Philip Lange // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $43,250
- Median hourly wage: $20.80
- Total employment: 40 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Goldsboro 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 Goldsboro 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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Freedomz // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Health technologists and technicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $43,510
- Median hourly wage: $20.92
- Total employment: 70 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $43,730
- Median hourly wage: $21.03
- Total employment: 430 people (10.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $43,800
- Median hourly wage: $21.06
- Total employment: 110 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $44,090
- Median hourly wage: $21.20
- Total employment: 50 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
- Median annual wage: $44,180
- Median hourly wage: $21.24
- Total employment: 460 people (11.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $45,160
- Median hourly wage: $21.71
- Total employment: 30 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $45,440
- Median hourly wage: $21.85
- Total employment: 430 people (10.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Dental assistants
- Median annual wage: $45,640
- Median hourly wage: $21.94
- Total employment: 120 people (2.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Median annual wage: $45,950
- Median hourly wage: $22.09
- Total employment: 270 people (6.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Irene Miller // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $46,040
- Median hourly wage: $22.14
- Total employment: 160 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $46,220
- Median hourly wage: $22.22
- Total employment: 120 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $46,240
- Median hourly wage: $22.23
- Total employment: 130 people (3.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Median annual wage: $46,270
- Median hourly wage: $22.25
- Total employment: 30 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $46,320
- Median hourly wage: $22.27
- Total employment: 480 people (11.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $46,480
- Median hourly wage: $22.35
- Total employment: 140 people (3.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $47,680
- Median hourly wage: $22.92
- Total employment: 50 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $47,840
- Median hourly wage: $23.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $47,880
- Median hourly wage: $23.02
- Total employment: 80 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $48,060
- Median hourly wage: $23.11
- Total employment: 120 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $48,200
- Median hourly wage: $23.18
- Total employment: 30 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $48,620
- Median hourly wage: $23.38
- Total employment: 140 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $49,020
- Median hourly wage: $23.57
- Total employment: 70 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $49,050
- Median hourly wage: $23.58
- Total employment: 190 people (4.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $50,830
- Median hourly wage: $24.44
- Total employment: 80 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Syda Productions // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $51,650
- Median hourly wage: $24.83
- Total employment: 60 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $52,330
- Median hourly wage: $25.16
- Total employment: 180 people (4.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $52,340
- Median hourly wage: $25.16
- Total employment: 60 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $54,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.09
- Total employment: 120 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Information and record clerks, all other
- Median annual wage: $54,560
- Median hourly wage: $26.23
- Total employment: 50 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Prath // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $54,990
- Median hourly wage: $26.44
- Total employment: 40 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $55,790
- Median hourly wage: $26.82
- Total employment: 120 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $56,480
- Median hourly wage: $27.15
- Total employment: 80 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $57,340
- Median hourly wage: $27.57
- Total employment: 290 people (7.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $57,450
- Median hourly wage: $27.62
- Total employment: 190 people (4.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $58,120
- Median hourly wage: $27.94
- Total employment: 180 people (4.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $58,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.34
- Total employment: 180 people (4.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $59,300
- Median hourly wage: $28.51
- Total employment: 30 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $60,240
- Median hourly wage: $28.96
- Total employment: 80 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $61,290
- Median hourly wage: $29.47
- Total employment: 350 people (8.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $61,810
- Median hourly wage: $29.72
- Total employment: 230 people (5.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $62,410
- Median hourly wage: $30.01
- Total employment: 120 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $62,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.27
- Total employment: 40 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $65,210
- Median hourly wage: $31.35
- Total employment: 50 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $66,140
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 60 people (1.47 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: $66,780
- Median hourly wage: $32.11
- Total employment: 250 people (6.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $74,510
- Median hourly wage: $35.82
- Total employment: 260 people (6.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $82,520
- Median hourly wage: $39.67
- Total employment: 50 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $82,580
- Median hourly wage: $39.70
- Total employment: 70 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $83,450
- Median hourly wage: $40.12
- Total employment: 50 people (1.17 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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