459","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-jobs","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-jobs","10":"tag-united-states","11":"tag-unitedstates","12":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114888734322683099","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79459","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=79459"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79459\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/79460"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79459"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=79459"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=79459"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}