Highest-paying jobs in Wichita 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 Wichita 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.

First Class Photography // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers

- Median annual wage: $57,970
- Median hourly wage: $27.87
- Total employment: 10,100 people (32.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $58,080
- Median hourly wage: $27.92
- Total employment: 910 people (2.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $58,530
- Median hourly wage: $28.14
- Total employment: 1,620 people (5.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $58,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.22
- Total employment: 1,130 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $58,880
- Median hourly wage: $28.31
- Total employment: 1,250 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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manine99 // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $59,270
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 220 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

- Median annual wage: $59,380
- Median hourly wage: $28.55
- Total employment: 280 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

8 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,780
- Median hourly wage: $28.74
- Total employment: 2,460 people (8.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 80 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $60,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.01
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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michaeljung // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $61,250
- Median hourly wage: $29.45
- Total employment: 70 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,710
- Median hourly wage: $29.67
- Total employment: 490 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,740
- Median hourly wage: $29.68
- Total employment: 2,570 people (8.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $61,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Total employment: 230 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $61,910
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 340 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $62,160
- Median hourly wage: $29.89
- Total employment: 1,580 people (5.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $62,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 220 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $62,460
- Median hourly wage: $30.03
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,840
- Median hourly wage: $30.21
- Total employment: 400 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrei Agape // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Avionics technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.50
- Total employment: 110 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $63,700
- Median hourly wage: $30.62
- Total employment: 630 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,810
- Median hourly wage: $30.68
- Total employment: 370 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $64,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.97
- Total employment: 1,380 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,340
- Median hourly wage: $31.41
- Total employment: 2,540 people (8.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Bailiffs

- Median annual wage: $66,100
- Median hourly wage: $31.78
- Total employment: 80 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $66,770
- Median hourly wage: $32.10
- Total employment: 150 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,180
- Median hourly wage: $32.30
- Total employment: 240 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

- Median annual wage: $67,880
- Median hourly wage: $32.63
- Total employment: 3,360 people (10.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,440
- Median hourly wage: $32.91
- Total employment: 160 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

- Median annual wage: $72,560
- Median hourly wage: $34.89
- Total employment: 130 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $72,580
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 540 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $75,080
- Median hourly wage: $36.10
- Total employment: 620 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Gas plant operators

- Median annual wage: $75,140
- Median hourly wage: $36.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,550
- Median hourly wage: $36.32
- Total employment: 1,890 people (6.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,900
- Median hourly wage: $36.49
- Total employment: 1,970 people (6.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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4 PM production // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,660
- Median hourly wage: $36.86
- Total employment: 1,320 people (4.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $76,750
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 300 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Glen Jones // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Layout workers, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $76,980
- Median hourly wage: $37.01
- Total employment: 570 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $78,520
- Median hourly wage: $37.75
- Total employment: 180 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $81,230
- Median hourly wage: $39.06
- Total employment: 510 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SritanaN // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $81,500
- Median hourly wage: $39.18
- Total employment: 2,420 people (7.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $83,370
- Median hourly wage: $40.08
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $87,410
- Median hourly wage: $42.02
- Total employment: 260 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $89,230
- Median hourly wage: $42.90
- Total employment: 380 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

- Median annual wage: $90,970
- Median hourly wage: $43.74
- Total employment: 380 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $92,140
- Median hourly wage: $44.30
- Total employment: 390 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $96,600
- Median hourly wage: $46.44
- Total employment: 200 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $100,380
- Median hourly wage: $48.26
- Total employment: 220 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $103,400
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 410 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $120,640
- Median hourly wage: $58.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 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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