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1 / 50#50. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $48,840
- Median hourly wage: $23.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Salisbury 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 Salisbury 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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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
- Median annual wage: $48,900
- Median hourly wage: $23.51
- Total employment: 460 people (8.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $49,480
- Median hourly wage: $23.79
- Total employment: Not available
4 PM production // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Median annual wage: $49,610
- Median hourly wage: $23.85
- Total employment: 380 people (7.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Efired // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Bill and account collectors
- Median annual wage: $49,990
- Median hourly wage: $24.03
- Total employment: 60 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $50,310
- Median hourly wage: $24.19
- Total employment: 40 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $50,410
- Median hourly wage: $24.24
- Total employment: 550 people (10.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $50,430
- Median hourly wage: $24.25
- Total employment: Not available
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $50,470
- Median hourly wage: $24.26
- Total employment: 40 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $51,230
- Median hourly wage: $24.63
- Total employment: 330 people (6.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services
- Median annual wage: $51,280
- Median hourly wage: $24.65
- Total employment: 30 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $51,320
- Median hourly wage: $24.67
- Total employment: 90 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
XiXinXing // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Medical records specialists
- Median annual wage: $51,430
- Median hourly wage: $24.72
- Total employment: 70 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $54,070
- Median hourly wage: $26.00
- Total employment: 70 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $54,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.09
- Total employment: 140 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $55,320
- Median hourly wage: $26.59
- Total employment: 120 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $55,460
- Median hourly wage: $26.66
- Total employment: 80 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $55,560
- Median hourly wage: $26.71
- Total employment: 80 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $56,430
- Median hourly wage: $27.13
- Total employment: 130 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $57,260
- Median hourly wage: $27.53
- Total employment: 40 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $57,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 180 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $58,000
- Median hourly wage: $27.89
- Total employment: 210 people (3.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $58,070
- Median hourly wage: $27.92
- Total employment: 60 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $58,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.15
- Total employment: 40 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $59,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.37
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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pio3 // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $59,270
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 290 people (5.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $60,130
- Median hourly wage: $28.91
- Total employment: 130 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $60,780
- Median hourly wage: $29.22
- Total employment: 330 people (6.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $61,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.42
- Total employment: 750 people (13.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $61,720
- Median hourly wage: $29.67
- Total employment: 70 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Bigflick // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $62,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.99
- Total employment: 560 people (10.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $62,800
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 280 people (5.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Josep Suria // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $63,720
- Median hourly wage: $30.63
- Total employment: 30 people (0.61 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: $65,220
- Median hourly wage: $31.36
- Total employment: 160 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $65,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SatawatK // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $65,590
- Median hourly wage: $31.53
- Total employment: 50 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GolF2532 // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $65,750
- Median hourly wage: $31.61
- Total employment: 90 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $66,760
- Median hourly wage: $32.10
- Total employment: 80 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $66,980
- Median hourly wage: $32.20
- Total employment: 270 people (5.06 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: $68,440
- Median hourly wage: $32.90
- Total employment: 280 people (5.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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sculpies // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $69,390
- Median hourly wage: $33.36
- Total employment: 220 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $70,710
- Median hourly wage: $34.00
- Total employment: 290 people (5.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $72,220
- Median hourly wage: $34.72
- Total employment: 80 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $73,290
- Median hourly wage: $35.23
- Total employment: 30 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $74,260
- Median hourly wage: $35.70
- Total employment: 170 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $74,530
- Median hourly wage: $35.83
- Total employment: 50 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $81,320
- Median hourly wage: $39.10
- Total employment: 30 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $96,620
- Median hourly wage: $46.45
- Total employment: 120 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $97,840
- Median hourly wage: $47.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $122,510
- Median hourly wage: $58.90
- Total employment: 110 people (2.01 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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