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1 / 50#50. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $73,180
- Median hourly wage: $35.18
- Total employment: 1,040 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia 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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2 / 50#49. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $73,370
- Median hourly wage: $35.28
- Total employment: 4,850 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Neale Cousland // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Athletes and sports competitors
- Median annual wage: $73,800
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 300 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Median annual wage: $73,970
- Median hourly wage: $35.56
- Total employment: 400 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $74,040
- Median hourly wage: $35.60
- Total employment: 9,900 people (3.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $74,130
- Median hourly wage: $35.64
- Total employment: 3,550 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $74,170
- Median hourly wage: $35.66
- Total employment: 19,060 people (6.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $75,350
- Median hourly wage: $36.23
- Total employment: 8,190 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photostriker // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other
- Median annual wage: $75,380
- Median hourly wage: $36.24
- Total employment: 160 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $75,570
- Median hourly wage: $36.33
- Total employment: 240 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $76,060
- Median hourly wage: $36.57
- Total employment: 1,150 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Radovan1 / Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Plasterers and stucco masons
- Median annual wage: $76,310
- Median hourly wage: $36.69
- Total employment: 100 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $77,280
- Median hourly wage: $37.15
- Total employment: 7,250 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $77,290
- Median hourly wage: $37.16
- Total employment: 9,530 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $77,410
- Median hourly wage: $37.21
- Total employment: 680 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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John Leung // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $78,570
- Median hourly wage: $37.77
- Total employment: 1,210 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $78,980
- Median hourly wage: $37.97
- Total employment: 3,440 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
First Class Photography // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers
- Median annual wage: $79,110
- Median hourly wage: $38.04
- Total employment: 890 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Chemical plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $79,400
- Median hourly wage: $38.17
- Total employment: 290 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Magsi // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment
- Median annual wage: $80,110
- Median hourly wage: $38.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Vera Larina // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $81,140
- Median hourly wage: $39.01
- Total employment: 1,170 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Insurance appraisers, auto damage
- Median annual wage: $82,120
- Median hourly wage: $39.48
- Total employment: 180 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $82,510
- Median hourly wage: $39.67
- Total employment: 9,700 people (3.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $82,670
- Median hourly wage: $39.74
- Total employment: 6,550 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $84,600
- Median hourly wage: $40.67
- Total employment: 680 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $86,530
- Median hourly wage: $41.60
- Total employment: 170 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
JL IMAGES // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Transit and railroad police
- Median annual wage: $89,220
- Median hourly wage: $42.90
- Total employment: 90 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $89,300
- Median hourly wage: $42.94
- Total employment: 4,330 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $90,640
- Median hourly wage: $43.58
- Total employment: 12,400 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
prochasson frederic // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Boilermakers
- Median annual wage: $91,690
- Median hourly wage: $44.08
- Total employment: 240 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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sculpies // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $92,750
- Median hourly wage: $44.59
- Total employment: 10,860 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $95,150
- Median hourly wage: $45.75
- Total employment: 740 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $95,580
- Median hourly wage: $45.95
- Total employment: 250 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $95,590
- Median hourly wage: $45.96
- Total employment: 1,870 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $96,720
- Median hourly wage: $46.50
- Total employment: 630 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Syda Productions // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Median annual wage: $97,440
- Median hourly wage: $46.85
- Total employment: 30 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $97,920
- Median hourly wage: $47.08
- Total employment: 390 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $98,740
- Median hourly wage: $47.47
- Total employment: 2,100 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kirill Lasis // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Tapers
- Median annual wage: $100,420
- Median hourly wage: $48.28
- Total employment: 40 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $101,650
- Median hourly wage: $48.87
- Total employment: 290 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $102,240
- Median hourly wage: $49.16
- Total employment: 850 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $102,340
- Median hourly wage: $49.20
- Total employment: 630 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $103,660
- Median hourly wage: $49.84
- Total employment: 370 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrei Agape // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Avionics technicians
- Median annual wage: $105,790
- Median hourly wage: $50.86
- Total employment: 100 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lovely Bird // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $108,200
- Median hourly wage: $52.02
- Total employment: 150 people (0.05 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: $112,850
- Median hourly wage: $54.25
- Total employment: 3,930 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $114,870
- Median hourly wage: $55.23
- Total employment: 400 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $115,770
- Median hourly wage: $55.66
- Total employment: 1,110 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $120,960
- Median hourly wage: $58.15
- Total employment: 3,050 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $133,520
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 240 people (0.08 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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