Highest-paying jobs in Bloomington, Illinois that don't require a college degree

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%) of 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 50 highest-paying jobs that don't require a college degree in Bloomington 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.

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

- Median annual wage: $51,580
- Median hourly wage: $24.80
- Total employment: 40 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $52,730
- Median hourly wage: $25.35
- Total employment: 370 people (4.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $54,570
- Median hourly wage: $26.24
- Total employment: 50 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Cargo and freight agents

- Median annual wage: $54,790
- Median hourly wage: $26.34
- Total employment: 30 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $54,900
- Median hourly wage: $26.40
- Total employment: 60 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $55,430
- Median hourly wage: $26.65
- Total employment: 70 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $56,310
- Median hourly wage: $27.07
- Total employment: 50 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $58,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.02
- Total employment: 120 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 110 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $58,580
- Median hourly wage: $28.16
- Total employment: 80 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Freedomz // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Health technologists and technicians, all other

- Median annual wage: $58,810
- Median hourly wage: $28.27
- Total employment: 50 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $59,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.37
- Total employment: 220 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $59,250
- Median hourly wage: $28.49
- Total employment: 1,100 people (12.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $59,750
- Median hourly wage: $28.73
- Total employment: 160 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $59,880
- Median hourly wage: $28.79
- Total employment: 260 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

New Africa // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers

- Median annual wage: $60,040
- Median hourly wage: $28.87
- Total employment: 110 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.98
- Total employment: 460 people (5.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $60,650
- Median hourly wage: $29.16
- Total employment: 170 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $61,130
- Median hourly wage: $29.39
- Total employment: Not available

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David Spates // Shutterstock

21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,600
- Median hourly wage: $29.61
- Total employment: 110 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,760
- Median hourly wage: $29.69
- Total employment: 510 people (5.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Construction laborers

- Median annual wage: $61,950
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 340 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $62,130
- Median hourly wage: $29.87
- Total employment: 110 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $63,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.48
- Total employment: 170 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,500
- Median hourly wage: $30.53
- Total employment: 520 people (5.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $65,820
- Median hourly wage: $31.64
- Total employment: 60 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $66,050
- Median hourly wage: $31.76
- Total employment: 310 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,820
- Median hourly wage: $32.13
- Total employment: 290 people (3.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,990
- Median hourly wage: $32.69
- Total employment: 40 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $68,480
- Median hourly wage: $32.92
- Total employment: 130 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $70,960
- Median hourly wage: $34.12
- Total employment: 330 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $73,470
- Median hourly wage: $35.32
- Total employment: 190 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Property, real estate, and community association managers

- Median annual wage: $73,640
- Median hourly wage: $35.41
- Total employment: 100 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $75,000
- Median hourly wage: $36.06
- Total employment: 1,330 people (14.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $76,660
- Median hourly wage: $36.86
- Total employment: Not available

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $76,830
- Median hourly wage: $36.94
- Total employment: 60 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $77,340
- Median hourly wage: $37.18
- Total employment: 50 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,290
- Median hourly wage: $37.64
- Total employment: Not available

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $80,600
- Median hourly wage: $38.75
- Total employment: 70 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $81,240
- Median hourly wage: $39.06
- Total employment: 70 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $82,900
- Median hourly wage: $39.86
- Total employment: 200 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $84,080
- Median hourly wage: $40.42
- Total employment: 300 people (3.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $85,240
- Median hourly wage: $40.98
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $86,650
- Median hourly wage: $41.66
- Total employment: 300 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Irene Miller // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $93,510
- Median hourly wage: $44.96
- Total employment: 200 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $94,510
- Median hourly wage: $45.44
- Total employment: 240 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $95,290
- Median hourly wage: $45.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $100,360
- Median hourly wage: $48.25
- Total employment: 120 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $135,430
- Median hourly wage: $65.11
- Total employment: 80 people (0.84 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.