Highest-paying jobs in Syracuse 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 Syracuse 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.

You may also like: Best public high schools in the Syracuse metro area

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $63,900
- Median hourly wage: $30.72
- Total employment: 330 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $64,060
- Median hourly wage: $30.80
- Total employment: 70 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $64,490
- Median hourly wage: $31.01
- Total employment: 1,200 people (4.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $64,680
- Median hourly wage: $31.10
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $64,940
- Median hourly wage: $31.22
- Total employment: 330 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $65,060
- Median hourly wage: $31.28
- Total employment: 910 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $65,210
- Median hourly wage: $31.35
- Total employment: 70 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $67,190
- Median hourly wage: $32.30
- Total employment: 110 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Private detectives and investigators

- Median annual wage: $69,120
- Median hourly wage: $33.23
- Total employment: 60 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $70,030
- Median hourly wage: $33.67
- Total employment: 80 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,960
- Median hourly wage: $34.11
- Total employment: 2,600 people (8.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $71,650
- Median hourly wage: $34.45
- Total employment: 840 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $72,310
- Median hourly wage: $34.77
- Total employment: 1,040 people (3.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $72,490
- Median hourly wage: $34.85
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $72,910
- Median hourly wage: $35.06
- Total employment: 450 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $73,400
- Median hourly wage: $35.29
- Total employment: 390 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

muratart // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $74,700
- Median hourly wage: $35.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,740
- Median hourly wage: $35.93
- Total employment: 2,260 people (7.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Insulation workers, mechanical

- Median annual wage: $75,170
- Median hourly wage: $36.14
- Total employment: 110 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $75,730
- Median hourly wage: $36.41
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,780
- Median hourly wage: $36.44
- Total employment: 260 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,840
- Median hourly wage: $36.94
- Total employment: 1,320 people (4.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,020
- Median hourly wage: $37.03
- Total employment: 1,150 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

- Median annual wage: $77,110
- Median hourly wage: $37.07
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $77,120
- Median hourly wage: $37.08
- Total employment: 180 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $77,320
- Median hourly wage: $37.17
- Total employment: 1,980 people (6.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $77,560
- Median hourly wage: $37.29
- Total employment: 1,770 people (6.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $78,190
- Median hourly wage: $37.59
- Total employment: 30 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Bailiffs

- Median annual wage: $78,230
- Median hourly wage: $37.61
- Total employment: 80 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $78,520
- Median hourly wage: $37.75
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,670
- Median hourly wage: $37.82
- Total employment: 1,150 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $79,420
- Median hourly wage: $38.18
- Total employment: 670 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $80,720
- Median hourly wage: $38.81
- Total employment: 80 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $82,440
- Median hourly wage: $39.63
- Total employment: 170 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $84,550
- Median hourly wage: $40.65
- Total employment: 200 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $85,690
- Median hourly wage: $41.20
- Total employment: 320 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $85,760
- Median hourly wage: $41.23
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $91,590
- Median hourly wage: $44.03
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $92,430
- Median hourly wage: $44.44
- Total employment: 160 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $93,020
- Median hourly wage: $44.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Best places to live in the Syracuse metro area

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $95,020
- Median hourly wage: $45.68
- Total employment: 480 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $95,370
- Median hourly wage: $45.85
- Total employment: 270 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $95,550
- Median hourly wage: $45.94
- Total employment: 300 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $96,210
- Median hourly wage: $46.26
- Total employment: 260 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Sound engineering technicians

- Median annual wage: $97,850
- Median hourly wage: $47.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Car insurance rates in Syracuse October 2025

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $101,930
- Median hourly wage: $49.01
- Total employment: 370 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $102,400
- Median hourly wage: $49.23
- Total employment: 260 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $119,990
- Median hourly wage: $57.69
- Total employment: 120 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $120,630
- Median hourly wage: $57.99
- Total employment: 290 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay

- Median annual wage: $124,050
- Median hourly wage: $59.64
- Total employment: 120 people (0.42 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.

You may also like: Best private high schools in the Syracuse metro area