Viktoriia Hnatiuk // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Travel agents
- Median annual wage: $47,900
- Median hourly wage: $23.03
- Total employment: 40 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Daphne 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 Daphne 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.
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $48,090
- Median hourly wage: $23.12
- Total employment: 140 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $48,360
- Median hourly wage: $23.25
- Total employment: 480 people (5.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $48,640
- Median hourly wage: $23.38
- Total employment: 290 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorgev // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $48,760
- Median hourly wage: $23.44
- Total employment: 60 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $48,780
- Median hourly wage: $23.45
- Total employment: 110 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $48,830
- Median hourly wage: $23.48
- Total employment: 140 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $49,030
- Median hourly wage: $23.57
- Total employment: 330 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $49,270
- Median hourly wage: $23.69
- Total employment: 450 people (5.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $49,360
- Median hourly wage: $23.73
- Total employment: 170 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $49,490
- Median hourly wage: $23.79
- Total employment: 360 people (4.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $49,720
- Median hourly wage: $23.91
- Total employment: 350 people (4.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $50,040
- Median hourly wage: $24.06
- Total employment: 240 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Meter readers, utilities
- Median annual wage: $50,090
- Median hourly wage: $24.08
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
muratart // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Pipelayers
- Median annual wage: $50,170
- Median hourly wage: $24.12
- Total employment: 40 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $52,160
- Median hourly wage: $25.08
- Total employment: 320 people (3.85 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: $52,660
- Median hourly wage: $25.32
- Total employment: 810 people (9.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $52,980
- Median hourly wage: $25.47
- Total employment: 30 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PHILIPIMAGE // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $53,420
- Median hourly wage: $25.68
- Total employment: 110 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Massage therapists
- Median annual wage: $54,080
- Median hourly wage: $26.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $55,850
- Median hourly wage: $26.85
- Total employment: 170 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $56,130
- Median hourly wage: $26.99
- Total employment: 200 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $56,790
- Median hourly wage: $27.30
- Total employment: 70 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $56,820
- Median hourly wage: $27.32
- Total employment: 70 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $57,060
- Median hourly wage: $27.43
- Total employment: 180 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $57,390
- Median hourly wage: $27.59
- Total employment: 250 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $57,620
- Median hourly wage: $27.70
- Total employment: 520 people (6.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $58,360
- Median hourly wage: $28.06
- Total employment: 120 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 290 people (3.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $59,130
- Median hourly wage: $28.43
- Total employment: 380 people (4.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $59,250
- Median hourly wage: $28.49
- Total employment: 60 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $59,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 70 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $60,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: 80 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $60,710
- Median hourly wage: $29.19
- Total employment: 720 people (8.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $61,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.48
- Total employment: 340 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $61,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Total employment: 600 people (7.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $62,280
- Median hourly wage: $29.94
- Total employment: 40 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $62,290
- Median hourly wage: $29.95
- Total employment: 670 people (7.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrei Agape // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Avionics technicians
- Median annual wage: $62,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.99
- Total employment: 50 people (0.56 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: $63,930
- Median hourly wage: $30.73
- Total employment: 380 people (4.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $66,660
- Median hourly wage: $32.05
- Total employment: 140 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $66,780
- Median hourly wage: $32.10
- Total employment: 90 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $66,880
- Median hourly wage: $32.16
- Total employment: 130 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $69,350
- Median hourly wage: $33.34
- Total employment: 50 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $69,690
- Median hourly wage: $33.51
- Total employment: 110 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $71,670
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.51 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: $77,370
- Median hourly wage: $37.20
- Total employment: 120 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $81,390
- Median hourly wage: $39.13
- Total employment: 50 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $84,580
- Median hourly wage: $40.66
- Total employment: 30 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $95,880
- Median hourly wage: $46.10
- Total employment: 30 people (0.41 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.
