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1 / 50#50. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $71,300
- Median hourly wage: $34.28
- Total employment: 250 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Santa Rosa 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 Rosa 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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2 / 50#49. Tree trimmers and pruners
- Median annual wage: $71,350
- Median hourly wage: $34.31
- Total employment: 210 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Median annual wage: $71,360
- Median hourly wage: $34.31
- Total employment: 920 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $71,580
- Median hourly wage: $34.41
- Total employment: 560 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $72,980
- Median hourly wage: $35.09
- Total employment: 1,710 people (8.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kot500 // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $73,790
- Median hourly wage: $35.48
- Total employment: 260 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $73,890
- Median hourly wage: $35.52
- Total employment: 80 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $73,940
- Median hourly wage: $35.55
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $74,100
- Median hourly wage: $35.62
- Total employment: 1,200 people (5.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $74,490
- Median hourly wage: $35.81
- Total employment: 310 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $74,540
- Median hourly wage: $35.84
- Total employment: 530 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $74,720
- Median hourly wage: $35.92
- Total employment: 90 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $74,980
- Median hourly wage: $36.05
- Total employment: 710 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $75,670
- Median hourly wage: $36.38
- Total employment: 160 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $75,940
- Median hourly wage: $36.51
- Total employment: 2,010 people (9.79 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: $76,740
- Median hourly wage: $36.89
- Total employment: 200 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $76,760
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 510 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $78,510
- Median hourly wage: $37.75
- Total employment: 120 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $78,710
- Median hourly wage: $37.84
- Total employment: 120 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $79,320
- Median hourly wage: $38.14
- Total employment: 330 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $79,700
- Median hourly wage: $38.32
- Total employment: 1,020 people (5.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $80,180
- Median hourly wage: $38.55
- Total employment: 820 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $80,550
- Median hourly wage: $38.73
- Total employment: 430 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $81,210
- Median hourly wage: $39.04
- Total employment: 2,220 people (10.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Goldsithney // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Psychiatric technicians
- Median annual wage: $82,440
- Median hourly wage: $39.63
- Total employment: 60 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dagmara_K // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Median annual wage: $82,920
- Median hourly wage: $39.87
- Total employment: 740 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $83,110
- Median hourly wage: $39.96
- Total employment: 160 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $83,130
- Median hourly wage: $39.97
- Total employment: 50 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $83,630
- Median hourly wage: $40.21
- Total employment: 220 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $84,210
- Median hourly wage: $40.48
- Total employment: 520 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $86,200
- Median hourly wage: $41.44
- Total employment: 680 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Median annual wage: $87,560
- Median hourly wage: $42.09
- Total employment: 40 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $88,440
- Median hourly wage: $42.52
- Total employment: 410 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $94,150
- Median hourly wage: $45.27
- Total employment: 140 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $94,840
- Median hourly wage: $45.59
- Total employment: 170 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $94,920
- Median hourly wage: $45.64
- Total employment: 140 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
funnyangel // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Median annual wage: $94,940
- Median hourly wage: $45.64
- Total employment: 30 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $97,210
- Median hourly wage: $46.74
- Total employment: 40 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $98,590
- Median hourly wage: $47.40
- Total employment: 280 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $98,830
- Median hourly wage: $47.51
- Total employment: 640 people (3.14 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: $100,390
- Median hourly wage: $48.26
- Total employment: 1,160 people (5.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Ophthalmic medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $101,440
- Median hourly wage: $48.77
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $101,820
- Median hourly wage: $48.95
- Total employment: 120 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $105,930
- Median hourly wage: $50.93
- Total employment: 90 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $108,180
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 170 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Prath // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $110,530
- Median hourly wage: $53.14
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $120,030
- Median hourly wage: $57.71
- Total employment: 140 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $121,370
- Median hourly wage: $58.35
- Total employment: 720 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Median annual wage: $121,950
- Median hourly wage: $58.63
- Total employment: 70 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $156,590
- Median hourly wage: $75.29
- Total employment: 170 people (0.83 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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