Highest-paying jobs in Fort Wayne 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 Fort Wayne 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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1 / 50

#50. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

- Median annual wage: $59,410
- Median hourly wage: $28.56
- Total employment: 150 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,490
- Median hourly wage: $28.60
- Total employment: 1,040 people (4.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $59,910
- Median hourly wage: $28.80
- Total employment: 4,120 people (18.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 50 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $60,120
- Median hourly wage: $28.90
- Total employment: 850 people (3.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $60,610
- Median hourly wage: $29.14
- Total employment: 260 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $60,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.15
- Total employment: 70 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $60,670
- Median hourly wage: $29.17
- Total employment: 1,100 people (4.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

9 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,750
- Median hourly wage: $29.21
- Total employment: 210 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Photostriker // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other

- Median annual wage: $60,820
- Median hourly wage: $29.24
- Total employment: 30 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $60,860
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 220 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $60,900
- Median hourly wage: $29.28
- Total employment: 440 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $61,010
- Median hourly wage: $29.33
- Total employment: 250 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $61,210
- Median hourly wage: $29.43
- Total employment: 660 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,670
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 70 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $61,790
- Median hourly wage: $29.71
- Total employment: 1,210 people (5.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $61,920
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 280 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $61,960
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 360 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,020
- Median hourly wage: $29.82
- Total employment: 1,970 people (8.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,040
- Median hourly wage: $29.83
- Total employment: 240 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $62,050
- Median hourly wage: $29.83
- Total employment: 140 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $62,340
- Median hourly wage: $29.97
- Total employment: 630 people (2.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,720
- Median hourly wage: $30.16
- Total employment: 2,580 people (11.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

- Median annual wage: $62,910
- Median hourly wage: $30.24
- Total employment: 50 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,310
- Median hourly wage: $31.40
- Total employment: 1,610 people (7.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $65,420
- Median hourly wage: $31.45
- Total employment: 120 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $66,510
- Median hourly wage: $31.98
- Total employment: 1,450 people (6.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $67,160
- Median hourly wage: $32.29
- Total employment: 80 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $67,240
- Median hourly wage: $32.33
- Total employment: 180 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Akimov Igor // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $68,930
- Median hourly wage: $33.14
- Total employment: 160 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorgev // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $69,210
- Median hourly wage: $33.27
- Total employment: 60 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,350
- Median hourly wage: $33.34
- Total employment: 40 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $70,350
- Median hourly wage: $33.82
- Total employment: 120 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Insulation workers, mechanical

- Median annual wage: $72,820
- Median hourly wage: $35.01
- Total employment: 80 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $75,510
- Median hourly wage: $36.30
- Total employment: 620 people (2.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $75,700
- Median hourly wage: $36.40
- Total employment: 90 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $75,780
- Median hourly wage: $36.43
- Total employment: 1,130 people (5.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,030
- Median hourly wage: $36.55
- Total employment: 850 people (3.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $77,330
- Median hourly wage: $37.18
- Total employment: 50 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,380
- Median hourly wage: $37.20
- Total employment: 1,160 people (5.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,490
- Median hourly wage: $38.22
- Total employment: 160 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $80,150
- Median hourly wage: $38.53
- Total employment: 1,200 people (5.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $84,130
- Median hourly wage: $40.45
- Total employment: 120 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yulai Studio // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Surgical assistants

- Median annual wage: $89,600
- Median hourly wage: $43.08
- Total employment: Not available

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45 / 50

#6. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $93,070
- Median hourly wage: $44.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Skycolors // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $94,910
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $96,530
- Median hourly wage: $46.41
- Total employment: 100 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $98,750
- Median hourly wage: $47.48
- Total employment: 280 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

49 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $99,370
- Median hourly wage: $47.77
- Total employment: 60 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $99,410
- Median hourly wage: $47.80
- Total employment: 100 people (0.44 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.