4 PM production // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $44,450
- Median hourly wage: $21.37
- Total employment: 30 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Pocatello 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 Pocatello 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 dessert shops in the Pocatello area by diners
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $44,480
- Median hourly wage: $21.39
- Total employment: 40 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Glenn Highcove // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Median annual wage: $44,490
- Median hourly wage: $21.39
- Total employment: 80 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LuckView // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $44,720
- Median hourly wage: $21.50
- Total employment: 50 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Painters, construction and maintenance
- Median annual wage: $44,930
- Median hourly wage: $21.60
- Total employment: 40 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated breakfast restaurants in the Pocatello area by diners
Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $45,030
- Median hourly wage: $21.65
- Total employment: 40 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $45,070
- Median hourly wage: $21.67
- Total employment: 370 people (9.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $45,160
- Median hourly wage: $21.71
- Total employment: 220 people (5.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $45,340
- Median hourly wage: $21.80
- Total employment: 30 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
XiXinXing // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Medical records specialists
- Median annual wage: $45,350
- Median hourly wage: $21.80
- Total employment: 50 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Pocatello 7-day weather forecast
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $47,710
- Median hourly wage: $22.94
- Total employment: 90 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $47,720
- Median hourly wage: $22.94
- Total employment: 60 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $47,790
- Median hourly wage: $22.98
- Total employment: 80 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Median annual wage: $47,820
- Median hourly wage: $22.99
- Total employment: 260 people (6.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Efired // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Bill and account collectors
- Median annual wage: $47,910
- Median hourly wage: $23.04
- Total employment: 130 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Asian restaurants in Pocatello by diners
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $48,240
- Median hourly wage: $23.19
- Total employment: 280 people (7.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $48,530
- Median hourly wage: $23.33
- Total employment: 50 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $48,560
- Median hourly wage: $23.35
- Total employment: 150 people (4.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
brizmaker // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Roofers
- Median annual wage: $48,570
- Median hourly wage: $23.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $48,610
- Median hourly wage: $23.37
- Total employment: 170 people (4.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated sushi restaurants in the Pocatello area by diners
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $48,680
- Median hourly wage: $23.40
- Total employment: 160 people (4.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $48,910
- Median hourly wage: $23.51
- Total employment: 170 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $48,970
- Median hourly wage: $23.54
- Total employment: 450 people (11.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $51,090
- Median hourly wage: $24.56
- Total employment: 30 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $51,650
- Median hourly wage: $24.83
- Total employment: 90 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated cafes in the Pocatello area by diners
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $51,950
- Median hourly wage: $24.98
- Total employment: 270 people (7.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $54,070
- Median hourly wage: $26.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $54,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.09
- Total employment: 80 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers
- Median annual wage: $55,370
- Median hourly wage: $26.62
- Total employment: 30 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $55,400
- Median hourly wage: $26.64
- Total employment: 110 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Pocatello area by diners
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $56,160
- Median hourly wage: $27.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $56,240
- Median hourly wage: $27.04
- Total employment: 220 people (5.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $56,610
- Median hourly wage: $27.21
- Total employment: 450 people (12.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $56,950
- Median hourly wage: $27.38
- Total employment: 70 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $57,360
- Median hourly wage: $27.58
- Total employment: 160 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Pocatello that require a graduate degree
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $57,610
- Median hourly wage: $27.70
- Total employment: 160 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $58,350
- Median hourly wage: $28.05
- Total employment: 50 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $60,050
- Median hourly wage: $28.87
- Total employment: 40 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $60,080
- Median hourly wage: $28.88
- Total employment: 30 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $61,100
- Median hourly wage: $29.38
- Total employment: 50 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Pocatello in the last week
pio3 // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $61,960
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 130 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $65,120
- Median hourly wage: $31.31
- Total employment: 120 people (3.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $69,160
- Median hourly wage: $33.25
- Total employment: 80 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $69,790
- Median hourly wage: $33.56
- Total employment: 170 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $71,250
- Median hourly wage: $34.26
- Total employment: 50 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Pocatello in the last week
4 PM production // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $72,880
- Median hourly wage: $35.04
- Total employment: 140 people (3.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $76,930
- Median hourly wage: $36.98
- Total employment: 70 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $77,380
- Median hourly wage: $37.20
- Total employment: 40 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $85,360
- Median hourly wage: $41.04
- Total employment: 40 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $87,550
- Median hourly wage: $42.09
- Total employment: 60 people (1.5 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: Coat drives near Pocatello
