Highest-paying jobs in Billings 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 Billings 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.

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $58,810
- Median hourly wage: $28.27
- Total employment: 640 people (6.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $58,920
- Median hourly wage: $28.33
- Total employment: 60 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $58,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.34
- Total employment: 60 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Automotive service technicians and mechanics

- Median annual wage: $59,040
- Median hourly wage: $28.39
- Total employment: 570 people (6.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $59,480
- Median hourly wage: $28.59
- Total employment: 80 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $59,780
- Median hourly wage: $28.74
- Total employment: 90 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

7 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.85
- Total employment: 200 people (2.12 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: $60,080
- Median hourly wage: $28.89
- Total employment: 510 people (5.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $60,440
- Median hourly wage: $29.06
- Total employment: 1,930 people (20.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Noin90650 // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers

- Median annual wage: $60,520
- Median hourly wage: $29.10
- Total employment: 70 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $60,700
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 100 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $60,730
- Median hourly wage: $29.20
- Total employment: 170 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $60,850
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 520 people (5.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $60,880
- Median hourly wage: $29.27
- Total employment: 60 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $61,210
- Median hourly wage: $29.43
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $61,410
- Median hourly wage: $29.52
- Total employment: 50 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,430
- Median hourly wage: $29.53
- Total employment: 700 people (7.49 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: $61,810
- Median hourly wage: $29.72
- Total employment: 1,080 people (11.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,870
- Median hourly wage: $29.75
- Total employment: 60 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $62,490
- Median hourly wage: $30.04
- Total employment: 290 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $62,990
- Median hourly wage: $30.28
- Total employment: 40 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $63,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: 140 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

- Median annual wage: $64,020
- Median hourly wage: $30.78
- Total employment: 40 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $64,050
- Median hourly wage: $30.79
- Total employment: 200 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $65,530
- Median hourly wage: $31.51
- Total employment: 70 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $67,460
- Median hourly wage: $32.43
- Total employment: Not available

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

- Median annual wage: $68,000
- Median hourly wage: $32.69
- Total employment: 170 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $68,200
- Median hourly wage: $32.79
- Total employment: 140 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $70,160
- Median hourly wage: $33.73
- Total employment: 310 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chay_Tee // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Tax preparers

- Median annual wage: $71,370
- Median hourly wage: $34.31
- Total employment: 90 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Said M // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Service unit operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $74,300
- Median hourly wage: $35.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,530
- Median hourly wage: $35.83
- Total employment: 780 people (8.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $75,200
- Median hourly wage: $36.15
- Total employment: 190 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LaKirr // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Extraction workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $75,400
- Median hourly wage: $36.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $76,060
- Median hourly wage: $36.57
- Total employment: 70 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $78,160
- Median hourly wage: $37.58
- Total employment: 460 people (4.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vadim Ratnikov // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Earth drillers, except oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $78,350
- Median hourly wage: $37.67
- Total employment: 60 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,650
- Median hourly wage: $38.29
- Total employment: 100 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,040
- Median hourly wage: $38.48
- Total employment: 150 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,120
- Median hourly wage: $38.52
- Total employment: 550 people (5.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $80,590
- Median hourly wage: $38.75
- Total employment: 370 people (3.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $82,650
- Median hourly wage: $39.74
- Total employment: 420 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $84,310
- Median hourly wage: $40.53
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $84,460
- Median hourly wage: $40.61
- Total employment: 420 people (4.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $97,850
- Median hourly wage: $47.04
- Total employment: 30 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $99,520
- Median hourly wage: $47.85
- Total employment: 70 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

- Median annual wage: $101,720
- Median hourly wage: $48.90
- Total employment: 450 people (4.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $105,630
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $107,340
- Median hourly wage: $51.61
- Total employment: 50 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $113,130
- Median hourly wage: $54.39
- Total employment: 70 people (0.71 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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