Highest-paying jobs in Fargo 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 Fargo 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.

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $60,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.02
- Total employment: 690 people (4.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $60,420
- Median hourly wage: $29.05
- Total employment: 580 people (3.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $60,570
- Median hourly wage: $29.12
- Total employment: 750 people (5.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 120 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

5 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,870
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 100 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $60,900
- Median hourly wage: $29.28
- Total employment: 150 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,110
- Median hourly wage: $29.38
- Total employment: 210 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#42. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $61,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.55
- Total employment: 900 people (6.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants (tie)

- Median annual wage: $61,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.55
- Total employment: 200 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

- Median annual wage: $61,610
- Median hourly wage: $29.62
- Total employment: 130 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,640
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 630 people (4.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Glaziers

- Median annual wage: $62,140
- Median hourly wage: $29.88
- Total employment: 100 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 50 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $62,220
- Median hourly wage: $29.91
- Total employment: 60 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $63,150
- Median hourly wage: $30.36
- Total employment: 640 people (4.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Jat306 // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $63,320
- Median hourly wage: $30.44
- Total employment: 40 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $63,640
- Median hourly wage: $30.60
- Total employment: 480 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#32. Stationary engineers and boiler operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $63,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 80 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $63,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 70 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ramon Espelt Photography // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Home appliance repairers

- Median annual wage: $64,180
- Median hourly wage: $30.86
- Total employment: 40 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SritanaN // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $64,260
- Median hourly wage: $30.89
- Total employment: 520 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $64,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.03
- Total employment: 240 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $64,700
- Median hourly wage: $31.11
- Total employment: 270 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,790
- Median hourly wage: $31.15
- Total employment: 930 people (6.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $65,450
- Median hourly wage: $31.47
- Total employment: 190 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.54
- Total employment: 440 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $67,990
- Median hourly wage: $32.69
- Total employment: 500 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,230
- Median hourly wage: $33.77
- Total employment: 640 people (4.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,540
- Median hourly wage: $33.91
- Total employment: 1,770 people (12.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $73,560
- Median hourly wage: $35.37
- Total employment: 860 people (5.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Joey Chung // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,540
- Median hourly wage: $35.84
- Total employment: 450 people (3.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $75,100
- Median hourly wage: $36.11
- Total employment: 400 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $75,710
- Median hourly wage: $36.40
- Total employment: 70 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,820
- Median hourly wage: $37.41
- Total employment: 850 people (5.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $78,140
- Median hourly wage: $37.57
- Total employment: 50 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,450
- Median hourly wage: $37.71
- Total employment: 460 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $78,580
- Median hourly wage: $37.78
- Total employment: 140 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $78,840
- Median hourly wage: $37.90
- Total employment: 370 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $79,350
- Median hourly wage: $38.15
- Total employment: 130 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $80,720
- Median hourly wage: $38.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,740
- Median hourly wage: $38.82
- Total employment: 80 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $82,370
- Median hourly wage: $39.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $86,160
- Median hourly wage: $41.42
- Total employment: 90 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $86,540
- Median hourly wage: $41.61
- Total employment: 90 people (0.63 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: $87,690
- Median hourly wage: $42.16
- Total employment: 90 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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goodluz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $95,540
- Median hourly wage: $45.94
- Total employment: 160 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $96,930
- Median hourly wage: $46.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $107,480
- Median hourly wage: $51.67
- Total employment: 110 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $113,580
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman023_photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Riggers

- Median annual wage: $165,050
- Median hourly wage: $79.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 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.

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