Highest-paying jobs in Wilmington 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 Wilmington 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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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $52,830
- Median hourly wage: $25.40
- Total employment: 90 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $52,950
- Median hourly wage: $25.46
- Total employment: 370 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $53,600
- Median hourly wage: $25.77
- Total employment: 1,050 people (5.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $54,190
- Median hourly wage: $26.05
- Total employment: 100 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ramon Espelt Photography // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Home appliance repairers

- Median annual wage: $55,310
- Median hourly wage: $26.59
- Total employment: 70 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $55,700
- Median hourly wage: $26.78
- Total employment: 380 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $56,030
- Median hourly wage: $26.94
- Total employment: 760 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $56,250
- Median hourly wage: $27.04
- Total employment: 250 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $57,280
- Median hourly wage: $27.54
- Total employment: 80 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $57,470
- Median hourly wage: $27.63
- Total employment: 570 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $58,270
- Median hourly wage: $28.02
- Total employment: 190 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $58,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.29
- Total employment: 590 people (3.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Herraez Calzada // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Automotive glass installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $58,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.36
- Total employment: 30 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

14 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,080
- Median hourly wage: $28.41
- Total employment: 190 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,140
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 1,660 people (8.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $59,160
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 830 people (4.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,190
- Median hourly wage: $28.46
- Total employment: 1,510 people (8.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

- Median annual wage: $59,350
- Median hourly wage: $28.53
- Total employment: 130 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $59,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.55
- Total employment: 180 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $60,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: 920 people (4.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $60,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 140 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $60,890
- Median hourly wage: $29.27
- Total employment: 160 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.48
- Total employment: 260 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,340
- Median hourly wage: $29.49
- Total employment: 1,530 people (8.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $61,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.49
- Total employment: 210 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 100 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $61,960
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $62,130
- Median hourly wage: $29.87
- Total employment: 290 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $62,210
- Median hourly wage: $29.91
- Total employment: 200 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $62,680
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 230 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorgev // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $63,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.45
- Total employment: 60 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $63,800
- Median hourly wage: $30.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,950
- Median hourly wage: $30.74
- Total employment: 1,810 people (9.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $64,110
- Median hourly wage: $30.82
- Total employment: Not available

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,550
- Median hourly wage: $31.04
- Total employment: 250 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $65,510
- Median hourly wage: $31.49
- Total employment: 410 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,970
- Median hourly wage: $31.72
- Total employment: 910 people (4.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,300
- Median hourly wage: $31.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $68,540
- Median hourly wage: $32.95
- Total employment: 30 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,360
- Median hourly wage: $33.83
- Total employment: 570 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $70,560
- Median hourly wage: $33.93
- Total employment: 140 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,900
- Median hourly wage: $34.09
- Total employment: 320 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $73,580
- Median hourly wage: $35.37
- Total employment: 350 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $75,700
- Median hourly wage: $36.40
- Total employment: 80 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $77,380
- Median hourly wage: $37.20
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

- Median annual wage: $82,920
- Median hourly wage: $39.86
- Total employment: 520 people (2.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $84,920
- Median hourly wage: $40.83
- Total employment: 220 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $85,170
- Median hourly wage: $40.95
- Total employment: 160 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

49 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $100,570
- Median hourly wage: $48.35
- Total employment: 60 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $131,400
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.27 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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