Highest-paying jobs in Jefferson City 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 Jefferson City 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.

giocalde // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#49. Printing press operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $48,010
- Median hourly wage: $23.08
- Total employment: 140 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Telecommunications line installers and repairers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $48,010
- Median hourly wage: $23.08
- Total employment: 40 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $48,170
- Median hourly wage: $23.16
- Total employment: 150 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $48,320
- Median hourly wage: $23.23
- Total employment: 250 people (3.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

adriaticfoto // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Miscellaneous construction and related workers

- Median annual wage: $48,920
- Median hourly wage: $23.52
- Total employment: 160 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $49,100
- Median hourly wage: $23.61
- Total employment: 460 people (5.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $49,150
- Median hourly wage: $23.63
- Total employment: 180 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $49,210
- Median hourly wage: $23.66
- Total employment: 180 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $49,350
- Median hourly wage: $23.73
- Total employment: 50 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $49,500
- Median hourly wage: $23.80
- Total employment: 120 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $49,960
- Median hourly wage: $24.02
- Total employment: 360 people (4.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $50,270
- Median hourly wage: $24.17
- Total employment: 490 people (6.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $50,880
- Median hourly wage: $24.46
- Total employment: 370 people (4.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $51,970
- Median hourly wage: $24.99
- Total employment: 100 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $52,310
- Median hourly wage: $25.15
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $53,770
- Median hourly wage: $25.85
- Total employment: 100 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Construction laborers

- Median annual wage: $54,560
- Median hourly wage: $26.23
- Total employment: 510 people (6.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $54,940
- Median hourly wage: $26.41
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $55,380
- Median hourly wage: $26.62
- Total employment: 150 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services

- Median annual wage: $55,460
- Median hourly wage: $26.67
- Total employment: 30 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $55,890
- Median hourly wage: $26.87
- Total employment: 350 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,050
- Median hourly wage: $26.95
- Total employment: 220 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $56,530
- Median hourly wage: $27.18
- Total employment: 110 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $56,630
- Median hourly wage: $27.23
- Total employment: 50 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $57,050
- Median hourly wage: $27.43
- Total employment: 340 people (4.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Umomos // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $57,420
- Median hourly wage: $27.61
- Total employment: 60 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $57,990
- Median hourly wage: $27.88
- Total employment: 530 people (6.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

brizmaker // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Roofers

- Median annual wage: $58,240
- Median hourly wage: $28.00
- Total employment: 100 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $58,590
- Median hourly wage: $28.17
- Total employment: 740 people (9.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $58,650
- Median hourly wage: $28.20
- Total employment: 50 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.22
- Total employment: 190 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,840
- Median hourly wage: $28.29
- Total employment: 710 people (9.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $59,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 80 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $60,440
- Median hourly wage: $29.06
- Total employment: 160 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $61,270
- Median hourly wage: $29.46
- Total employment: 150 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,610
- Median hourly wage: $29.62
- Total employment: 60 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $61,960
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 420 people (5.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 480 people (6.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $62,730
- Median hourly wage: $30.16
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Private detectives and investigators

- Median annual wage: $68,330
- Median hourly wage: $32.85
- Total employment: 30 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

M2020 // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $69,990
- Median hourly wage: $33.65
- Total employment: 100 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $70,660
- Median hourly wage: $33.97
- Total employment: 180 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $77,390
- Median hourly wage: $37.21
- Total employment: 290 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $77,440
- Median hourly wage: $37.23
- Total employment: 30 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,580
- Median hourly wage: $37.30
- Total employment: 350 people (4.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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4 PM production // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,380
- Median hourly wage: $38.64
- Total employment: 340 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,760
- Median hourly wage: $38.83
- Total employment: 50 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $86,080
- Median hourly wage: $41.38
- Total employment: 310 people (3.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $93,020
- Median hourly wage: $44.72
- Total employment: 60 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $99,650
- Median hourly wage: $47.91
- Total employment: 270 people (3.49 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.