BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $52,750
- Median hourly wage: $25.36
- Total employment: 80 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Ames 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 Ames 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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2 / 50#48. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $53,530
- Median hourly wage: $25.74
- Total employment: 670 people (11.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $53,530
- Median hourly wage: $25.73
- Total employment: 90 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $55,380
- Median hourly wage: $26.62
- Total employment: 30 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $56,230
- Median hourly wage: $27.04
- Total employment: 90 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $56,360
- Median hourly wage: $27.10
- Total employment: 170 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $56,480
- Median hourly wage: $27.16
- Total employment: 160 people (2.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $56,500
- Median hourly wage: $27.16
- Total employment: 90 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $56,510
- Median hourly wage: $27.17
- Total employment: 40 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $56,700
- Median hourly wage: $27.26
- Total employment: 40 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#39. Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $56,850
- Median hourly wage: $27.33
- Total employment: 40 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Umomos // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $56,850
- Median hourly wage: $27.33
- Total employment: 70 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $57,170
- Median hourly wage: $27.49
- Total employment: 250 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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14 / 50#37. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $57,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $57,910
- Median hourly wage: $27.84
- Total employment: 130 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $58,080
- Median hourly wage: $27.93
- Total employment: 110 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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17 / 50#34. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $58,920
- Median hourly wage: $28.33
- Total employment: 140 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $59,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 70 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 220 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $60,160
- Median hourly wage: $28.93
- Total employment: 130 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $60,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: 80 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $60,490
- Median hourly wage: $29.08
- Total employment: 80 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $60,720
- Median hourly wage: $29.19
- Total employment: 110 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $60,970
- Median hourly wage: $29.31
- Total employment: 310 people (5.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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25 / 50#26. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $60,980
- Median hourly wage: $29.32
- Total employment: 200 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $61,540
- Median hourly wage: $29.59
- Total employment: 220 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $61,670
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 80 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $62,000
- Median hourly wage: $29.81
- Total employment: 60 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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29 / 50#22. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,130
- Median hourly wage: $29.87
- Total employment: 360 people (6.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 160 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SatawatK // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $62,490
- Median hourly wage: $30.04
- Total employment: 70 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $62,870
- Median hourly wage: $30.23
- Total employment: 210 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $63,020
- Median hourly wage: $30.30
- Total employment: 170 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Massage therapists
- Median annual wage: $63,180
- Median hourly wage: $30.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $63,240
- Median hourly wage: $30.40
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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welcomia // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $63,880
- Median hourly wage: $30.71
- Total employment: 90 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $64,360
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 220 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $67,220
- Median hourly wage: $32.32
- Total employment: 310 people (5.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $70,060
- Median hourly wage: $33.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $72,730
- Median hourly wage: $34.97
- Total employment: 430 people (7.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $74,510
- Median hourly wage: $35.82
- Total employment: 120 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $75,800
- Median hourly wage: $36.44
- Total employment: 150 people (2.59 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: $75,910
- Median hourly wage: $36.49
- Total employment: 270 people (4.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $76,340
- Median hourly wage: $36.70
- Total employment: 180 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $76,740
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 60 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $86,140
- Median hourly wage: $41.41
- Total employment: 60 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $91,220
- Median hourly wage: $43.86
- Total employment: 50 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $93,710
- Median hourly wage: $45.05
- Total employment: 70 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $99,700
- Median hourly wage: $47.93
- Total employment: 50 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $101,800
- Median hourly wage: $48.94
- Total employment: 60 people (1.03 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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