Highest-paying jobs in Sumter 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 Sumter 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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1 / 50

#50. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive

- Median annual wage: $39,070
- Median hourly wage: $18.78
- Total employment: 410 people (11.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Loan interviewers and clerks

- Median annual wage: $39,410
- Median hourly wage: $18.95
- Total employment: 50 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Phlebotomists

- Median annual wage: $40,390
- Median hourly wage: $19.42
- Total employment: 60 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks

- Median annual wage: $40,470
- Median hourly wage: $19.46
- Total employment: 60 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Dental assistants

- Median annual wage: $40,890
- Median hourly wage: $19.66
- Total employment: 130 people (3.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $41,550
- Median hourly wage: $19.98
- Total employment: 150 people (4.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $41,900
- Median hourly wage: $20.14
- Total employment: 60 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

worradirek // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Helpers--production workers

- Median annual wage: $41,910
- Median hourly wage: $20.15
- Total employment: 80 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks

- Median annual wage: $43,600
- Median hourly wage: $20.96
- Total employment: 310 people (8.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

- Median annual wage: $43,760
- Median hourly wage: $21.04
- Total employment: 330 people (9.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Automotive service technicians and mechanics

- Median annual wage: $44,700
- Median hourly wage: $21.49
- Total employment: 210 people (5.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Self-enrichment teachers

- Median annual wage: $44,930
- Median hourly wage: $21.60
- Total employment: 60 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $45,490
- Median hourly wage: $21.87
- Total employment: 40 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Maintenance and repair workers, general

- Median annual wage: $45,760
- Median hourly wage: $22.00
- Total employment: 430 people (12.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $46,000
- Median hourly wage: $22.12
- Total employment: 480 people (13.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

- Median annual wage: $46,790
- Median hourly wage: $22.49
- Total employment: 420 people (11.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

XiXinXing // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Medical records specialists

- Median annual wage: $46,800
- Median hourly wage: $22.50
- Total employment: 40 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DC Studio // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

- Median annual wage: $46,970
- Median hourly wage: $22.58
- Total employment: 40 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $47,090
- Median hourly wage: $22.64
- Total employment: 40 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $47,450
- Median hourly wage: $22.81
- Total employment: 140 people (4.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $47,530
- Median hourly wage: $22.85
- Total employment: 40 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $47,880
- Median hourly wage: $23.02
- Total employment: 110 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $48,170
- Median hourly wage: $23.16
- Total employment: 60 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $48,670
- Median hourly wage: $23.40
- Total employment: 110 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $49,080
- Median hourly wage: $23.59
- Total employment: 230 people (6.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $49,090
- Median hourly wage: $23.60
- Total employment: 140 people (3.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $49,250
- Median hourly wage: $23.68
- Total employment: 80 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $51,150
- Median hourly wage: $24.59
- Total employment: 150 people (4.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $51,520
- Median hourly wage: $24.77
- Total employment: 80 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $52,030
- Median hourly wage: $25.01
- Total employment: 190 people (5.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Stokkete // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Information and record clerks, all other

- Median annual wage: $52,290
- Median hourly wage: $25.14
- Total employment: 50 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $53,030
- Median hourly wage: $25.50
- Total employment: 40 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $53,130
- Median hourly wage: $25.55
- Total employment: 200 people (5.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $53,470
- Median hourly wage: $25.71
- Total employment: 90 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $53,480
- Median hourly wage: $25.71
- Total employment: 40 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers

- Median annual wage: $53,630
- Median hourly wage: $25.78
- Total employment: 70 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

- Median annual wage: $54,060
- Median hourly wage: $25.99
- Total employment: 30 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $55,340
- Median hourly wage: $26.61
- Total employment: 70 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $56,610
- Median hourly wage: $27.22
- Total employment: 60 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $57,690
- Median hourly wage: $27.73
- Total employment: 170 people (4.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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welcomia // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $57,840
- Median hourly wage: $27.81
- Total employment: 60 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,080
- Median hourly wage: $28.41
- Total employment: 290 people (8.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $60,050
- Median hourly wage: $28.87
- Total employment: 80 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,240
- Median hourly wage: $29.44
- Total employment: 200 people (5.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $61,740
- Median hourly wage: $29.68
- Total employment: 50 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $65,090
- Median hourly wage: $31.30
- Total employment: 50 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $66,870
- Median hourly wage: $32.15
- Total employment: 220 people (6.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,860
- Median hourly wage: $33.11
- Total employment: 330 people (9.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

49 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,330
- Median hourly wage: $36.70
- Total employment: 350 people (9.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)