Highest-paying jobs in Cincinnati 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 Cincinnati 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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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 3,230 people (2.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $62,530
- Median hourly wage: $30.06
- Total employment: 5,980 people (5.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $62,650
- Median hourly wage: $30.12
- Total employment: 1,490 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Steve Hamann // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners

- Median annual wage: $62,670
- Median hourly wage: $30.13
- Total employment: 230 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

M2020 // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $63,410
- Median hourly wage: $30.49
- Total employment: 570 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Gas plant operators

- Median annual wage: $63,430
- Median hourly wage: $30.49
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

7 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,490
- Median hourly wage: $30.52
- Total employment: 9,920 people (9.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $63,530
- Median hourly wage: $30.54
- Total employment: 680 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $63,610
- Median hourly wage: $30.58
- Total employment: 490 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $63,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 1,080 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $64,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.98
- Total employment: 450 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Hearing aid specialists

- Median annual wage: $64,490
- Median hourly wage: $31.01
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Josep Suria // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $64,710
- Median hourly wage: $31.11
- Total employment: 140 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $65,140
- Median hourly wage: $31.32
- Total employment: 2,660 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,280
- Median hourly wage: $31.38
- Total employment: 350 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Vladeep // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $65,430
- Median hourly wage: $31.46
- Total employment: 310 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

- Median annual wage: $66,110
- Median hourly wage: $31.79
- Total employment: 100 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $66,150
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 1,960 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $66,210
- Median hourly wage: $31.83
- Total employment: 4,410 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $68,080
- Median hourly wage: $32.73
- Total employment: 250 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $70,320
- Median hourly wage: $33.81
- Total employment: 260 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $71,390
- Median hourly wage: $34.32
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $72,030
- Median hourly wage: $34.63
- Total employment: 510 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $72,240
- Median hourly wage: $34.73
- Total employment: 160 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Photostriker // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other

- Median annual wage: $72,320
- Median hourly wage: $34.77
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $72,470
- Median hourly wage: $34.84
- Total employment: 330 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,540
- Median hourly wage: $34.88
- Total employment: 5,890 people (5.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Insulation workers, mechanical

- Median annual wage: $74,080
- Median hourly wage: $35.62
- Total employment: 240 people (0.22 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: $75,980
- Median hourly wage: $36.53
- Total employment: 12,550 people (11.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $76,700
- Median hourly wage: $36.88
- Total employment: 290 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $77,720
- Median hourly wage: $37.36
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $78,080
- Median hourly wage: $37.54
- Total employment: 100 people (0.1 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: $78,260
- Median hourly wage: $37.62
- Total employment: 4,450 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $78,740
- Median hourly wage: $37.86
- Total employment: 1,850 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,820
- Median hourly wage: $37.89
- Total employment: 3,780 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $80,410
- Median hourly wage: $38.66
- Total employment: 3,990 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $81,410
- Median hourly wage: $39.14
- Total employment: 380 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $82,050
- Median hourly wage: $39.45
- Total employment: 1,110 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $84,220
- Median hourly wage: $40.49
- Total employment: 850 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $84,290
- Median hourly wage: $40.52
- Total employment: 860 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PR Image Factory // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers

- Median annual wage: $84,650
- Median hourly wage: $40.70
- Total employment: Not available

Yulai Studio // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Surgical assistants

- Median annual wage: $89,120
- Median hourly wage: $42.85
- Total employment: 150 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $93,600
- Median hourly wage: $45.00
- Total employment: 70 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $99,010
- Median hourly wage: $47.60
- Total employment: 1,760 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $100,990
- Median hourly wage: $48.55
- Total employment: 820 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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michaeljung // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $102,950
- Median hourly wage: $49.49
- Total employment: 200 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $103,960
- Median hourly wage: $49.98
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $104,610
- Median hourly wage: $50.29
- Total employment: 150 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $119,410
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 340 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $122,920
- Median hourly wage: $59.10
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 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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