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1 / 50#50. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $62,590
- Median hourly wage: $30.09
- Total employment: 320 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Des Moines 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 Des Moines 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. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $62,860
- Median hourly wage: $30.22
- Total employment: 490 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pixel B // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $62,900
- Median hourly wage: $30.24
- Total employment: 80 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Hearing aid specialists
- Median annual wage: $63,320
- Median hourly wage: $30.44
- Total employment: 70 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $63,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.50
- Total employment: 420 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $63,560
- Median hourly wage: $30.56
- Total employment: 1,250 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Glaziers
- Median annual wage: $63,810
- Median hourly wage: $30.68
- Total employment: 210 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $63,860
- Median hourly wage: $30.70
- Total employment: 420 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $64,170
- Median hourly wage: $30.85
- Total employment: 2,260 people (5.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $64,350
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 1,620 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $64,650
- Median hourly wage: $31.08
- Total employment: 2,440 people (6.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $64,820
- Median hourly wage: $31.16
- Total employment: 1,230 people (3.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $64,920
- Median hourly wage: $31.21
- Total employment: 400 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $64,950
- Median hourly wage: $31.23
- Total employment: 680 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $64,990
- Median hourly wage: $31.25
- Total employment: 2,500 people (6.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $65,280
- Median hourly wage: $31.39
- Total employment: 4,620 people (11.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $65,560
- Median hourly wage: $31.52
- Total employment: 240 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Median annual wage: $65,580
- Median hourly wage: $31.53
- Total employment: 80 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $65,840
- Median hourly wage: $31.66
- Total employment: 830 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $66,280
- Median hourly wage: $31.86
- Total employment: 330 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $66,660
- Median hourly wage: $32.05
- Total employment: 290 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $67,480
- Median hourly wage: $32.44
- Total employment: 120 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $67,540
- Median hourly wage: $32.47
- Total employment: 3,120 people (7.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $67,780
- Median hourly wage: $32.59
- Total employment: 120 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $67,990
- Median hourly wage: $32.69
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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santi lumubol // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $68,250
- Median hourly wage: $32.81
- Total employment: 170 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $69,590
- Median hourly wage: $33.46
- Total employment: 1,390 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $71,030
- Median hourly wage: $34.15
- Total employment: 170 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kirill Lasis // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Tapers
- Median annual wage: $71,240
- Median hourly wage: $34.25
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Massage therapists
- Median annual wage: $73,300
- Median hourly wage: $35.24
- Total employment: 290 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $73,910
- Median hourly wage: $35.53
- Total employment: 120 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $74,910
- Median hourly wage: $36.01
- Total employment: 310 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $75,300
- Median hourly wage: $36.20
- Total employment: 2,630 people (6.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Insurance appraisers, auto damage
- Median annual wage: $78,120
- Median hourly wage: $37.56
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $79,640
- Median hourly wage: $38.29
- Total employment: 210 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $80,320
- Median hourly wage: $38.62
- Total employment: 1,300 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $81,390
- Median hourly wage: $39.13
- Total employment: 2,900 people (7.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $84,890
- Median hourly wage: $40.81
- Total employment: 110 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $85,420
- Median hourly wage: $41.07
- Total employment: 1,120 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $88,580
- Median hourly wage: $42.59
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 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: $89,260
- Median hourly wage: $42.91
- Total employment: 840 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ITisha // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Median annual wage: $89,290
- Median hourly wage: $42.93
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $94,150
- Median hourly wage: $45.27
- Total employment: 120 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $100,210
- Median hourly wage: $48.18
- Total employment: 520 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $103,000
- Median hourly wage: $49.52
- Total employment: 160 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $107,220
- Median hourly wage: $51.55
- Total employment: 150 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Washburn HM // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $111,110
- Median hourly wage: $53.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $117,020
- Median hourly wage: $56.26
- Total employment: 310 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $141,330
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 150 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Real estate brokers
- Median annual wage: $157,100
- Median hourly wage: $75.53
- Total employment: 330 people (0.8 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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