brizmaker // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Roofers
- Median annual wage: $62,520
- Median hourly wage: $30.06
- Total employment: 120 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz 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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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $63,150
- Median hourly wage: $30.36
- Total employment: 140 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Personal service managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $63,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: Not available
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $63,680
- Median hourly wage: $30.62
- Total employment: 520 people (5.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $63,760
- Median hourly wage: $30.65
- Total employment: 110 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Glaziers
- Median annual wage: $64,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $64,530
- Median hourly wage: $31.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $64,560
- Median hourly wage: $31.04
- Total employment: 150 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $65,100
- Median hourly wage: $31.30
- Total employment: 260 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Median annual wage: $66,170
- Median hourly wage: $31.81
- Total employment: 360 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Radovan1 / Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Plasterers and stucco masons
- Median annual wage: $66,250
- Median hourly wage: $31.85
- Total employment: 90 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anatoliy_gleb // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Solar photovoltaic installers
- Median annual wage: $67,440
- Median hourly wage: $32.42
- Total employment: 70 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $69,350
- Median hourly wage: $33.34
- Total employment: 340 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $70,150
- Median hourly wage: $33.72
- Total employment: 110 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $70,680
- Median hourly wage: $33.98
- Total employment: 320 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SatawatK // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $71,110
- Median hourly wage: $34.19
- Total employment: 90 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $71,150
- Median hourly wage: $34.21
- Total employment: 80 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $72,270
- Median hourly wage: $34.75
- Total employment: 110 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $72,740
- Median hourly wage: $34.97
- Total employment: 610 people (6.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dagmara_K // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Median annual wage: $73,360
- Median hourly wage: $35.27
- Total employment: 120 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Shift Drive // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $73,410
- Median hourly wage: $35.29
- Total employment: 210 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $74,130
- Median hourly wage: $35.64
- Total employment: 360 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $74,430
- Median hourly wage: $35.78
- Total employment: 190 people (1.93 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: $74,620
- Median hourly wage: $35.88
- Total employment: 940 people (9.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $76,140
- Median hourly wage: $36.60
- Total employment: 210 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $76,430
- Median hourly wage: $36.74
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $76,940
- Median hourly wage: $36.99
- Total employment: 350 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $77,260
- Median hourly wage: $37.15
- Total employment: 820 people (8.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Josep Suria // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $77,560
- Median hourly wage: $37.29
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $77,680
- Median hourly wage: $37.34
- Total employment: 350 people (3.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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welcomia // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $78,010
- Median hourly wage: $37.50
- Total employment: 70 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $79,110
- Median hourly wage: $38.03
- Total employment: 60 people (0.65 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: $79,290
- Median hourly wage: $38.12
- Total employment: 280 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $79,580
- Median hourly wage: $38.26
- Total employment: 350 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $79,720
- Median hourly wage: $38.33
- Total employment: 110 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Medical equipment preparers
- Median annual wage: $79,820
- Median hourly wage: $38.37
- Total employment: 50 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $80,240
- Median hourly wage: $38.58
- Total employment: 190 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Bus drivers, transit and intercity
- Median annual wage: $80,870
- Median hourly wage: $38.88
- Total employment: 190 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $81,910
- Median hourly wage: $39.38
- Total employment: 120 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $85,790
- Median hourly wage: $41.24
- Total employment: 90 people (0.88 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: $86,630
- Median hourly wage: $41.65
- Total employment: 390 people (3.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $88,010
- Median hourly wage: $42.31
- Total employment: 50 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $88,740
- Median hourly wage: $42.66
- Total employment: 70 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $99,600
- Median hourly wage: $47.89
- Total employment: 40 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $102,000
- Median hourly wage: $49.04
- Total employment: 60 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Prath // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $107,060
- Median hourly wage: $51.47
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $108,500
- Median hourly wage: $52.16
- Total employment: 110 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $123,140
- Median hourly wage: $59.20
- Total employment: 450 people (4.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $144,520
- Median hourly wage: $69.48
- Total employment: 60 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $158,430
- Median hourly wage: $76.17
- Total employment: 80 people (0.82 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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