Highest-paying jobs in Hanford 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 Hanford 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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1 / 50

#50. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers

- Median annual wage: $51,890
- Median hourly wage: $24.95
- Total employment: 60 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Food processing workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $51,910
- Median hourly wage: $24.96
- Total employment: 290 people (6.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stokkete // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Information and record clerks, all other

- Median annual wage: $52,380
- Median hourly wage: $25.18
- Total employment: 130 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#46. Firefighters (tie)

- Median annual wage: $52,440
- Median hourly wage: $25.21
- Total employment: 110 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Procurement clerks (tie)

- Median annual wage: $52,440
- Median hourly wage: $25.21
- Total employment: 60 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $52,620
- Median hourly wage: $25.30
- Total employment: 230 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Office and administrative support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $54,080
- Median hourly wage: $26.00
- Total employment: 50 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $54,350
- Median hourly wage: $26.13
- Total employment: 90 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Maintenance and repair workers, general

- Median annual wage: $54,440
- Median hourly wage: $26.17
- Total employment: 480 people (10.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Library technicians

- Median annual wage: $56,010
- Median hourly wage: $26.93
- Total employment: 40 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Joey Chung // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,730
- Median hourly wage: $27.28
- Total employment: 130 people (2.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Painters, construction and maintenance

- Median annual wage: $56,830
- Median hourly wage: $27.32
- Total employment: 30 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

XiXinXing // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Medical records specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,980
- Median hourly wage: $27.39
- Total employment: 50 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,080
- Median hourly wage: $27.44
- Total employment: 80 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $57,260
- Median hourly wage: $27.53
- Total employment: 720 people (15.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Construction laborers

- Median annual wage: $58,810
- Median hourly wage: $28.27
- Total employment: 110 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $59,300
- Median hourly wage: $28.51
- Total employment: 100 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

- Median annual wage: $59,350
- Median hourly wage: $28.54
- Total employment: 50 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Automotive service technicians and mechanics

- Median annual wage: $60,040
- Median hourly wage: $28.87
- Total employment: 190 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $60,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.02
- Total employment: 80 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Property, real estate, and community association managers

- Median annual wage: $60,420
- Median hourly wage: $29.05
- Total employment: 50 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $61,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.50
- Total employment: 70 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $62,090
- Median hourly wage: $29.85
- Total employment: 80 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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24 / 50

#27. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

- Median annual wage: $62,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.99
- Total employment: 90 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $62,680
- Median hourly wage: $30.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $62,710
- Median hourly wage: $30.15
- Total employment: 80 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,240
- Median hourly wage: $30.41
- Total employment: 370 people (7.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $64,810
- Median hourly wage: $31.16
- Total employment: 80 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

- Median annual wage: $64,900
- Median hourly wage: $31.20
- Total employment: 150 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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30 / 50

#21. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $65,010
- Median hourly wage: $31.26
- Total employment: 100 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#19. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors (tie)

- Median annual wage: $68,370
- Median hourly wage: $32.87
- Total employment: 150 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Electricians (tie)

- Median annual wage: $68,370
- Median hourly wage: $32.87
- Total employment: 160 people (3.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Production workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $68,640
- Median hourly wage: $33.00
- Total employment: 120 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $71,650
- Median hourly wage: $34.45
- Total employment: 140 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $71,720
- Median hourly wage: $34.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $72,520
- Median hourly wage: $34.87
- Total employment: 110 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

- Median annual wage: $75,520
- Median hourly wage: $36.31
- Total employment: 150 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $75,560
- Median hourly wage: $36.33
- Total employment: 280 people (5.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $75,700
- Median hourly wage: $36.39
- Total employment: 110 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $78,010
- Median hourly wage: $37.50
- Total employment: 100 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $79,890
- Median hourly wage: $38.41
- Total employment: 40 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $80,620
- Median hourly wage: $38.76
- Total employment: 140 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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43 / 50

#8. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $81,900
- Median hourly wage: $39.38
- Total employment: Not available

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44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $82,190
- Median hourly wage: $39.52
- Total employment: 260 people (5.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $83,600
- Median hourly wage: $40.19
- Total employment: 200 people (4.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $86,380
- Median hourly wage: $41.53
- Total employment: 160 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $90,700
- Median hourly wage: $43.61
- Total employment: 110 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

- Median annual wage: $92,290
- Median hourly wage: $44.37
- Total employment: 40 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $101,760
- Median hourly wage: $48.92
- Total employment: 50 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $126,190
- Median hourly wage: $60.67
- Total employment: 60 people (1.2 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.