Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $64,830
- Median hourly wage: $31.17
- Total employment: 130 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Bakersfield 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 Bakersfield 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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SatawatK // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $65,700
- Median hourly wage: $31.59
- Total employment: 150 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $66,320
- Median hourly wage: $31.89
- Total employment: 1,200 people (3.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $66,700
- Median hourly wage: $32.07
- Total employment: 100 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $66,960
- Median hourly wage: $32.19
- Total employment: 1,120 people (3.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $67,060
- Median hourly wage: $32.24
- Total employment: 2,600 people (7.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $67,140
- Median hourly wage: $32.28
- Total employment: 620 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $68,460
- Median hourly wage: $32.91
- Total employment: 240 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $69,220
- Median hourly wage: $33.28
- Total employment: 1,530 people (4.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kawin Ounprasertsuk // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Locksmiths and safe repairers
- Median annual wage: $69,890
- Median hourly wage: $33.60
- Total employment: 30 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $71,360
- Median hourly wage: $34.31
- Total employment: 860 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $71,410
- Median hourly wage: $34.33
- Total employment: 110 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rezoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Plant and system operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $73,950
- Median hourly wage: $35.55
- Total employment: 60 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $73,990
- Median hourly wage: $35.57
- Total employment: 250 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Washburn HM // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $74,310
- Median hourly wage: $35.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $74,560
- Median hourly wage: $35.85
- Total employment: 240 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $74,580
- Median hourly wage: $35.86
- Total employment: 1,480 people (4.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $74,800
- Median hourly wage: $35.96
- Total employment: 210 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $75,310
- Median hourly wage: $36.21
- Total employment: 1,350 people (4.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Real estate brokers
- Median annual wage: $75,910
- Median hourly wage: $36.49
- Total employment: 150 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Vera Larina // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $76,530
- Median hourly wage: $36.79
- Total employment: 140 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $76,810
- Median hourly wage: $36.93
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $76,990
- Median hourly wage: $37.01
- Total employment: 570 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $77,240
- Median hourly wage: $37.13
- Total employment: 270 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $77,250
- Median hourly wage: $37.14
- Total employment: 1,010 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Median annual wage: $78,520
- Median hourly wage: $37.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $78,630
- Median hourly wage: $37.80
- Total employment: 940 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $79,050
- Median hourly wage: $38.01
- Total employment: 1,230 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jat306 // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $80,320
- Median hourly wage: $38.62
- Total employment: 130 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $80,530
- Median hourly wage: $38.72
- Total employment: 130 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $83,890
- Median hourly wage: $40.33
- Total employment: 210 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $90,220
- Median hourly wage: $43.37
- Total employment: 680 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $90,510
- Median hourly wage: $43.51
- Total employment: 1,150 people (3.44 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: $93,470
- Median hourly wage: $44.94
- Total employment: 1,640 people (4.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $93,950
- Median hourly wage: $45.17
- Total employment: 180 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $94,470
- Median hourly wage: $45.42
- Total employment: 250 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrei Agape // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Avionics technicians
- Median annual wage: $95,260
- Median hourly wage: $45.80
- Total employment: 150 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
socrates471 // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Media and communication equipment workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $95,870
- Median hourly wage: $46.09
- Total employment: 70 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $97,240
- Median hourly wage: $46.75
- Total employment: 130 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ITisha // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Median annual wage: $97,950
- Median hourly wage: $47.09
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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goodluz // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $98,060
- Median hourly wage: $47.15
- Total employment: 520 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $98,100
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Meter readers, utilities
- Median annual wage: $99,840
- Median hourly wage: $48.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $100,030
- Median hourly wage: $48.09
- Total employment: 230 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $101,200
- Median hourly wage: $48.65
- Total employment: 60 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Vladimir Endovitskiy // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas
- Median annual wage: $101,350
- Median hourly wage: $48.73
- Total employment: 200 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $104,090
- Median hourly wage: $50.04
- Total employment: 3,290 people (9.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Median annual wage: $111,260
- Median hourly wage: $53.49
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $123,140
- Median hourly wage: $59.20
- Total employment: 360 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $124,760
- Median hourly wage: $59.98
- Total employment: 320 people (0.95 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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