RossHelen // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $46,780
- Median hourly wage: $22.49
- Total employment: 70 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Decatur 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 Decatur 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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Fusionstudio // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Median annual wage: $46,850
- Median hourly wage: $22.52
- Total employment: 320 people (5.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $47,140
- Median hourly wage: $22.66
- Total employment: 40 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $48,350
- Median hourly wage: $23.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $48,500
- Median hourly wage: $23.32
- Total employment: 250 people (4.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kot500 // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $49,120
- Median hourly wage: $23.62
- Total employment: 170 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
flywish // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Median annual wage: $49,210
- Median hourly wage: $23.66
- Total employment: 150 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $50,360
- Median hourly wage: $24.21
- Total employment: 130 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jat306 // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $50,910
- Median hourly wage: $24.48
- Total employment: 70 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $51,170
- Median hourly wage: $24.60
- Total employment: 220 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $51,760
- Median hourly wage: $24.89
- Total employment: 60 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $53,030
- Median hourly wage: $25.49
- Total employment: 50 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $53,420
- Median hourly wage: $25.69
- Total employment: 120 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $53,760
- Median hourly wage: $25.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $54,080
- Median hourly wage: $26.00
- Total employment: 170 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $54,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.09
- Total employment: 180 people (3.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $55,160
- Median hourly wage: $26.52
- Total employment: 230 people (3.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $55,510
- Median hourly wage: $26.69
- Total employment: 100 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $55,590
- Median hourly wage: $26.73
- Total employment: 60 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $55,990
- Median hourly wage: $26.92
- Total employment: 270 people (4.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $56,010
- Median hourly wage: $26.93
- Total employment: 60 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $56,350
- Median hourly wage: $27.09
- Total employment: 70 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $56,590
- Median hourly wage: $27.21
- Total employment: 330 people (5.64 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: $56,860
- Median hourly wage: $27.34
- Total employment: 480 people (8.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $57,110
- Median hourly wage: $27.46
- Total employment: 210 people (3.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $57,480
- Median hourly wage: $27.63
- Total employment: 300 people (5.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $58,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.02
- Total employment: 1,440 people (24.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $59,260
- Median hourly wage: $28.49
- Total employment: 90 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $59,880
- Median hourly wage: $28.79
- Total employment: 100 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $61,080
- Median hourly wage: $29.37
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $61,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.50
- Total employment: 140 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $61,710
- Median hourly wage: $29.67
- Total employment: 140 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $61,950
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 140 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $61,990
- Median hourly wage: $29.80
- Total employment: 450 people (7.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 30 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $62,340
- Median hourly wage: $29.97
- Total employment: 370 people (6.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $62,510
- Median hourly wage: $30.05
- Total employment: 110 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $62,970
- Median hourly wage: $30.27
- Total employment: 70 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $67,700
- Median hourly wage: $32.55
- Total employment: 70 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $68,900
- Median hourly wage: $33.13
- Total employment: 540 people (9.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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sculpies // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $70,340
- Median hourly wage: $33.82
- Total employment: 430 people (7.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $72,650
- Median hourly wage: $34.93
- Total employment: 810 people (13.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $77,730
- Median hourly wage: $37.37
- Total employment: 720 people (12.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $77,980
- Median hourly wage: $37.49
- Total employment: 50 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $78,220
- Median hourly wage: $37.60
- Total employment: 220 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $78,460
- Median hourly wage: $37.72
- Total employment: 840 people (14.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $80,240
- Median hourly wage: $38.58
- Total employment: 470 people (8.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $93,700
- Median hourly wage: $45.05
- Total employment: 50 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $108,040
- Median hourly wage: $51.94
- Total employment: 50 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Akimov Igor // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $110,760
- Median hourly wage: $53.25
- Total employment: 60 people (1.06 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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