Highest-paying jobs in Pittsfield 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 Pittsfield 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.

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G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $53,750
- Median hourly wage: $25.84
- Total employment: 120 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $53,880
- Median hourly wage: $25.90
- Total employment: 30 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $54,170
- Median hourly wage: $26.04
- Total employment: 60 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lee Charlie // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Court, municipal, and license clerks

- Median annual wage: $55,140
- Median hourly wage: $26.51
- Total employment: 60 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $56,320
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 90 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 160 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $56,930
- Median hourly wage: $27.37
- Total employment: 90 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $57,650
- Median hourly wage: $27.71
- Total employment: 420 people (7.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

9 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.02
- Total employment: 130 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#40. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $58,560
- Median hourly wage: $28.15
- Total employment: 170 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (tie)

- Median annual wage: $58,560
- Median hourly wage: $28.16
- Total employment: 90 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $58,680
- Median hourly wage: $28.21
- Total employment: 230 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Self-enrichment teachers

- Median annual wage: $58,810
- Median hourly wage: $28.27
- Total employment: 260 people (4.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $59,080
- Median hourly wage: $28.40
- Total employment: 60 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $59,830
- Median hourly wage: $28.77
- Total employment: 90 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $60,260
- Median hourly wage: $28.97
- Total employment: 410 people (7.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#33. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $60,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.04
- Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Chefs and head cooks (tie)

- Median annual wage: $60,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: 130 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lucky Business // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors

- Median annual wage: $60,830
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 240 people (4.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nikita M production // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $61,640
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 50 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Kzenon // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining

- Median annual wage: $62,850
- Median hourly wage: $30.21
- Total employment: 40 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $63,270
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: 60 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,060
- Median hourly wage: $30.80
- Total employment: 650 people (11.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $65,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.48
- Total employment: 50 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $66,560
- Median hourly wage: $32.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $67,100
- Median hourly wage: $32.26
- Total employment: 180 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $67,790
- Median hourly wage: $32.59
- Total employment: 350 people (6.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $68,110
- Median hourly wage: $32.74
- Total employment: 190 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,730
- Median hourly wage: $34.00
- Total employment: 310 people (5.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,790
- Median hourly wage: $34.03
- Total employment: 190 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $70,900
- Median hourly wage: $34.09
- Total employment: 90 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $74,100
- Median hourly wage: $35.63
- Total employment: 90 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $74,220
- Median hourly wage: $35.68
- Total employment: 110 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $74,270
- Median hourly wage: $35.71
- Total employment: 270 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $75,220
- Median hourly wage: $36.16
- Total employment: 250 people (4.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $75,790
- Median hourly wage: $36.44
- Total employment: 40 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,810
- Median hourly wage: $36.45
- Total employment: 60 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $76,760
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 290 people (5.04 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: $77,060
- Median hourly wage: $37.05
- Total employment: 260 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $77,890
- Median hourly wage: $37.45
- Total employment: 60 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,970
- Median hourly wage: $37.49
- Total employment: 260 people (4.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,130
- Median hourly wage: $38.52
- Total employment: 300 people (5.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $81,540
- Median hourly wage: $39.20
- Total employment: 40 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $81,720
- Median hourly wage: $39.29
- Total employment: 110 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $82,150
- Median hourly wage: $39.50
- Total employment: 340 people (5.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $83,580
- Median hourly wage: $40.18
- Total employment: 50 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $85,730
- Median hourly wage: $41.21
- Total employment: 60 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $94,170
- Median hourly wage: $45.28
- Total employment: 70 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $95,570
- Median hourly wage: $45.95
- Total employment: 40 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $103,890
- Median hourly wage: $49.95
- Total employment: 60 people (0.96 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.