DC Studio // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $46,320
- Median hourly wage: $22.27
- Total employment: 50 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Mansfield 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 Mansfield 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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Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $46,700
- Median hourly wage: $22.45
- Total employment: 50 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Construction laborers
- Median annual wage: $46,820
- Median hourly wage: $22.51
- Total employment: 240 people (4.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $47,800
- Median hourly wage: $22.98
- Total employment: 60 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
adriaticfoto // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Miscellaneous construction and related workers
- Median annual wage: $48,080
- Median hourly wage: $23.12
- Total employment: 30 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rido // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $48,140
- Median hourly wage: $23.14
- Total employment: 60 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $48,250
- Median hourly wage: $23.20
- Total employment: 110 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GolF2532 // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $48,540
- Median hourly wage: $23.34
- Total employment: 60 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $48,580
- Median hourly wage: $23.36
- Total employment: 40 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $48,600
- Median hourly wage: $23.37
- Total employment: 230 people (4.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $48,710
- Median hourly wage: $23.42
- Total employment: 170 people (3.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Median annual wage: $48,970
- Median hourly wage: $23.55
- Total employment: 40 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall
- Median annual wage: $48,980
- Median hourly wage: $23.55
- Total employment: 50 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $48,990
- Median hourly wage: $23.55
- Total employment: 70 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $49,000
- Median hourly wage: $23.56
- Total employment: 80 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Shift Drive // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $49,130
- Median hourly wage: $23.62
- Total employment: 90 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
alexdov // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood
- Median annual wage: $49,460
- Median hourly wage: $23.78
- Total employment: 60 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $49,710
- Median hourly wage: $23.90
- Total employment: 150 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $50,730
- Median hourly wage: $24.39
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
20 / 50#30. Public safety telecommunicators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $50,770
- Median hourly wage: $24.41
- Total employment: 60 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Production, planning, and expediting clerks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $50,770
- Median hourly wage: $24.41
- Total employment: 160 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $51,190
- Median hourly wage: $24.61
- Total employment: 710 people (14.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $53,760
- Median hourly wage: $25.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $54,080
- Median hourly wage: $26.00
- Total employment: 750 people (15.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $55,320
- Median hourly wage: $26.60
- Total employment: 60 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $55,970
- Median hourly wage: $26.91
- Total employment: 290 people (5.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $57,830
- Median hourly wage: $27.81
- Total employment: 100 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
28 / 50#22. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $58,100
- Median hourly wage: $27.93
- Total employment: 110 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (tie)
- Median annual wage: $58,100
- Median hourly wage: $27.93
- Total employment: 360 people (7.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $58,370
- Median hourly wage: $28.06
- Total employment: 190 people (3.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $59,020
- Median hourly wage: $28.38
- Total employment: 130 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pixel B // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $59,350
- Median hourly wage: $28.54
- Total employment: 110 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $59,420
- Median hourly wage: $28.57
- Total employment: 180 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $59,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: 30 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $59,890
- Median hourly wage: $28.79
- Total employment: 60 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SritanaN // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $60,220
- Median hourly wage: $28.95
- Total employment: 210 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $60,440
- Median hourly wage: $29.06
- Total employment: 160 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $60,480
- Median hourly wage: $29.08
- Total employment: 170 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $61,170
- Median hourly wage: $29.41
- Total employment: 110 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $62,030
- Median hourly wage: $29.82
- Total employment: 60 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Syda Productions // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $62,070
- Median hourly wage: $29.84
- Total employment: 60 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $65,650
- Median hourly wage: $31.56
- Total employment: 410 people (8.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $66,670
- Median hourly wage: $32.05
- Total employment: 210 people (4.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $68,200
- Median hourly wage: $32.79
- Total employment: 230 people (4.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $68,840
- Median hourly wage: $33.10
- Total employment: 440 people (8.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $74,480
- Median hourly wage: $35.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $76,140
- Median hourly wage: $36.61
- Total employment: 180 people (3.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $83,090
- Median hourly wage: $39.95
- Total employment: 70 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $85,860
- Median hourly wage: $41.28
- Total employment: 30 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $91,910
- Median hourly wage: $44.19
- Total employment: 60 people (1.13 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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