Highest-paying jobs in Idaho Falls 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 Idaho Falls 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.

Bigflick // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $48,910
- Median hourly wage: $23.51
- Total employment: 130 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

- Median annual wage: $49,180
- Median hourly wage: $23.64
- Total employment: 280 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $49,960
- Median hourly wage: $24.02
- Total employment: 200 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $50,360
- Median hourly wage: $24.21
- Total employment: 120 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $51,330
- Median hourly wage: $24.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

alexkich // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics

- Median annual wage: $52,750
- Median hourly wage: $25.36
- Total employment: 40 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $53,920
- Median hourly wage: $25.93
- Total employment: 90 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $54,440
- Median hourly wage: $26.17
- Total employment: 1,680 people (20.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $55,020
- Median hourly wage: $26.45
- Total employment: 70 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

- Median annual wage: $55,110
- Median hourly wage: $26.50
- Total employment: 100 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $55,160
- Median hourly wage: $26.52
- Total employment: 240 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $55,240
- Median hourly wage: $26.56
- Total employment: 330 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vadim Ratnikov // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Earth drillers, except oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $55,300
- Median hourly wage: $26.59
- Total employment: 30 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

14 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,710
- Median hourly wage: $27.27
- Total employment: 260 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,890
- Median hourly wage: $27.35
- Total employment: 820 people (10.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $57,000
- Median hourly wage: $27.41
- Total employment: 80 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

flywish // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

- Median annual wage: $57,200
- Median hourly wage: $27.50
- Total employment: 70 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $57,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.85
- Total employment: 250 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,740
- Median hourly wage: $28.24
- Total employment: 330 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $58,870
- Median hourly wage: $28.30
- Total employment: 90 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,240
- Median hourly wage: $28.48
- Total employment: 110 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $59,250
- Median hourly wage: $28.49
- Total employment: 170 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $59,650
- Median hourly wage: $28.68
- Total employment: 110 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,600
- Median hourly wage: $29.14
- Total employment: 280 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,850
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $61,210
- Median hourly wage: $29.43
- Total employment: 500 people (6.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.49
- Total employment: 790 people (9.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,680
- Median hourly wage: $29.66
- Total employment: 100 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

- Median annual wage: $61,870
- Median hourly wage: $29.75
- Total employment: 90 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.99
- Total employment: 90 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $62,610
- Median hourly wage: $30.10
- Total employment: 220 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $63,380
- Median hourly wage: $30.47
- Total employment: 440 people (5.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $66,370
- Median hourly wage: $31.91
- Total employment: 210 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs

- Median annual wage: $67,150
- Median hourly wage: $32.28
- Total employment: 200 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $71,340
- Median hourly wage: $34.30
- Total employment: 30 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $73,940
- Median hourly wage: $35.55
- Total employment: 200 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,490
- Median hourly wage: $35.81
- Total employment: 550 people (6.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,980
- Median hourly wage: $36.05
- Total employment: 320 people (3.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

- Median annual wage: $76,100
- Median hourly wage: $36.59
- Total employment: 90 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $78,110
- Median hourly wage: $37.55
- Total employment: 50 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Security guards

- Median annual wage: $79,470
- Median hourly wage: $38.21
- Total employment: 500 people (6.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $81,360
- Median hourly wage: $39.12
- Total employment: 210 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $82,220
- Median hourly wage: $39.53
- Total employment: 40 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $84,020
- Median hourly wage: $40.40
- Total employment: 130 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $87,700
- Median hourly wage: $42.17
- Total employment: 70 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $92,500
- Median hourly wage: $44.47
- Total employment: 60 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $92,710
- Median hourly wage: $44.57
- Total employment: 50 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

evgenii mitroshin // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers

- Median annual wage: $95,440
- Median hourly wage: $45.89
- Total employment: 140 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $105,810
- Median hourly wage: $50.87
- Total employment: 80 people (0.97 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.