Highest-paying jobs in Phoenix 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 Phoenix 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.

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $64,920
- Median hourly wage: $31.21
- Total employment: 2,230 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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2 / 50

#49. Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $65,400
- Median hourly wage: $31.44
- Total employment: 70 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

- Median annual wage: $65,640
- Median hourly wage: $31.56
- Total employment: 20,380 people (8.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $66,110
- Median hourly wage: $31.78
- Total employment: 3,210 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Photostriker // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other

- Median annual wage: $66,120
- Median hourly wage: $31.79
- Total employment: Not available

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Kzenon // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Helpers--extraction workers

- Median annual wage: $66,130
- Median hourly wage: $31.79
- Total employment: 300 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

- Median annual wage: $66,150
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 80 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Josep Suria // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $66,430
- Median hourly wage: $31.94
- Total employment: 450 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

- Median annual wage: $66,560
- Median hourly wage: $32.00
- Total employment: 220 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,730
- Median hourly wage: $32.08
- Total employment: 100 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

First Class Photography // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,930
- Median hourly wage: $32.18
- Total employment: 460 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Onk-Q // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers

- Median annual wage: $67,010
- Median hourly wage: $32.22
- Total employment: Not available

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13 / 50

#38. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $67,580
- Median hourly wage: $32.49
- Total employment: 230 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#36. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products (tie)

- Median annual wage: $67,960
- Median hourly wage: $32.67
- Total employment: 13,890 people (5.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Crane and tower operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $67,960
- Median hourly wage: $32.67
- Total employment: 760 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $69,490
- Median hourly wage: $33.41
- Total employment: 1,610 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

funnyangel // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Fire inspectors and investigators

- Median annual wage: $70,810
- Median hourly wage: $34.04
- Total employment: 140 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Hearing aid specialists

- Median annual wage: $71,470
- Median hourly wage: $34.36
- Total employment: 120 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#31. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants (tie)

- Median annual wage: $72,040
- Median hourly wage: $34.63
- Total employment: 5,000 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $72,040
- Median hourly wage: $34.63
- Total employment: 400 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Insurance appraisers, auto damage

- Median annual wage: $72,830
- Median hourly wage: $35.02
- Total employment: 60 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,160
- Median hourly wage: $35.66
- Total employment: 6,560 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisKlimov // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $74,230
- Median hourly wage: $35.69
- Total employment: 220 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $74,670
- Median hourly wage: $35.90
- Total employment: 3,660 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $74,990
- Median hourly wage: $36.05
- Total employment: 420 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,040
- Median hourly wage: $36.08
- Total employment: 8,130 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

- Median annual wage: $75,220
- Median hourly wage: $36.16
- Total employment: 340 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Private detectives and investigators

- Median annual wage: $75,230
- Median hourly wage: $36.17
- Total employment: 760 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,770
- Median hourly wage: $36.43
- Total employment: 240 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

emirhankaramuk // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Medical appliance technicians

- Median annual wage: $76,040
- Median hourly wage: $36.56
- Total employment: 270 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $76,340
- Median hourly wage: $36.70
- Total employment: 560 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Semiconductor processing technicians

- Median annual wage: $78,050
- Median hourly wage: $37.53
- Total employment: 3,710 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $78,280
- Median hourly wage: $37.63
- Total employment: 2,540 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,420
- Median hourly wage: $37.70
- Total employment: 310 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,000
- Median hourly wage: $37.98
- Total employment: 16,610 people (7.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $79,200
- Median hourly wage: $38.08
- Total employment: 60 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $79,650
- Median hourly wage: $38.29
- Total employment: 3,010 people (1.29 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: $80,230
- Median hourly wage: $38.57
- Total employment: 2,250 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrei Agape // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Avionics technicians

- Median annual wage: $84,910
- Median hourly wage: $40.82
- Total employment: 210 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $91,600
- Median hourly wage: $44.04
- Total employment: 7,750 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Prath // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $94,970
- Median hourly wage: $45.66
- Total employment: 1,240 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $95,550
- Median hourly wage: $45.94
- Total employment: 2,320 people (0.99 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: $102,260
- Median hourly wage: $49.17
- Total employment: 1,410 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $103,830
- Median hourly wage: $49.92
- Total employment: 40 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $109,270
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 820 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $110,500
- Median hourly wage: $53.12
- Total employment: Not available

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47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $114,520
- Median hourly wage: $55.06
- Total employment: 1,400 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yulai Studio // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Surgical assistants

- Median annual wage: $115,610
- Median hourly wage: $55.58
- Total employment: Not available

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $117,990
- Median hourly wage: $56.73
- Total employment: 1,100 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

50 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $120,410
- Median hourly wage: $57.89
- Total employment: 190 people (0.08 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.