Highest-paying jobs in Pensacola 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 Pensacola 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: Recently opened restaurants in the Pensacola area

LStockStudio // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Brokerage clerks

- Median annual wage: $51,890
- Median hourly wage: $24.95
- Total employment: 50 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PHILIPIMAGE // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $52,060
- Median hourly wage: $25.03
- Total employment: 80 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

- Median annual wage: $52,260
- Median hourly wage: $25.13
- Total employment: 120 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $53,870
- Median hourly wage: $25.90
- Total employment: 910 people (4.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $54,040
- Median hourly wage: $25.98
- Total employment: 320 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $54,370
- Median hourly wage: $26.14
- Total employment: 230 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 540 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

8 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,590
- Median hourly wage: $27.21
- Total employment: 1,320 people (7.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rido // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Opticians, dispensing

- Median annual wage: $56,880
- Median hourly wage: $27.34
- Total employment: 100 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $57,310
- Median hourly wage: $27.55
- Total employment: 590 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $57,390
- Median hourly wage: $27.59
- Total employment: 780 people (4.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Financial clerks, all other

- Median annual wage: $57,480
- Median hourly wage: $27.63
- Total employment: 60 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 90 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $57,860
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 180 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $58,170
- Median hourly wage: $27.97
- Total employment: 860 people (4.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants in Pensacola by diners

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $58,190
- Median hourly wage: $27.97
- Total employment: 470 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $58,290
- Median hourly wage: $28.02
- Total employment: 190 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,330
- Median hourly wage: $28.04
- Total employment: 1,380 people (7.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $58,490
- Median hourly wage: $28.12
- Total employment: 300 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,520
- Median hourly wage: $28.14
- Total employment: 290 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $58,970
- Median hourly wage: $28.35
- Total employment: 100 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $59,320
- Median hourly wage: $28.52
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $59,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.78
- Total employment: 70 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $60,080
- Median hourly wage: $28.89
- Total employment: 320 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $60,120
- Median hourly wage: $28.91
- Total employment: 520 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $60,130
- Median hourly wage: $28.91
- Total employment: 330 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $60,700
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 50 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,790
- Median hourly wage: $29.23
- Total employment: 550 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,820
- Median hourly wage: $29.24
- Total employment: 1,820 people (9.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $60,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 220 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $60,990
- Median hourly wage: $29.32
- Total employment: 100 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $61,650
- Median hourly wage: $29.64
- Total employment: 260 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $61,960
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 80 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

- Median annual wage: $62,150
- Median hourly wage: $29.88
- Total employment: 30 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $62,240
- Median hourly wage: $29.92
- Total employment: 230 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $62,490
- Median hourly wage: $30.04
- Total employment: 590 people (3.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,380
- Median hourly wage: $30.95
- Total employment: 1,350 people (7.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,120
- Median hourly wage: $31.79
- Total employment: 990 people (5.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,410
- Median hourly wage: $31.93
- Total employment: 480 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

- Median annual wage: $73,180
- Median hourly wage: $35.18
- Total employment: 100 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: The most expensive homes sold in Pensacola this year

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,940
- Median hourly wage: $35.55
- Total employment: 130 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrei Agape // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Avionics technicians

- Median annual wage: $74,940
- Median hourly wage: $36.03
- Total employment: 60 people (0.34 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: $76,270
- Median hourly wage: $36.67
- Total employment: 250 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $76,650
- Median hourly wage: $36.85
- Total employment: 240 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $77,640
- Median hourly wage: $37.33
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Pensacola

Prath // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $78,460
- Median hourly wage: $37.72
- Total employment: 130 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $84,920
- Median hourly wage: $40.83
- Total employment: 300 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $86,050
- Median hourly wage: $41.37
- Total employment: 180 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)