Highest-paying jobs in Evansville 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 Evansville 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.

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 150 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $57,690
- Median hourly wage: $27.74
- Total employment: 60 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

- Median annual wage: $57,720
- Median hourly wage: $27.75
- Total employment: 110 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $57,770
- Median hourly wage: $27.77
- Total employment: 2,100 people (15.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $58,080
- Median hourly wage: $27.92
- Total employment: 290 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $58,440
- Median hourly wage: $28.10
- Total employment: 380 people (2.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $58,520
- Median hourly wage: $28.14
- Total employment: 230 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

brizmaker // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Roofers

- Median annual wage: $58,660
- Median hourly wage: $28.20
- Total employment: 90 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

9 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,150
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 800 people (5.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#40. Tool and die makers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $59,700
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 140 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SatawatK // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $59,700
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 290 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

- Median annual wage: $59,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alba_alioth // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $59,830
- Median hourly wage: $28.77
- Total employment: 870 people (6.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $59,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 300 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

- Median annual wage: $60,370
- Median hourly wage: $29.02
- Total employment: 150 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $60,490
- Median hourly wage: $29.08
- Total employment: 200 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 180 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,690
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 1,360 people (10.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $60,830
- Median hourly wage: $29.24
- Total employment: 810 people (6.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $61,040
- Median hourly wage: $29.35
- Total employment: 950 people (7.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $61,480
- Median hourly wage: $29.56
- Total employment: 450 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 60 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $62,050
- Median hourly wage: $29.83
- Total employment: 630 people (4.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $62,130
- Median hourly wage: $29.87
- Total employment: Not available

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25 / 50

#26. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.03
- Total employment: 180 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,820
- Median hourly wage: $30.20
- Total employment: 830 people (6.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $62,940
- Median hourly wage: $30.26
- Total employment: 90 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,270
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: 580 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

muratart // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $64,000
- Median hourly wage: $30.77
- Total employment: 40 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $64,140
- Median hourly wage: $30.84
- Total employment: 90 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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ITisha // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

- Median annual wage: $65,320
- Median hourly wage: $31.40
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $65,430
- Median hourly wage: $31.46
- Total employment: 110 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $65,660
- Median hourly wage: $31.57
- Total employment: 30 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

mahc // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Tile and stone setters

- Median annual wage: $67,220
- Median hourly wage: $32.32
- Total employment: 40 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $67,510
- Median hourly wage: $32.46
- Total employment: 290 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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pio3 // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $67,870
- Median hourly wage: $32.63
- Total employment: 520 people (3.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

flywish // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

- Median annual wage: $70,510
- Median hourly wage: $33.90
- Total employment: 180 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $70,810
- Median hourly wage: $34.04
- Total employment: 160 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $71,660
- Median hourly wage: $34.45
- Total employment: 60 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,900
- Median hourly wage: $35.53
- Total employment: 120 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,560
- Median hourly wage: $35.85
- Total employment: 1,020 people (7.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $76,790
- Median hourly wage: $36.92
- Total employment: 520 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $77,000
- Median hourly wage: $37.02
- Total employment: 1,020 people (7.59 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: $79,340
- Median hourly wage: $38.15
- Total employment: 700 people (5.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $79,690
- Median hourly wage: $38.31
- Total employment: 70 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $79,700
- Median hourly wage: $38.32
- Total employment: 210 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $81,120
- Median hourly wage: $39.00
- Total employment: 690 people (5.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $101,360
- Median hourly wage: $48.73
- Total employment: 70 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $107,000
- Median hourly wage: $51.44
- Total employment: 120 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $109,460
- Median hourly wage: $52.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 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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