4 PM production // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Median annual wage: $48,330
- Median hourly wage: $23.24
- Total employment: 440 people (7.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Punta Gorda 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 Punta Gorda 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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4 PM production // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $48,360
- Median hourly wage: $23.25
- Total employment: 100 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $48,510
- Median hourly wage: $23.32
- Total employment: 50 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $48,550
- Median hourly wage: $23.34
- Total employment: 70 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dagmara_K // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Median annual wage: $48,810
- Median hourly wage: $23.46
- Total employment: 30 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Massage therapists
- Median annual wage: $48,930
- Median hourly wage: $23.52
- Total employment: 50 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Goldsithney // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Psychiatric technicians
- Median annual wage: $49,050
- Median hourly wage: $23.58
- Total employment: 70 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Median annual wage: $49,280
- Median hourly wage: $23.69
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $49,730
- Median hourly wage: $23.91
- Total employment: 30 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $49,960
- Median hourly wage: $24.02
- Total employment: 330 people (5.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Chay_Tee // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Tax preparers
- Median annual wage: $50,000
- Median hourly wage: $24.04
- Total employment: 50 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
mahc // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Tile and stone setters
- Median annual wage: $50,100
- Median hourly wage: $24.09
- Total employment: 60 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $50,940
- Median hourly wage: $24.49
- Total employment: 250 people (4.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $51,640
- Median hourly wage: $24.83
- Total employment: 80 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GolF2532 // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $52,190
- Median hourly wage: $25.09
- Total employment: 50 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $52,660
- Median hourly wage: $25.32
- Total employment: 220 people (3.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PHILIPIMAGE // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $52,720
- Median hourly wage: $25.35
- Total employment: 50 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $54,630
- Median hourly wage: $26.27
- Total employment: 470 people (8.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $54,920
- Median hourly wage: $26.41
- Total employment: 110 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $55,000
- Median hourly wage: $26.44
- Total employment: 130 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $57,030
- Median hourly wage: $27.42
- Total employment: 200 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $57,090
- Median hourly wage: $27.45
- Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $57,280
- Median hourly wage: $27.54
- Total employment: 200 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $57,320
- Median hourly wage: $27.56
- Total employment: 240 people (4.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $57,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.85
- Total employment: 110 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SritanaN // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $58,750
- Median hourly wage: $28.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $58,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.36
- Total employment: 350 people (6.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $59,530
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 60 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $59,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: 100 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $59,880
- Median hourly wage: $28.79
- Total employment: 70 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $60,110
- Median hourly wage: $28.90
- Total employment: 500 people (8.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $60,490
- Median hourly wage: $29.08
- Total employment: 100 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $60,910
- Median hourly wage: $29.29
- Total employment: 60 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $61,220
- Median hourly wage: $29.43
- Total employment: 60 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.48
- Total employment: 500 people (8.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rlat // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $62,890
- Median hourly wage: $30.24
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $63,200
- Median hourly wage: $30.39
- Total employment: 140 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $63,300
- Median hourly wage: $30.43
- Total employment: 70 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $63,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.49
- Total employment: 90 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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santi lumubol // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $63,460
- Median hourly wage: $30.51
- Total employment: 80 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $64,890
- Median hourly wage: $31.20
- Total employment: 210 people (3.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $67,220
- Median hourly wage: $32.32
- Total employment: 500 people (8.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $69,580
- Median hourly wage: $33.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $70,530
- Median hourly wage: $33.91
- Total employment: 510 people (9.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Prath // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $75,680
- Median hourly wage: $36.39
- Total employment: 40 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $78,570
- Median hourly wage: $37.77
- Total employment: 90 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $79,980
- Median hourly wage: $38.45
- Total employment: 240 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $82,220
- Median hourly wage: $39.53
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $96,050
- Median hourly wage: $46.18
- Total employment: 60 people (1.03 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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