Highest-paying jobs in State College 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 State College 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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BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $49,660
- Median hourly wage: $23.87
- Total employment: 180 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $49,950
- Median hourly wage: $24.02
- Total employment: 50 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $50,380
- Median hourly wage: $24.22
- Total employment: 140 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

4 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $50,990
- Median hourly wage: $24.52
- Total employment: 120 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Painters, construction and maintenance

- Median annual wage: $51,670
- Median hourly wage: $24.84
- Total employment: 70 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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brizmaker // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Roofers

- Median annual wage: $52,140
- Median hourly wage: $25.07
- Total employment: 50 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $52,580
- Median hourly wage: $25.28
- Total employment: 110 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Maintenance and repair workers, general

- Median annual wage: $53,360
- Median hourly wage: $25.65
- Total employment: 1,250 people (18.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Socrates471 // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Audio and video technicians

- Median annual wage: $54,200
- Median hourly wage: $26.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Procurement clerks

- Median annual wage: $54,800
- Median hourly wage: $26.35
- Total employment: 50 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Shift Drive // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $54,970
- Median hourly wage: $26.43
- Total employment: 280 people (4.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $55,260
- Median hourly wage: $26.57
- Total employment: 590 people (8.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Construction laborers

- Median annual wage: $55,540
- Median hourly wage: $26.70
- Total employment: 620 people (8.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $55,750
- Median hourly wage: $26.80
- Total employment: 60 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $56,160
- Median hourly wage: $27.00
- Total employment: 200 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $56,170
- Median hourly wage: $27.01
- Total employment: 70 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 140 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $56,470
- Median hourly wage: $27.15
- Total employment: 50 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,140
- Median hourly wage: $27.47
- Total employment: 40 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,410
- Median hourly wage: $27.60
- Total employment: 250 people (3.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $57,440
- Median hourly wage: $27.62
- Total employment: 130 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $58,180
- Median hourly wage: $27.97
- Total employment: 110 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,300
- Median hourly wage: $28.03
- Total employment: 290 people (4.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $58,350
- Median hourly wage: $28.05
- Total employment: 350 people (5.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $59,060
- Median hourly wage: $28.40
- Total employment: 130 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $59,220
- Median hourly wage: $28.47
- Total employment: 380 people (5.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $60,170
- Median hourly wage: $28.93
- Total employment: 390 people (5.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $60,200
- Median hourly wage: $28.94
- Total employment: 120 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,900
- Median hourly wage: $29.28
- Total employment: 760 people (11.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Property, real estate, and community association managers

- Median annual wage: $62,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.98
- Total employment: 170 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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welcomia // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,430
- Median hourly wage: $30.01
- Total employment: 90 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Glaziers

- Median annual wage: $62,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 40 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $63,540
- Median hourly wage: $30.55
- Total employment: 770 people (11.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,000
- Median hourly wage: $30.77
- Total employment: 270 people (3.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

- Median annual wage: $64,580
- Median hourly wage: $31.05
- Total employment: 40 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $65,920
- Median hourly wage: $31.69
- Total employment: 50 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $66,150
- Median hourly wage: $31.81
- Total employment: 230 people (3.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $68,270
- Median hourly wage: $32.82
- Total employment: 120 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,430
- Median hourly wage: $32.90
- Total employment: 30 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,080
- Median hourly wage: $33.21
- Total employment: 230 people (3.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $74,520
- Median hourly wage: $35.83
- Total employment: 40 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,240
- Median hourly wage: $36.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,330
- Median hourly wage: $36.22
- Total employment: 270 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,850
- Median hourly wage: $38.39
- Total employment: 280 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $83,200
- Median hourly wage: $40.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $84,510
- Median hourly wage: $40.63
- Total employment: 260 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $93,270
- Median hourly wage: $44.84
- Total employment: 80 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $102,950
- Median hourly wage: $49.50
- Total employment: 50 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $104,220
- Median hourly wage: $50.11
- Total employment: 60 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $111,160
- Median hourly wage: $53.44
- Total employment: 70 people (0.99 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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