Highest-paying jobs in Fort Wayne for high school graduates

For decades, common wisdom held that earning a bachelor's degree would guarantee a high-paying career. Higher education does still seem to be an advantage: A college graduate's average annual salary of $60,000 in 2024 is roughly $20,000 more than that of a high school graduate, and those with bachelor's degrees can typically expect to earn between $630,000 and $900,000 more over the course of a lifetime. However, recent shifts in higher education and the job market have people wondering—with good reason—whether or not a bachelor's degree will really pay off.

According to a 2024 study from the Pew Research Center, 29% of Americans believe obtaining a college degree isn't worthwhile, a trend reflected in shrinking attendance at universities across the nation. Meanwhile, annual college costs have skyrocketed to an average of $38,270 per student in 2025, often necessitating student loans with steep interest rates.

With these factors in mind, it's natural for recent high school graduates to consider vocational opportunities outside of college. Those who do may be pleasantly surprised—many companies have stopped requiring bachelor's degrees for entry-, mid-, and even senior-level positions. And while college graduates' average earnings may be higher, a 2024 report from Launchpad Jobs found that around 1 in 5 nondegree holders out-earn the $70,000 median wages of someone with a bachelor's degree.

Of course, salaries for high school grads vary widely based on job, industry, and location. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Fort Wayne for high school graduates. The analysis included jobs that listed a high school diploma or had no formal education requirement. 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.

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $56,700
- Median hourly wage: $27.26
- Total employment: 530 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $56,740
- Median hourly wage: $27.28
- Total employment: 40 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

3 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,210
- Median hourly wage: $27.51
- Total employment: 110 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $57,270
- Median hourly wage: $27.54
- Total employment: 100 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

5 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,400
- Median hourly wage: $27.60
- Total employment: 1,300 people (5.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 120 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Glaziers

- Median annual wage: $57,710
- Median hourly wage: $27.75
- Total employment: 100 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Studio 72 // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $57,750
- Median hourly wage: $27.77
- Total employment: 70 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $58,380
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 380 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 440 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: The most expensive homes sold in Fort Wayne this year

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $58,440
- Median hourly wage: $28.10
- Total employment: 1,160 people (5.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nordroden // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $58,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.15
- Total employment: 200 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $58,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.21
- Total employment: 110 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $58,730
- Median hourly wage: $28.24
- Total employment: 190 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. 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)

You may also like: The 30 most popular homes for sale in Fort Wayne

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. 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)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. 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

18 / 50

#33. 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)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. 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)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. 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)

You may also like: Cheapest gas stations in Fort Wayne

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. 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

22 / 50

#29. 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)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. 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

24 / 50

#27. 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

25 / 50

#26. 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

26 / 50

#25. 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)

welcomia // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. 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)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. 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)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. 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

30 / 50

#21. 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)

You may also like: Highest-rated ice cream shops in Fort Wayne by diners

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. 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)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. 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

33 / 50

#18. 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)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. 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

35 / 50

#16. 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)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. 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)

John Leung // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. 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

38 / 50

#13. 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)

Prath // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. 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

40 / 50

#11. 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)

You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Fort Wayne

4 PM production // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. 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

42 / 50

#9. 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

43 / 50

#8. 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)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. 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

45 / 50

#6. 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)

You may also like: The most expensive neighborhoods in Fort Wayne

Jat306 // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. 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)

M2020 // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. 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)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. 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

49 / 50

#2. 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)

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 Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.