Highest-paying jobs in St. Louis 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 St. Louis 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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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Tank car, truck, and ship loaders

- Median annual wage: $67,120
- Median hourly wage: $32.27
- Total employment: 80 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Josep Suria // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $67,440
- Median hourly wage: $32.42
- Total employment: 300 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Fusionstudio // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles

- Median annual wage: $67,450
- Median hourly wage: $32.43
- Total employment: 670 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SpeedKingz // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Personal service managers, all other

- Median annual wage: $69,150
- Median hourly wage: $33.24
- Total employment: 100 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $69,240
- Median hourly wage: $33.29
- Total employment: 510 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

First Class Photography // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers

- Median annual wage: $70,080
- Median hourly wage: $33.69
- Total employment: 380 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $71,010
- Median hourly wage: $34.14
- Total employment: 790 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Sergii Kovalov // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Fabric and apparel patternmakers

- Median annual wage: $71,250
- Median hourly wage: $34.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $72,020
- Median hourly wage: $34.63
- Total employment: 6,070 people (4.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Cineberg // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Helpers, construction trades, all other

- Median annual wage: $72,780
- Median hourly wage: $34.99
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $73,060
- Median hourly wage: $35.12
- Total employment: 4,150 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

- Median annual wage: $73,960
- Median hourly wage: $35.56
- Total employment: 110 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Denys Yelmanov // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Bridge and lock tenders

- Median annual wage: $74,090
- Median hourly wage: $35.62
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Neale Cousland // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Athletes and sports competitors

- Median annual wage: $74,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 180 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $75,020
- Median hourly wage: $36.07
- Total employment: 240 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,210
- Median hourly wage: $36.16
- Total employment: 6,080 people (4.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Helpers--brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, and tile and marble setters

- Median annual wage: $75,420
- Median hourly wage: $36.26
- Total employment: 160 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $75,950
- Median hourly wage: $36.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $75,990
- Median hourly wage: $36.54
- Total employment: 200 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $76,280
- Median hourly wage: $36.67
- Total employment: 510 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

M2020 // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $76,400
- Median hourly wage: $36.73
- Total employment: 590 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Radovan1 / Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Plasterers and stucco masons

- Median annual wage: $76,540
- Median hourly wage: $36.80
- Total employment: Not available

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,950
- Median hourly wage: $36.99
- Total employment: Not available

John Leung // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $77,120
- Median hourly wage: $37.08
- Total employment: 1,070 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,460
- Median hourly wage: $37.72
- Total employment: 4,460 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $78,840
- Median hourly wage: $37.90
- Total employment: 3,210 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman023_photography // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Riggers

- Median annual wage: $79,230
- Median hourly wage: $38.09
- Total employment: Not available

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28 / 50

#22. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $79,250
- Median hourly wage: $38.10
- Total employment: 110 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

socrates471 // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Media and communication equipment workers, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $79,250
- Median hourly wage: $38.10
- Total employment: 60 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $79,280
- Median hourly wage: $38.11
- Total employment: 6,460 people (4.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. Avionics technicians

- Median annual wage: $80,060
- Median hourly wage: $38.49
- Total employment: 200 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kirill Lasis // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Tapers

- Median annual wage: $80,530
- Median hourly wage: $38.72
- Total employment: 180 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $80,640
- Median hourly wage: $38.77
- Total employment: 310 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $81,260
- Median hourly wage: $39.07
- Total employment: 3,690 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $82,150
- Median hourly wage: $39.49
- Total employment: 1,520 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $86,200
- Median hourly wage: $41.44
- Total employment: 600 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

funnyangel // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Fire inspectors and investigators

- Median annual wage: $86,250
- Median hourly wage: $41.47
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $87,230
- Median hourly wage: $41.94
- Total employment: 1,280 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $87,430
- Median hourly wage: $42.03
- Total employment: 320 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $88,440
- Median hourly wage: $42.52
- Total employment: 300 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $88,520
- Median hourly wage: $42.56
- Total employment: 880 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Said M // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Service unit operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $89,540
- Median hourly wage: $43.05
- Total employment: 60 people (0.04 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: $91,360
- Median hourly wage: $43.93
- Total employment: 5,640 people (4.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $94,620
- Median hourly wage: $45.49
- Total employment: 100 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

- Median annual wage: $96,330
- Median hourly wage: $46.31
- Total employment: 220 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $97,440
- Median hourly wage: $46.85
- Total employment: 380 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $100,000
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 370 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $100,410
- Median hourly wage: $48.27
- Total employment: 1,160 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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49 / 50

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $101,820
- Median hourly wage: $48.95
- Total employment: 1,450 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $101,950
- Median hourly wage: $49.01
- Total employment: 1,770 people (1.32 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.

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