Highest-paying jobs in Omaha 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 Omaha 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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Pixel B // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $62,150
- Median hourly wage: $29.88
- Total employment: 120 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 260 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

3 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 840 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

4 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,630
- Median hourly wage: $30.11
- Total employment: 5,350 people (10.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $62,680
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 1,200 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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fizkes // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $62,820
- Median hourly wage: $30.20
- Total employment: 230 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $62,940
- Median hourly wage: $30.26
- Total employment: 890 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $62,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.27
- Total employment: 360 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $63,210
- Median hourly wage: $30.39
- Total employment: 360 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $63,990
- Median hourly wage: $30.76
- Total employment: 360 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Nikita M production // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,110
- Median hourly wage: $30.82
- Total employment: 270 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $64,160
- Median hourly wage: $30.85
- Total employment: 800 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,180
- Median hourly wage: $30.86
- Total employment: 3,930 people (8.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $64,660
- Median hourly wage: $31.09
- Total employment: 160 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $64,700
- Median hourly wage: $31.11
- Total employment: 1,150 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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santi lumubol // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $64,920
- Median hourly wage: $31.21
- Total employment: 150 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $64,930
- Median hourly wage: $31.22
- Total employment: 1,130 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Onk-Q // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers

- Median annual wage: $65,090
- Median hourly wage: $31.29
- Total employment: Not available

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $65,400
- Median hourly wage: $31.44
- Total employment: 1,780 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Sound engineering technicians

- Median annual wage: $66,460
- Median hourly wage: $31.95
- Total employment: Not available

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Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,070
- Median hourly wage: $32.25
- Total employment: 2,180 people (4.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $68,830
- Median hourly wage: $33.09
- Total employment: 100 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $69,010
- Median hourly wage: $33.18
- Total employment: 290 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $70,420
- Median hourly wage: $33.86
- Total employment: 130 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,650
- Median hourly wage: $35.41
- Total employment: 1,910 people (3.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $73,890
- Median hourly wage: $35.53
- Total employment: 260 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

- Median annual wage: $74,170
- Median hourly wage: $35.66
- Total employment: 40 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,410
- Median hourly wage: $35.78
- Total employment: 240 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,090
- Median hourly wage: $36.10
- Total employment: 130 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $75,670
- Median hourly wage: $36.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Vera Larina // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $75,720
- Median hourly wage: $36.40
- Total employment: 390 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Khromova Anna // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Fence erectors

- Median annual wage: $78,790
- Median hourly wage: $37.88
- Total employment: 90 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#17. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (tie)

- Median annual wage: $80,110
- Median hourly wage: $38.52
- Total employment: 2,650 people (5.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $80,110
- Median hourly wage: $38.51
- Total employment: 3,000 people (6.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $80,400
- Median hourly wage: $38.65
- Total employment: 1,650 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Gas plant operators

- Median annual wage: $81,760
- Median hourly wage: $39.31
- Total employment: 80 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $82,640
- Median hourly wage: $39.73
- Total employment: 1,120 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $82,930
- Median hourly wage: $39.87
- Total employment: 60 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Meter readers, utilities

- Median annual wage: $84,780
- Median hourly wage: $40.76
- Total employment: 70 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $85,800
- Median hourly wage: $41.25
- Total employment: 50 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $86,290
- Median hourly wage: $41.49
- Total employment: 260 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Josep Suria // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $91,830
- Median hourly wage: $44.15
- Total employment: 90 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $95,430
- Median hourly wage: $45.88
- Total employment: 590 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $98,500
- Median hourly wage: $47.36
- Total employment: 150 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $103,040
- Median hourly wage: $49.54
- Total employment: 160 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $103,810
- Median hourly wage: $49.91
- Total employment: 60 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $107,360
- Median hourly wage: $51.62
- Total employment: 380 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $113,560
- Median hourly wage: $54.60
- Total employment: 80 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $113,710
- Median hourly wage: $54.67
- Total employment: 330 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $147,310
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.24 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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