Highest-paying jobs in Omaha 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 Omaha 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.

You may also like: Top 25 songs in Omaha on Shazam in the past week

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $60,530
- Median hourly wage: $29.10
- Total employment: 170 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,850
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 200 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Insulation workers, mechanical

- Median annual wage: $60,880
- Median hourly wage: $29.27
- Total employment: 180 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman023_photography // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Riggers

- Median annual wage: $61,110
- Median hourly wage: $29.38
- Total employment: 30 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

- Median annual wage: $61,340
- Median hourly wage: $29.49
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: The 30 most popular homes for sale in Omaha

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $61,520
- Median hourly wage: $29.58
- Total employment: 260 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $61,540
- Median hourly wage: $29.59
- Total employment: 3,200 people (6.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $62,030
- Median hourly wage: $29.82
- Total employment: Not available

adriaticfoto // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Miscellaneous construction and related workers

- Median annual wage: $62,110
- Median hourly wage: $29.86
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. 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

11 / 50

#40. 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

12 / 50

#39. 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

13 / 50

#38. 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)

fizkes // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. 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

15 / 50

#36. 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)

You may also like: Best public middle schools in the Omaha metro area

manine99 // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. 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

17 / 50

#34. 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)

Nikita M production // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. 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

19 / 50

#32. 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

20 / 50

#31. 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)

You may also like: How much house $1 million buys you in Omaha

Jat306 // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. 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

22 / 50

#29. 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)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. 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

24 / 50

#27. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers

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

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. 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)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. 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

27 / 50

#24. 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

28 / 50

#23. 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

29 / 50

#22. 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

30 / 50

#21. 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)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. 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)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. 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)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. 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

34 / 50

#17. 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)

sculpies // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#15. 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)

You may also like: The most expensive homes sold in Omaha this year

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. 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)

pio3 // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. 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)

Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. 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

39 / 50

#12. 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

40 / 50

#11. 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)

You may also like: Movies and TV shows casting in Omaha

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. 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

42 / 50

#9. 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)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. 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)

goodluz // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. 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

45 / 50

#6. 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)

You may also like: Highest-paying computer and engineering jobs in Omaha

Prath // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. 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

47 / 50

#4. 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

48 / 50

#3. 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

49 / 50

#2. 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

50 / 50

#1. 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)

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

You may also like: Car insurance rates in Omaha