Highest-paying jobs in Jacksonville, North Carolina 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 Jacksonville 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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1 / 50

#50. Court, municipal, and license clerks

- Median annual wage: $45,900
- Median hourly wage: $22.07
- Total employment: 80 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Dental assistants

- Median annual wage: $45,980
- Median hourly wage: $22.11
- Total employment: 170 people (3.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $46,080
- Median hourly wage: $22.16
- Total employment: 130 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $46,620
- Median hourly wage: $22.41
- Total employment: 70 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

5 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $46,630
- Median hourly wage: $22.42
- Total employment: 110 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

- Median annual wage: $46,650
- Median hourly wage: $22.43
- Total employment: 220 people (4.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $47,590
- Median hourly wage: $22.88
- Total employment: 200 people (3.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

8 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $48,010
- Median hourly wage: $23.08
- Total employment: 340 people (6.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Office and administrative support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $48,120
- Median hourly wage: $23.14
- Total employment: 100 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Self-enrichment teachers

- Median annual wage: $48,400
- Median hourly wage: $23.27
- Total employment: 80 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $48,440
- Median hourly wage: $23.29
- Total employment: 160 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PHILIPIMAGE // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $48,500
- Median hourly wage: $23.32
- Total employment: 30 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stokkete // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Information and record clerks, all other

- Median annual wage: $48,530
- Median hourly wage: $23.33
- Total employment: 130 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

XiXinXing // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Medical records specialists

- Median annual wage: $48,800
- Median hourly wage: $23.46
- Total employment: 90 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Tutors

- Median annual wage: $48,850
- Median hourly wage: $23.49
- Total employment: Not available

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16 / 50

#34. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors (tie)

- Median annual wage: $48,990
- Median hourly wage: $23.55
- Total employment: 140 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $48,990
- Median hourly wage: $23.55
- Total employment: 40 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $49,130
- Median hourly wage: $23.62
- Total employment: 140 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $49,710
- Median hourly wage: $23.90
- Total employment: 110 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $50,010
- Median hourly wage: $24.04
- Total employment: 50 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

- Median annual wage: $50,580
- Median hourly wage: $24.32
- Total employment: 70 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Procurement clerks

- Median annual wage: $50,650
- Median hourly wage: $24.35
- Total employment: 70 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DGLimages // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Healthcare support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $51,460
- Median hourly wage: $24.74
- Total employment: 80 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $51,540
- Median hourly wage: $24.78
- Total employment: 170 people (3.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $51,820
- Median hourly wage: $24.92
- Total employment: 220 people (4.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $52,050
- Median hourly wage: $25.02
- Total employment: 400 people (7.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $52,170
- Median hourly wage: $25.08
- Total employment: 360 people (6.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $53,130
- Median hourly wage: $25.54
- Total employment: 220 people (4.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $53,240
- Median hourly wage: $25.59
- Total employment: 50 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $54,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.09
- Total employment: 230 people (4.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $54,920
- Median hourly wage: $26.40
- Total employment: 140 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $55,420
- Median hourly wage: $26.64
- Total employment: 50 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $55,770
- Median hourly wage: $26.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,510
- Median hourly wage: $28.13
- Total employment: 90 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $59,560
- Median hourly wage: $28.64
- Total employment: 150 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $59,570
- Median hourly wage: $28.64
- Total employment: 50 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $60,070
- Median hourly wage: $28.88
- Total employment: 60 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $60,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.98
- Total employment: 40 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,200
- Median hourly wage: $29.43
- Total employment: 70 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Motor vehicle operators, all other

- Median annual wage: $61,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.50
- Total employment: 80 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,680
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 70 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $63,180
- Median hourly wage: $30.38
- Total employment: 30 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,660
- Median hourly wage: $30.60
- Total employment: 380 people (7.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,370
- Median hourly wage: $30.95
- Total employment: 240 people (4.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $65,920
- Median hourly wage: $31.69
- Total employment: 70 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $67,460
- Median hourly wage: $32.43
- Total employment: 130 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $70,050
- Median hourly wage: $33.68
- Total employment: 60 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $78,350
- Median hourly wage: $37.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $84,640
- Median hourly wage: $40.69
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $90,690
- Median hourly wage: $43.60
- Total employment: 120 people (2.3 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.