pio3 // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $56,830
- Median hourly wage: $27.32
- Total employment: 930 people (3.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Palm Bay 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 Palm Bay 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.
You may also like: Mortgage rates fall to 10‑month low, offering relief for Palm Bay buyers
Vagengeim // Shutterstock
2 / 50#48. Dental laboratory technicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: $57,850
- Median hourly wage: $27.81
- Total employment: 70 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Cargo and freight agents (tie)
- Median annual wage: $57,850
- Median hourly wage: $27.81
- Total employment: 80 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $58,050
- Median hourly wage: $27.91
- Total employment: 230 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $58,090
- Median hourly wage: $27.93
- Total employment: 1,010 people (4.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Southern restaurants in Palm Bay by diners
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $58,170
- Median hourly wage: $27.97
- Total employment: 90 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 600 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $58,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.15
- Total employment: 960 people (3.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $58,600
- Median hourly wage: $28.17
- Total employment: 230 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GolF2532 // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $58,890
- Median hourly wage: $28.31
- Total employment: 120 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated delis in Palm Bay by diners
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $59,030
- Median hourly wage: $28.38
- Total employment: 580 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
funnyangel // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Median annual wage: $59,160
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 30 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $60,090
- Median hourly wage: $28.89
- Total employment: 280 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman023_photography // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Riggers
- Median annual wage: $60,170
- Median hourly wage: $28.93
- Total employment: 50 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $60,180
- Median hourly wage: $28.93
- Total employment: 600 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Palm Bay that require a graduate degree
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $60,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.01
- Total employment: 1,440 people (5.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Transportation security screeners
- Median annual wage: $60,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.02
- Total employment: 60 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $61,100
- Median hourly wage: $29.37
- Total employment: 100 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Median annual wage: $61,600
- Median hourly wage: $29.62
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jat306 // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $61,620
- Median hourly wage: $29.62
- Total employment: Not available
You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Palm Bay area by diners
SatawatK // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $61,660
- Median hourly wage: $29.64
- Total employment: 340 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $61,670
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 2,150 people (8.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $61,920
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 430 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $61,950
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 110 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
25 / 50#25. Structural iron and steel workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $62,740
- Median hourly wage: $30.16
- Total employment: 110 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Palm Bay area by diners
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Construction and building inspectors (tie)
- Median annual wage: $62,740
- Median hourly wage: $30.16
- Total employment: 360 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $64,200
- Median hourly wage: $30.87
- Total employment: 360 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $64,860
- Median hourly wage: $31.18
- Total employment: 180 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Median annual wage: $65,550
- Median hourly wage: $31.51
- Total employment: 60 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers
- Median annual wage: $66,620
- Median hourly wage: $32.03
- Total employment: 30 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Where people in Palm Bay are looking to buy homes
sculpies // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $68,150
- Median hourly wage: $32.77
- Total employment: 2,020 people (8.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrei Agape // Shutterstock
32 / 50#18. Avionics technicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: $69,120
- Median hourly wage: $33.23
- Total employment: 200 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $69,120
- Median hourly wage: $33.23
- Total employment: 1,020 people (4.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $70,060
- Median hourly wage: $33.68
- Total employment: 410 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pixel B // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $70,360
- Median hourly wage: $33.83
- Total employment: 50 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Closest national parks to Palm Bay
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $70,480
- Median hourly wage: $33.88
- Total employment: 140 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $70,500
- Median hourly wage: $33.89
- Total employment: 340 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $72,300
- Median hourly wage: $34.76
- Total employment: 80 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
First Class Photography // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers
- Median annual wage: $73,040
- Median hourly wage: $35.12
- Total employment: 140 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $74,460
- Median hourly wage: $35.80
- Total employment: 960 people (3.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Lowest-paying jobs in Palm Bay
goodluz // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $75,470
- Median hourly wage: $36.29
- Total employment: 630 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $77,210
- Median hourly wage: $37.12
- Total employment: 60 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Hearing aid specialists
- Median annual wage: $78,170
- Median hourly wage: $37.58
- Total employment: 30 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $79,920
- Median hourly wage: $38.42
- Total employment: 340 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $80,270
- Median hourly wage: $38.59
- Total employment: 210 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Palm Bay 7-day weather forecast
Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $82,390
- Median hourly wage: $39.61
- Total employment: 90 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Washburn HM // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $86,770
- Median hourly wage: $41.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $87,380
- Median hourly wage: $42.01
- Total employment: 220 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $100,180
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $106,450
- Median hourly wage: $51.18
- Total employment: 250 people (1.02 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.
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Palm Bay
