Highest-paying jobs in Duluth 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 Duluth 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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1 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,220
- Median hourly wage: $29.92
- Total employment: 70 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $62,590
- Median hourly wage: $30.09
- Total employment: 50 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $63,060
- Median hourly wage: $30.32
- Total employment: 50 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $63,130
- Median hourly wage: $30.35
- Total employment: 50 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

5 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.48
- Total employment: 50 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $63,430
- Median hourly wage: $30.50
- Total employment: 100 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

7 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,250
- Median hourly wage: $30.89
- Total employment: 880 people (7.08 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: $64,840
- Median hourly wage: $31.17
- Total employment: 220 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

9 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,040
- Median hourly wage: $31.27
- Total employment: 360 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $66,380
- Median hourly wage: $31.91
- Total employment: 260 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Indypendenz // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,200
- Median hourly wage: $32.31
- Total employment: 50 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $69,210
- Median hourly wage: $33.28
- Total employment: 130 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $69,520
- Median hourly wage: $33.42
- Total employment: 230 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $70,360
- Median hourly wage: $33.83
- Total employment: 60 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,780
- Median hourly wage: $34.03
- Total employment: 100 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $71,560
- Median hourly wage: $34.40
- Total employment: 360 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $72,820
- Median hourly wage: $35.01
- Total employment: 760 people (6.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $72,900
- Median hourly wage: $35.05
- Total employment: 70 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $73,400
- Median hourly wage: $35.29
- Total employment: 80 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

- Median annual wage: $73,450
- Median hourly wage: $35.31
- Total employment: 230 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $73,870
- Median hourly wage: $35.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $73,980
- Median hourly wage: $35.57
- Total employment: 380 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,530
- Median hourly wage: $35.83
- Total employment: 80 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $74,780
- Median hourly wage: $35.95
- Total employment: 300 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,890
- Median hourly wage: $36.00
- Total employment: 450 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Prath // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $76,500
- Median hourly wage: $36.78
- Total employment: 120 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $76,720
- Median hourly wage: $36.89
- Total employment: 70 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $77,590
- Median hourly wage: $37.30
- Total employment: 70 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $77,720
- Median hourly wage: $37.37
- Total employment: 540 people (4.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $77,850
- Median hourly wage: $37.43
- Total employment: 130 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $78,780
- Median hourly wage: $37.88
- Total employment: 100 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $81,200
- Median hourly wage: $39.04
- Total employment: 100 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $81,390
- Median hourly wage: $39.13
- Total employment: 500 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nikita M production // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $81,770
- Median hourly wage: $39.31
- Total employment: 80 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $81,830
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

M2020 // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $83,090
- Median hourly wage: $39.95
- Total employment: 100 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

APChanel // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Railroad conductors and yardmasters

- Median annual wage: $83,200
- Median hourly wage: $40.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $83,970
- Median hourly wage: $40.37
- Total employment: 680 people (5.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $84,230
- Median hourly wage: $40.50
- Total employment: 490 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $84,480
- Median hourly wage: $40.62
- Total employment: 50 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $85,310
- Median hourly wage: $41.02
- Total employment: 170 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rezoff // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Plant and system operators, all other

- Median annual wage: $85,510
- Median hourly wage: $41.11
- Total employment: 30 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

brizmaker // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Roofers

- Median annual wage: $85,520
- Median hourly wage: $41.11
- Total employment: 240 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $85,990
- Median hourly wage: $41.34
- Total employment: 830 people (6.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $87,050
- Median hourly wage: $41.85
- Total employment: 80 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $87,420
- Median hourly wage: $42.03
- Total employment: 280 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yulai Studio // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Surgical assistants

- Median annual wage: $92,160
- Median hourly wage: $44.31
- Total employment: 30 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Gas plant operators

- Median annual wage: $95,590
- Median hourly wage: $45.96
- Total employment: 30 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $96,910
- Median hourly wage: $46.59
- Total employment: 120 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $102,400
- Median hourly wage: $49.23
- Total employment: 160 people (1.28 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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