Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $53,390
- Median hourly wage: $25.67
- Total employment: 90 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Port St. Lucie 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 Port St. Lucie 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: Highest-rated restaurants for tacos in the Port St. Lucie area by diners
fizkes // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $54,330
- Median hourly wage: $26.12
- Total employment: 110 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $54,380
- Median hourly wage: $26.14
- Total employment: 190 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $55,520
- Median hourly wage: $26.69
- Total employment: 1,210 people (7.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $55,880
- Median hourly wage: $26.87
- Total employment: 310 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated pizza restaurants in the Port St. Lucie area by diners
GolF2532 // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $56,220
- Median hourly wage: $27.03
- Total employment: 70 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services
- Median annual wage: $56,370
- Median hourly wage: $27.10
- Total employment: 100 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Median annual wage: $56,800
- Median hourly wage: $27.31
- Total employment: 160 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $56,970
- Median hourly wage: $27.39
- Total employment: 50 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $57,060
- Median hourly wage: $27.43
- Total employment: 670 people (3.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Port St. Lucie area by diners
Rido // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $57,300
- Median hourly wage: $27.55
- Total employment: 100 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $57,680
- Median hourly wage: $27.73
- Total employment: 220 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $57,820
- Median hourly wage: $27.80
- Total employment: 50 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Median annual wage: $58,160
- Median hourly wage: $27.96
- Total employment: 30 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 500 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated campgrounds in the Port St. Lucie area by visitors
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $58,840
- Median hourly wage: $28.29
- Total employment: 1,460 people (8.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $58,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.34
- Total employment: 550 people (3.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Median annual wage: $59,130
- Median hourly wage: $28.43
- Total employment: 70 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $59,710
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: 330 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $60,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: 540 people (3.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Port St. Lucie
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $60,810
- Median hourly wage: $29.23
- Total employment: 1,590 people (9.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $60,880
- Median hourly wage: $29.27
- Total employment: 910 people (5.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $61,030
- Median hourly wage: $29.34
- Total employment: 450 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Media and communication workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $61,650
- Median hourly wage: $29.64
- Total employment: Not available
You may also like: Highest-rated Asian restaurants in Port St. Lucie by diners
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $62,100
- Median hourly wage: $29.86
- Total employment: 220 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,250
- Median hourly wage: $29.93
- Total employment: 210 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $63,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: 140 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $63,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.50
- Total employment: 1,340 people (8.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $63,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.62
- Total employment: 290 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Car insurance rates in Port St. Lucie October 2025
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $63,860
- Median hourly wage: $30.70
- Total employment: 550 people (3.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $66,060
- Median hourly wage: $31.76
- Total employment: 160 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $68,280
- Median hourly wage: $32.83
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $68,370
- Median hourly wage: $32.87
- Total employment: 230 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $68,600
- Median hourly wage: $32.98
- Total employment: 710 people (4.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Closest national parks to Port St. Lucie
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $72,780
- Median hourly wage: $34.99
- Total employment: 160 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $75,700
- Median hourly wage: $36.40
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $75,740
- Median hourly wage: $36.41
- Total employment: 320 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $75,920
- Median hourly wage: $36.50
- Total employment: 100 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $77,980
- Median hourly wage: $37.49
- Total employment: 1,020 people (6.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated seafood restaurants in Port St. Lucie
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $79,830
- Median hourly wage: $38.38
- Total employment: 100 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $80,260
- Median hourly wage: $38.59
- Total employment: 160 people (0.94 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: $80,530
- Median hourly wage: $38.72
- Total employment: 190 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $85,910
- Median hourly wage: $41.30
- Total employment: 320 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $87,640
- Median hourly wage: $42.14
- Total employment: 500 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Coat drives near Port St. Lucie
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $104,590
- Median hourly wage: $50.28
- Total employment: 170 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $105,560
- Median hourly wage: $50.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $112,880
- Median hourly wage: $54.27
- Total employment: 180 people (1.08 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: $125,040
- Median hourly wage: $60.12
- Total employment: 180 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $153,290
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.61 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-rated restaurants with outdoor seating in Port St. Lucie by diners
