Highest-paying jobs in Little Rock 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 Little Rock 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.

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 360 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $52,160
- Median hourly wage: $25.08
- Total employment: 3,380 people (9.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. First-line supervisors of correctional officers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $52,160
- Median hourly wage: $25.08
- Total employment: 810 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $52,410
- Median hourly wage: $25.20
- Total employment: 2,650 people (7.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $52,640
- Median hourly wage: $25.31
- Total employment: 80 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Bailiffs

- Median annual wage: $52,680
- Median hourly wage: $25.33
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $53,460
- Median hourly wage: $25.70
- Total employment: 580 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

8 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $53,640
- Median hourly wage: $25.79
- Total employment: 2,100 people (5.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Photostriker // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other

- Median annual wage: $54,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.96
- Total employment: 60 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $54,720
- Median hourly wage: $26.31
- Total employment: 80 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorgev // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $55,130
- Median hourly wage: $26.50
- Total employment: 200 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $55,320
- Median hourly wage: $26.60
- Total employment: 320 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $55,440
- Median hourly wage: $26.65
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $55,660
- Median hourly wage: $26.76
- Total employment: 210 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,040
- Median hourly wage: $26.94
- Total employment: 4,720 people (13.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $56,060
- Median hourly wage: $26.95
- Total employment: 1,430 people (4.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $56,250
- Median hourly wage: $27.04
- Total employment: 7,570 people (21.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,380
- Median hourly wage: $27.11
- Total employment: 1,110 people (3.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $56,780
- Median hourly wage: $27.30
- Total employment: 210 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zhanna Kavaliova // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Logging equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $56,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.38
- Total employment: 60 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $57,070
- Median hourly wage: $27.44
- Total employment: 520 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,250
- Median hourly wage: $27.52
- Total employment: 1,560 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 460 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $57,610
- Median hourly wage: $27.70
- Total employment: 1,780 people (5.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $57,720
- Median hourly wage: $27.75
- Total employment: 110 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman023_photography // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Riggers

- Median annual wage: $57,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Recreational vehicle service technicians

- Median annual wage: $59,000
- Median hourly wage: $28.37
- Total employment: 80 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $59,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.37
- Total employment: 800 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,030
- Median hourly wage: $28.86
- Total employment: 160 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $60,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 1,090 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 90 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,860
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 170 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#17. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.48
- Total employment: 1,840 people (5.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.48
- Total employment: 60 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,740
- Median hourly wage: $29.68
- Total employment: 1,670 people (4.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,820
- Median hourly wage: $29.72
- Total employment: 180 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,880
- Median hourly wage: $29.75
- Total employment: 240 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,830
- Median hourly wage: $30.21
- Total employment: 420 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,740
- Median hourly wage: $32.09
- Total employment: 1,950 people (5.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $68,220
- Median hourly wage: $32.80
- Total employment: 1,030 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,610
- Median hourly wage: $33.95
- Total employment: 90 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,970
- Median hourly wage: $34.60
- Total employment: 560 people (1.6 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: $75,110
- Median hourly wage: $36.11
- Total employment: 320 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $77,290
- Median hourly wage: $37.16
- Total employment: 550 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $82,940
- Median hourly wage: $39.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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goodluz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $90,820
- Median hourly wage: $43.66
- Total employment: 280 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $95,400
- Median hourly wage: $45.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $95,620
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $103,680
- Median hourly wage: $49.84
- Total employment: 390 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $129,590
- Median hourly wage: $62.30
- Total employment: 170 people (0.47 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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