Highest-paying jobs in Akron 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 Akron 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.

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $59,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: 60 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.96
- Total employment: 860 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $60,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.98
- Total employment: 1,450 people (4.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Glaziers

- Median annual wage: $60,370
- Median hourly wage: $29.02
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,510
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $60,690
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 700 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $60,710
- Median hourly wage: $29.19
- Total employment: 850 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#42. Public safety telecommunicators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $61,150
- Median hourly wage: $29.40
- Total employment: 270 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment (tie)

- Median annual wage: $61,150
- Median hourly wage: $29.40
- Total employment: 80 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Recreational vehicle service technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,210
- Median hourly wage: $29.43
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $61,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.49
- Total employment: 300 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $61,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.51
- Total employment: 200 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $61,560
- Median hourly wage: $29.60
- Total employment: 900 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $61,710
- Median hourly wage: $29.67
- Total employment: 1,870 people (5.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,160
- Median hourly wage: $29.89
- Total employment: 440 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: The most expensive neighborhoods in Akron

Suwin // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: Not available

Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $62,540
- Median hourly wage: $30.07
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,720
- Median hourly wage: $30.15
- Total employment: 2,600 people (8.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Insulation workers, mechanical

- Median annual wage: $62,980
- Median hourly wage: $30.28
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,000
- Median hourly wage: $30.29
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $63,110
- Median hourly wage: $30.34
- Total employment: 1,220 people (3.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $63,210
- Median hourly wage: $30.39
- Total employment: 310 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $63,500
- Median hourly wage: $30.53
- Total employment: 990 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $63,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.62
- Total employment: 160 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $64,250
- Median hourly wage: $30.89
- Total employment: 110 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Highest-rated ice cream shops in Akron by diners

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $64,360
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 650 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.98
- Total employment: 1,630 people (5.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Hearing aid specialists

- Median annual wage: $64,870
- Median hourly wage: $31.19
- Total employment: 30 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $65,420
- Median hourly wage: $31.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $66,580
- Median hourly wage: $32.01
- Total employment: 160 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $66,790
- Median hourly wage: $32.11
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,710
- Median hourly wage: $32.56
- Total employment: 1,780 people (5.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $71,510
- Median hourly wage: $34.38
- Total employment: 510 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $71,820
- Median hourly wage: $34.53
- Total employment: 260 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $72,280
- Median hourly wage: $34.75
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,630
- Median hourly wage: $34.92
- Total employment: 4,080 people (12.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $73,900
- Median hourly wage: $35.53
- Total employment: 120 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $74,470
- Median hourly wage: $35.80
- Total employment: 1,430 people (4.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,020
- Median hourly wage: $36.07
- Total employment: 1,190 people (3.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $75,280
- Median hourly wage: $36.19
- Total employment: 90 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: How much house does $500,000 buy you in Akron?

pio3 // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $75,540
- Median hourly wage: $36.32
- Total employment: 1,660 people (5.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,760
- Median hourly wage: $36.42
- Total employment: 290 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Photostriker // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other

- Median annual wage: $75,970
- Median hourly wage: $36.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,820
- Median hourly wage: $37.41
- Total employment: 90 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,890
- Median hourly wage: $37.93
- Total employment: 1,350 people (4.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: The 30 most popular homes for sale in Akron

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,020
- Median hourly wage: $37.99
- Total employment: 450 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $82,600
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $97,570
- Median hourly wage: $46.91
- Total employment: 620 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $98,140
- Median hourly wage: $47.18
- Total employment: 320 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $98,440
- Median hourly wage: $47.33
- Total employment: 190 people (0.6 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: How gas prices have changed in Akron in the last week