Highest-paying jobs in Lansing 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 Lansing 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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Vera Larina // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $60,470
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 150 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 130 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $60,700
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 190 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Glaziers

- Median annual wage: $60,720
- Median hourly wage: $29.19
- Total employment: 60 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rudenkois // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Musical instrument repairers and tuners

- Median annual wage: $60,830
- Median hourly wage: $29.24
- Total employment: 60 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#44. Office and administrative support workers, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $61,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.50
- Total employment: 1,000 people (4.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants (tie)

- Median annual wage: $61,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.50
- Total employment: 210 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 470 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $62,320
- Median hourly wage: $29.96
- Total employment: 200 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $62,340
- Median hourly wage: $29.97
- Total employment: 560 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $62,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 100 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

12 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,720
- Median hourly wage: $30.16
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $62,730
- Median hourly wage: $30.16
- Total employment: 680 people (3.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $63,000
- Median hourly wage: $30.29
- Total employment: 1,220 people (5.72 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: $63,080
- Median hourly wage: $30.33
- Total employment: 1,130 people (5.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

mahc // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Tile and stone setters

- Median annual wage: $63,140
- Median hourly wage: $30.36
- Total employment: 50 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,530
- Median hourly wage: $30.54
- Total employment: 1,250 people (5.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $63,650
- Median hourly wage: $30.60
- Total employment: 350 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $63,740
- Median hourly wage: $30.64
- Total employment: 110 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $64,140
- Median hourly wage: $30.84
- Total employment: 330 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $64,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.06
- Total employment: 700 people (3.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.54
- Total employment: 840 people (3.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,230
- Median hourly wage: $32.32
- Total employment: 130 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,500
- Median hourly wage: $32.45
- Total employment: 2,000 people (9.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $68,850
- Median hourly wage: $33.10
- Total employment: 650 people (3.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $69,040
- Median hourly wage: $33.19
- Total employment: 50 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $69,520
- Median hourly wage: $33.43
- Total employment: 160 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $71,120
- Median hourly wage: $34.19
- Total employment: 100 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,170
- Median hourly wage: $34.22
- Total employment: 120 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $73,960
- Median hourly wage: $35.56
- Total employment: 190 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $74,460
- Median hourly wage: $35.80
- Total employment: 90 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $75,080
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 730 people (3.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,560
- Median hourly wage: $36.33
- Total employment: 690 people (3.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $75,720
- Median hourly wage: $36.41
- Total employment: 90 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $76,070
- Median hourly wage: $36.57
- Total employment: 880 people (4.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $77,050
- Median hourly wage: $37.05
- Total employment: 1,230 people (5.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $77,300
- Median hourly wage: $37.17
- Total employment: 170 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $78,440
- Median hourly wage: $37.71
- Total employment: 520 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,980
- Median hourly wage: $37.97
- Total employment: 900 people (4.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

- Median annual wage: $80,600
- Median hourly wage: $38.75
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Jat306 // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $82,570
- Median hourly wage: $39.70
- Total employment: 90 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $84,660
- Median hourly wage: $40.70
- Total employment: 180 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $85,390
- Median hourly wage: $41.05
- Total employment: 110 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $86,600
- Median hourly wage: $41.63
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $93,530
- Median hourly wage: $44.97
- Total employment: 300 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $95,270
- Median hourly wage: $45.80
- Total employment: 200 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Josep Suria // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $99,360
- Median hourly wage: $47.77
- Total employment: 90 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $99,990
- Median hourly wage: $48.07
- Total employment: 70 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $104,930
- Median hourly wage: $50.45
- Total employment: 50 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay

- Median annual wage: $108,960
- Median hourly wage: $52.39
- Total employment: 60 people (0.27 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.