Highest-paying jobs in Waterloo 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 Waterloo 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.

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $54,280
- Median hourly wage: $26.10
- Total employment: 190 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $54,730
- Median hourly wage: $26.31
- Total employment: 70 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $55,990
- Median hourly wage: $26.92
- Total employment: 120 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $56,500
- Median hourly wage: $27.16
- Total employment: 200 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $56,540
- Median hourly wage: $27.18
- Total employment: 380 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $56,730
- Median hourly wage: $27.27
- Total employment: 190 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,790
- Median hourly wage: $27.30
- Total employment: 180 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

8 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,820
- Median hourly wage: $27.32
- Total employment: 330 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#41. Highway maintenance workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $56,890
- Median hourly wage: $27.35
- Total employment: 150 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Cement masons and concrete finishers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $56,890
- Median hourly wage: $27.35
- Total employment: 80 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $57,560
- Median hourly wage: $27.67
- Total employment: 80 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $57,710
- Median hourly wage: $27.75
- Total employment: 210 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $57,750
- Median hourly wage: $27.77
- Total employment: 200 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

14 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,830
- Median hourly wage: $27.81
- Total employment: 500 people (5.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.86
- Total employment: 270 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $57,980
- Median hourly wage: $27.87
- Total employment: 60 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,000
- Median hourly wage: $27.89
- Total employment: 70 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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18 / 50

#33. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $58,320
- Median hourly wage: $28.04
- Total employment: 330 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $58,890
- Median hourly wage: $28.31
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $59,400
- Median hourly wage: $28.56
- Total employment: 80 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners

- Median annual wage: $59,420
- Median hourly wage: $28.57
- Total employment: 80 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $59,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $60,420
- Median hourly wage: $29.05
- Total employment: 240 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 50 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $60,750
- Median hourly wage: $29.21
- Total employment: 40 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,090
- Median hourly wage: $29.37
- Total employment: 250 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $61,620
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 70 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $61,850
- Median hourly wage: $29.74
- Total employment: 90 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $62,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.98
- Total employment: 90 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#20. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products (tie)

- Median annual wage: $62,860
- Median hourly wage: $30.22
- Total employment: 730 people (8.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $62,860
- Median hourly wage: $30.22
- Total employment: 110 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $63,460
- Median hourly wage: $30.51
- Total employment: 180 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $63,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 310 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $64,040
- Median hourly wage: $30.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $64,230
- Median hourly wage: $30.88
- Total employment: 110 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SatawatK // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,320
- Median hourly wage: $30.93
- Total employment: 80 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $64,700
- Median hourly wage: $31.11
- Total employment: 370 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $68,440
- Median hourly wage: $32.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,460
- Median hourly wage: $33.39
- Total employment: 50 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,600
- Median hourly wage: $33.46
- Total employment: 90 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $70,080
- Median hourly wage: $33.69
- Total employment: 30 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,420
- Median hourly wage: $36.26
- Total employment: 580 people (6.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,010
- Median hourly wage: $36.55
- Total employment: 440 people (5.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $83,500
- Median hourly wage: $40.14
- Total employment: 330 people (3.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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45 / 50

#6. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $84,130
- Median hourly wage: $40.45
- Total employment: 420 people (4.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $84,660
- Median hourly wage: $40.70
- Total employment: 100 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $84,730
- Median hourly wage: $40.74
- Total employment: 300 people (3.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $91,100
- Median hourly wage: $43.80
- Total employment: 140 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $93,600
- Median hourly wage: $45.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.59 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: $112,310
- Median hourly wage: $53.99
- Total employment: 90 people (1.08 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.