Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $64,120
- Median hourly wage: $30.83
- Total employment: 720 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Atlanta 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 Atlanta 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: Best colleges in Atlanta
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $64,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.98
- Total employment: 29,330 people (10.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $64,570
- Median hourly wage: $31.04
- Total employment: 2,090 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $65,320
- Median hourly wage: $31.40
- Total employment: 2,950 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $65,650
- Median hourly wage: $31.56
- Total employment: 29,380 people (10.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated brunch restaurants in Atlanta
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $65,940
- Median hourly wage: $31.70
- Total employment: 2,760 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photostriker // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other
- Median annual wage: $66,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.96
- Total employment: 30 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $67,230
- Median hourly wage: $32.32
- Total employment: 930 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ITisha // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Median annual wage: $67,240
- Median hourly wage: $32.33
- Total employment: 320 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Media and communication workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $67,350
- Median hourly wage: $32.38
- Total employment: 570 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Atlanta for high school graduates
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $67,510
- Median hourly wage: $32.46
- Total employment: Not available
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Median annual wage: $67,840
- Median hourly wage: $32.62
- Total employment: 190 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $68,490
- Median hourly wage: $32.93
- Total employment: 11,860 people (4.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $69,440
- Median hourly wage: $33.39
- Total employment: 540 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $70,190
- Median hourly wage: $33.75
- Total employment: 1,260 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying management jobs in Atlanta
funnyangel // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Median annual wage: $70,680
- Median hourly wage: $33.98
- Total employment: 170 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $71,410
- Median hourly wage: $34.33
- Total employment: 100 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ITisha // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Bailiffs
- Median annual wage: $72,180
- Median hourly wage: $34.70
- Total employment: 270 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Neale Cousland // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Athletes and sports competitors
- Median annual wage: $72,240
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,860 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $72,950
- Median hourly wage: $35.07
- Total employment: 6,080 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Where people in Atlanta are looking to buy homes
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $73,150
- Median hourly wage: $35.17
- Total employment: 3,870 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $73,510
- Median hourly wage: $35.34
- Total employment: 8,610 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $75,070
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 1,900 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Flight attendants
- Median annual wage: $76,340
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $76,760
- Median hourly wage: $36.91
- Total employment: 9,730 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Coat drives near Atlanta
4 PM production // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $77,280
- Median hourly wage: $37.15
- Total employment: 13,070 people (4.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Josep Suria // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $77,380
- Median hourly wage: $37.20
- Total employment: 580 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Insurance appraisers, auto damage
- Median annual wage: $77,950
- Median hourly wage: $37.48
- Total employment: 230 people (0.08 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: $78,020
- Median hourly wage: $37.51
- Total employment: 15,820 people (5.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles
- Median annual wage: $78,190
- Median hourly wage: $37.59
- Total employment: Not available
You may also like: Bib Gourmand restaurants in Atlanta
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $79,290
- Median hourly wage: $38.12
- Total employment: 6,490 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $79,820
- Median hourly wage: $38.38
- Total employment: 370 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $80,960
- Median hourly wage: $38.92
- Total employment: 4,240 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $82,050
- Median hourly wage: $39.45
- Total employment: 2,140 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Linda Zupanc // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Costume attendants
- Median annual wage: $82,150
- Median hourly wage: $39.50
- Total employment: 30 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Best public middle schools in the Atlanta metro area
DenisKlimov // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $85,360
- Median hourly wage: $41.04
- Total employment: 160 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrei Agape // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Avionics technicians
- Median annual wage: $86,850
- Median hourly wage: $41.76
- Total employment: 760 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $89,140
- Median hourly wage: $42.86
- Total employment: 120 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $90,550
- Median hourly wage: $43.53
- Total employment: 80 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $94,990
- Median hourly wage: $45.67
- Total employment: 110 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Atlanta area by diners
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $95,920
- Median hourly wage: $46.12
- Total employment: 3,200 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Median annual wage: $98,810
- Median hourly wage: $47.50
- Total employment: 290 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $116,330
- Median hourly wage: $55.93
- Total employment: 200 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kojala // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Artists and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $116,560
- Median hourly wage: $56.04
- Total employment: 360 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $119,790
- Median hourly wage: $57.59
- Total employment: 4,430 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Closest national parks to Atlanta
michaeljung // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $120,990
- Median hourly wage: $58.17
- Total employment: 150 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Washburn HM // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $123,780
- Median hourly wage: $59.51
- Total employment: 370 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kokulina // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Makeup artists, theatrical and performance
- Median annual wage: $133,050
- Median hourly wage: $63.96
- Total employment: 40 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $139,350
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 500 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lovely Bird // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $145,780
- Median hourly wage: $70.09
- Total employment: 100 people (0.03 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.
You may also like: Best high schools in the Atlanta metro area
