Highest-paying jobs in Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis 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.

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

1 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,370
- Median hourly wage: $30.95
- Total employment: 8,890 people (8.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $64,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.03
- Total employment: 1,660 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $64,730
- Median hourly wage: $31.12
- Total employment: 370 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $64,950
- Median hourly wage: $31.23
- Total employment: 4,920 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $65,000
- Median hourly wage: $31.25
- Total employment: 240 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,150
- Median hourly wage: $31.32
- Total employment: 10,460 people (9.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $65,520
- Median hourly wage: $31.50
- Total employment: 940 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $65,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.51
- Total employment: 3,550 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

9 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,010
- Median hourly wage: $31.74
- Total employment: 1,600 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $66,290
- Median hourly wage: $31.87
- Total employment: 3,660 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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welcomia // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $66,780
- Median hourly wage: $32.11
- Total employment: 1,060 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Sound engineering technicians

- Median annual wage: $67,010
- Median hourly wage: $32.21
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

- Median annual wage: $68,610
- Median hourly wage: $32.99
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $69,560
- Median hourly wage: $33.44
- Total employment: 710 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rezoff // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Plant and system operators, all other

- Median annual wage: $70,420
- Median hourly wage: $33.86
- Total employment: Not available

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N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $72,110
- Median hourly wage: $34.67
- Total employment: 940 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,220
- Median hourly wage: $34.72
- Total employment: 8,390 people (7.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,970
- Median hourly wage: $35.56
- Total employment: 5,210 people (4.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $75,710
- Median hourly wage: $36.40
- Total employment: 420 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Insurance appraisers, auto damage

- Median annual wage: $76,410
- Median hourly wage: $36.74
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $77,000
- Median hourly wage: $37.02
- Total employment: 140 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

muratart // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $77,030
- Median hourly wage: $37.03
- Total employment: Not available

Josep Suria // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $78,200
- Median hourly wage: $37.59
- Total employment: 290 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Insulation workers, mechanical

- Median annual wage: $78,250
- Median hourly wage: $37.62
- Total employment: 240 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $78,550
- Median hourly wage: $37.77
- Total employment: 440 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,750
- Median hourly wage: $37.86
- Total employment: 1,490 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $79,450
- Median hourly wage: $38.20
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,530
- Median hourly wage: $38.23
- Total employment: 4,010 people (3.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,650
- Median hourly wage: $38.29
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $80,050
- Median hourly wage: $38.49
- Total employment: 3,480 people (3.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $80,440
- Median hourly wage: $38.67
- Total employment: 300 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $80,700
- Median hourly wage: $38.80
- Total employment: 4,690 people (4.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $81,650
- Median hourly wage: $39.26
- Total employment: 6,340 people (5.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $82,990
- Median hourly wage: $39.90
- Total employment: Not available

DenisKlimov // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $84,970
- Median hourly wage: $40.85
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorgev // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $90,500
- Median hourly wage: $43.51
- Total employment: 790 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $90,670
- Median hourly wage: $43.59
- Total employment: 80 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

prochasson frederic // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Boilermakers

- Median annual wage: $93,130
- Median hourly wage: $44.78
- Total employment: 100 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $97,360
- Median hourly wage: $46.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $98,310
- Median hourly wage: $47.26
- Total employment: 640 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Skycolors // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $103,430
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 210 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $105,660
- Median hourly wage: $50.80
- Total employment: 700 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $105,740
- Median hourly wage: $50.84
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Igor_Koptilin // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigators

- Median annual wage: $105,990
- Median hourly wage: $50.96
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $106,400
- Median hourly wage: $51.15
- Total employment: 1,600 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $109,320
- Median hourly wage: $52.56
- Total employment: 480 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay

- Median annual wage: $111,190
- Median hourly wage: $53.46
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $113,710
- Median hourly wage: $54.67
- Total employment: 80 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $134,130
- Median hourly wage: $64.49
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Neale Cousland // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Athletes and sports competitors

- Median annual wage: $210,860
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.07 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.