Highest-paying jobs in Lincoln for high school graduates

For decades, common wisdom held that earning a bachelor's degree would guarantee a high-paying career. Higher education does still seem to be an advantage: A college graduate's average annual salary of $60,000 in 2024 is roughly $20,000 more than that of a high school graduate, and those with bachelor's degrees can typically expect to earn between $630,000 and $900,000 more over the course of a lifetime. However, recent shifts in higher education and the job market have people wondering—with good reason—whether or not a bachelor's degree will really pay off.

According to a 2024 study from the Pew Research Center, 29% of Americans believe obtaining a college degree isn't worthwhile, a trend reflected in shrinking attendance at universities across the nation. Meanwhile, annual college costs have skyrocketed to an average of $38,270 per student in 2025, often necessitating student loans with steep interest rates.

With these factors in mind, it's natural for recent high school graduates to consider vocational opportunities outside of college. Those who do may be pleasantly surprised—many companies have stopped requiring bachelor's degrees for entry-, mid-, and even senior-level positions. And while college graduates' average earnings may be higher, a 2024 report from Launchpad Jobs found that around 1 in 5 nondegree holders out-earn the $70,000 median wages of someone with a bachelor's degree.

Of course, salaries for high school grads vary widely based on job, industry, and location. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Lincoln for high school graduates. The analysis included jobs that listed a high school diploma or had no formal education requirement. 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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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $55,390
- Median hourly wage: $26.63
- Total employment: 60 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $55,410
- Median hourly wage: $26.64
- Total employment: 70 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $55,580
- Median hourly wage: $26.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DC Studio // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

- Median annual wage: $56,440
- Median hourly wage: $27.14
- Total employment: 260 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $56,590
- Median hourly wage: $27.21
- Total employment: 150 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LuckView // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $56,700
- Median hourly wage: $27.26
- Total employment: 200 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $56,740
- Median hourly wage: $27.28
- Total employment: 160 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#42. Community health workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $56,960
- Median hourly wage: $27.39
- Total employment: 60 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Bus drivers, transit and intercity (tie)

- Median annual wage: $56,960
- Median hourly wage: $27.38
- Total employment: 150 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,220
- Median hourly wage: $27.51
- Total employment: 540 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $58,050
- Median hourly wage: $27.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Cargo and freight agents

- Median annual wage: $58,160
- Median hourly wage: $27.96
- Total employment: 50 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $58,340
- Median hourly wage: $28.05
- Total employment: 180 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $58,350
- Median hourly wage: $28.05
- Total employment: 520 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $58,570
- Median hourly wage: $28.16
- Total employment: 320 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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rlat // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $58,650
- Median hourly wage: $28.20
- Total employment: 70 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $58,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.29
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Property, real estate, and community association managers

- Median annual wage: $59,480
- Median hourly wage: $28.59
- Total employment: 240 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $59,530
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 510 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $59,630
- Median hourly wage: $28.67
- Total employment: 410 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,920
- Median hourly wage: $28.81
- Total employment: 1,270 people (7.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 870 people (4.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $60,560
- Median hourly wage: $29.12
- Total employment: 640 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,790
- Median hourly wage: $29.23
- Total employment: 90 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $60,860
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 1,050 people (5.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,970
- Median hourly wage: $29.31
- Total employment: 1,820 people (10.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $63,330
- Median hourly wage: $30.45
- Total employment: 60 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $63,720
- Median hourly wage: $30.64
- Total employment: 490 people (2.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $63,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.67
- Total employment: 220 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chay_Tee // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Tax preparers

- Median annual wage: $63,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 60 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $64,150
- Median hourly wage: $30.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $64,270
- Median hourly wage: $30.90
- Total employment: 1,000 people (5.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $64,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.03
- Total employment: 300 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $65,950
- Median hourly wage: $31.71
- Total employment: 230 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $69,120
- Median hourly wage: $33.23
- Total employment: 90 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $69,260
- Median hourly wage: $33.30
- Total employment: 100 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,520
- Median hourly wage: $33.42
- Total employment: 1,170 people (6.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,780
- Median hourly wage: $34.99
- Total employment: 700 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $73,660
- Median hourly wage: $35.42
- Total employment: 640 people (3.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

- Median annual wage: $75,250
- Median hourly wage: $36.18
- Total employment: 30 people (0.17 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: $75,670
- Median hourly wage: $36.38
- Total employment: 400 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,560
- Median hourly wage: $36.81
- Total employment: 1,010 people (5.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $82,360
- Median hourly wage: $39.60
- Total employment: 90 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $83,830
- Median hourly wage: $40.30
- Total employment: 510 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman023_photography // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Riggers

- Median annual wage: $88,110
- Median hourly wage: $42.36
- Total employment: 50 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $89,840
- Median hourly wage: $43.19
- Total employment: 130 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $91,140
- Median hourly wage: $43.82
- Total employment: 190 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $92,610
- Median hourly wage: $44.52
- Total employment: 500 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $99,090
- Median hourly wage: $47.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $111,170
- Median hourly wage: $53.45
- Total employment: 130 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.