Pixel B // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $58,570
- Median hourly wage: $28.16
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in North Port 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 North Port 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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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $58,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.22
- Total employment: 1,300 people (3.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $59,330
- Median hourly wage: $28.52
- Total employment: 1,000 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GolF2532 // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $59,510
- Median hourly wage: $28.61
- Total employment: 290 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $59,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 90 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rlat // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $59,760
- Median hourly wage: $28.73
- Total employment: 140 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $60,060
- Median hourly wage: $28.87
- Total employment: 140 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
8 / 50#42. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $60,100
- Median hourly wage: $28.89
- Total employment: 1,230 people (3.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $60,100
- Median hourly wage: $28.89
- Total employment: 280 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $60,150
- Median hourly wage: $28.92
- Total employment: 70 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $60,410
- Median hourly wage: $29.04
- Total employment: 1,240 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers
- Median annual wage: $60,480
- Median hourly wage: $29.08
- Total employment: 30 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $60,690
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 2,950 people (8.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ITisha // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Median annual wage: $60,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $61,260
- Median hourly wage: $29.45
- Total employment: 1,760 people (5.25 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: $61,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.50
- Total employment: 270 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $61,530
- Median hourly wage: $29.58
- Total employment: 3,010 people (9.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LStockStudio // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Brokerage clerks
- Median annual wage: $61,620
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: Not available
Rido // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $61,760
- Median hourly wage: $29.69
- Total employment: 190 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $62,080
- Median hourly wage: $29.85
- Total employment: 1,190 people (3.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Median annual wage: $62,270
- Median hourly wage: $29.94
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $62,290
- Median hourly wage: $29.95
- Total employment: 300 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $62,460
- Median hourly wage: $30.03
- Total employment: 100 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chay_Tee // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Tax preparers
- Median annual wage: $62,670
- Median hourly wage: $30.13
- Total employment: 160 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $62,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 640 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
26 / 50#24. Firefighters (tie)
- Median annual wage: $63,040
- Median hourly wage: $30.31
- Total employment: 490 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Media and communication workers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $63,040
- Median hourly wage: $30.31
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $63,080
- Median hourly wage: $30.33
- Total employment: 170 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $63,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.50
- Total employment: 140 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
funnyangel // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Median annual wage: $63,600
- Median hourly wage: $30.58
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $64,090
- Median hourly wage: $30.81
- Total employment: 3,020 people (9.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Yulai Studio // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Surgical assistants
- Median annual wage: $64,350
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: Not available
sculpies // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $64,520
- Median hourly wage: $31.02
- Total employment: 3,230 people (9.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $66,240
- Median hourly wage: $31.85
- Total employment: 440 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $66,780
- Median hourly wage: $32.11
- Total employment: 710 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 PM production // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $67,680
- Median hourly wage: $32.54
- Total employment: 1,300 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $67,980
- Median hourly wage: $32.68
- Total employment: 510 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $68,090
- Median hourly wage: $32.74
- Total employment: 400 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $71,150
- Median hourly wage: $34.21
- Total employment: 990 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $73,330
- Median hourly wage: $35.26
- Total employment: 400 people (1.21 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: $73,470
- Median hourly wage: $35.32
- Total employment: 400 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $76,720
- Median hourly wage: $36.88
- Total employment: 1,440 people (4.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $78,630
- Median hourly wage: $37.80
- Total employment: 430 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Hearing aid specialists
- Median annual wage: $78,980
- Median hourly wage: $37.97
- Total employment: 180 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $87,090
- Median hourly wage: $41.87
- Total employment: 210 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $96,870
- Median hourly wage: $46.57
- Total employment: 60 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $100,020
- Median hourly wage: $48.09
- Total employment: 180 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $101,640
- Median hourly wage: $48.87
- Total employment: 60 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $109,940
- Median hourly wage: $52.86
- Total employment: 270 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $116,370
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 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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