Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Bus drivers, transit and intercity
- Median annual wage: $60,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: 90 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Davenport 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 Davenport 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#49. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $60,400
- Median hourly wage: $29.04
- Total employment: 1,110 people (6.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $60,530
- Median hourly wage: $29.10
- Total employment: 580 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Transportation security screeners
- Median annual wage: $60,900
- Median hourly wage: $29.28
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $61,040
- Median hourly wage: $29.35
- Total employment: 570 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $61,180
- Median hourly wage: $29.42
- Total employment: 350 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
flywish // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Median annual wage: $61,200
- Median hourly wage: $29.42
- Total employment: 90 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $61,490
- Median hourly wage: $29.56
- Total employment: 190 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $61,580
- Median hourly wage: $29.60
- Total employment: 490 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $61,860
- Median hourly wage: $29.74
- Total employment: 820 people (4.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Median annual wage: $61,910
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 70 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $62,150
- Median hourly wage: $29.88
- Total employment: 90 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $62,390
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 350 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $62,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 310 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $63,110
- Median hourly wage: $30.34
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $63,140
- Median hourly wage: $30.36
- Total employment: 300 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pixel B // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $64,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.97
- Total employment: 140 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $64,790
- Median hourly wage: $31.15
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $64,980
- Median hourly wage: $31.24
- Total employment: 860 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $65,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.48
- Total employment: 160 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $65,990
- Median hourly wage: $31.73
- Total employment: 1,660 people (9.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $66,250
- Median hourly wage: $31.85
- Total employment: 540 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $66,470
- Median hourly wage: $31.96
- Total employment: 290 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jat306 // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $66,900
- Median hourly wage: $32.17
- Total employment: 100 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $68,650
- Median hourly wage: $33.01
- Total employment: 350 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $69,130
- Median hourly wage: $33.24
- Total employment: 130 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Denys Yelmanov // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Bridge and lock tenders
- Median annual wage: $69,530
- Median hourly wage: $33.43
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $70,410
- Median hourly wage: $33.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $72,490
- Median hourly wage: $34.85
- Total employment: 730 people (4.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $74,240
- Median hourly wage: $35.69
- Total employment: 820 people (4.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $74,500
- Median hourly wage: $35.82
- Total employment: 250 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $75,940
- Median hourly wage: $36.51
- Total employment: 230 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $76,150
- Median hourly wage: $36.61
- Total employment: 140 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $76,210
- Median hourly wage: $36.64
- Total employment: 60 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $76,230
- Median hourly wage: $36.65
- Total employment: 1,210 people (6.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $76,770
- Median hourly wage: $36.91
- Total employment: 120 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $78,240
- Median hourly wage: $37.61
- Total employment: 710 people (3.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $78,270
- Median hourly wage: $37.63
- Total employment: 150 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $78,410
- Median hourly wage: $37.70
- Total employment: 1,350 people (7.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Metal workers and plastic workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $78,960
- Median hourly wage: $37.96
- Total employment: 70 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SritanaN // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $80,090
- Median hourly wage: $38.50
- Total employment: 720 people (4.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $81,050
- Median hourly wage: $38.97
- Total employment: 60 people (0.32 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: $81,880
- Median hourly wage: $39.37
- Total employment: 1,110 people (6.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $82,590
- Median hourly wage: $39.71
- Total employment: 70 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $89,500
- Median hourly wage: $43.03
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $95,270
- Median hourly wage: $45.80
- Total employment: 100 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $99,350
- Median hourly wage: $47.77
- Total employment: 210 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $105,060
- Median hourly wage: $50.51
- Total employment: 270 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $107,440
- Median hourly wage: $51.66
- Total employment: 130 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $119,770
- Median hourly wage: $57.58
- Total employment: 50 people (0.3 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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