Highest-paying jobs in Altoona 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 Altoona 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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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#49. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $46,160
- Median hourly wage: $22.19
- Total employment: 290 people (5.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Automotive body and related repairers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $46,160
- Median hourly wage: $22.19
- Total employment: 80 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $48,080
- Median hourly wage: $23.12
- Total employment: 60 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $48,350
- Median hourly wage: $23.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $48,620
- Median hourly wage: $23.37
- Total employment: 110 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $48,680
- Median hourly wage: $23.40
- Total employment: 60 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $48,690
- Median hourly wage: $23.41
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $49,000
- Median hourly wage: $23.56
- Total employment: 180 people (3.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $49,180
- Median hourly wage: $23.64
- Total employment: 180 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $49,810
- Median hourly wage: $23.95
- Total employment: 80 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $49,880
- Median hourly wage: $23.98
- Total employment: 140 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $50,300
- Median hourly wage: $24.18
- Total employment: 100 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $50,990
- Median hourly wage: $24.52
- Total employment: 1,140 people (19.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $51,050
- Median hourly wage: $24.54
- Total employment: 120 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Crossing guards and flaggers

- Median annual wage: $51,460
- Median hourly wage: $24.74
- Total employment: 170 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $51,660
- Median hourly wage: $24.84
- Total employment: 40 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#33. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel (tie)

- Median annual wage: $51,990
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 310 people (5.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Property, real estate, and community association managers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $51,990
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 70 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $52,370
- Median hourly wage: $25.18
- Total employment: 160 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $53,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.48
- Total employment: 270 people (4.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $54,010
- Median hourly wage: $25.97
- Total employment: 110 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $54,260
- Median hourly wage: $26.09
- Total employment: 100 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

- Median annual wage: $54,310
- Median hourly wage: $26.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $54,380
- Median hourly wage: $26.15
- Total employment: 390 people (6.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $55,410
- Median hourly wage: $26.64
- Total employment: 60 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $56,510
- Median hourly wage: $27.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $56,570
- Median hourly wage: $27.20
- Total employment: 110 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $57,150
- Median hourly wage: $27.48
- Total employment: 140 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $57,320
- Median hourly wage: $27.56
- Total employment: 230 people (4.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $57,610
- Median hourly wage: $27.70
- Total employment: 70 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $58,230
- Median hourly wage: $27.99
- Total employment: 70 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $58,410
- Median hourly wage: $28.08
- Total employment: 180 people (3.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $58,420
- Median hourly wage: $28.09
- Total employment: 500 people (8.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,480
- Median hourly wage: $28.12
- Total employment: 230 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,260
- Median hourly wage: $28.49
- Total employment: 550 people (9.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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goodluz // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $59,980
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,420
- Median hourly wage: $29.05
- Total employment: 500 people (8.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,620
- Median hourly wage: $29.14
- Total employment: 60 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $61,710
- Median hourly wage: $29.67
- Total employment: 70 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,920
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 340 people (5.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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rlat // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $65,170
- Median hourly wage: $31.33
- Total employment: 30 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,550
- Median hourly wage: $33.92
- Total employment: 230 people (3.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $70,600
- Median hourly wage: $33.94
- Total employment: 240 people (4.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $72,130
- Median hourly wage: $34.68
- Total employment: 60 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,020
- Median hourly wage: $35.59
- Total employment: 50 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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John Leung // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $75,000
- Median hourly wage: $36.06
- Total employment: 70 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,410
- Median hourly wage: $37.22
- Total employment: 310 people (5.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $83,200
- Median hourly wage: $40.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)