Highest-paying jobs in Austin 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 Austin 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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welcomia // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,290
- Median hourly wage: $29.95
- Total employment: 960 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $62,460
- Median hourly wage: $30.03
- Total employment: 150 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jordi C // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Wind turbine service technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,060
- Median hourly wage: $30.32
- Total employment: 250 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $63,100
- Median hourly wage: $30.34
- Total employment: 3,390 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $63,800
- Median hourly wage: $30.67
- Total employment: 310 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $64,040
- Median hourly wage: $30.79
- Total employment: 2,120 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

7 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,250
- Median hourly wage: $30.89
- Total employment: 3,930 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#42. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel (tie)

- Median annual wage: $64,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.91
- Total employment: 12,690 people (10.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products (tie)

- Median annual wage: $64,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.90
- Total employment: 6,490 people (5.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $64,330
- Median hourly wage: $30.93
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $64,610
- Median hourly wage: $31.06
- Total employment: 770 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $64,700
- Median hourly wage: $31.11
- Total employment: 1,770 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,730
- Median hourly wage: $31.12
- Total employment: 3,550 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $64,870
- Median hourly wage: $31.19
- Total employment: 960 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LStockStudio // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Brokerage clerks

- Median annual wage: $64,920
- Median hourly wage: $31.21
- Total employment: 180 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SritanaN // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $64,980
- Median hourly wage: $31.24
- Total employment: 3,020 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $66,140
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 8,530 people (6.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $66,700
- Median hourly wage: $32.07
- Total employment: Not available

Chay_Tee // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Tax preparers

- Median annual wage: $66,750
- Median hourly wage: $32.09
- Total employment: 520 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,960
- Median hourly wage: $32.19
- Total employment: 180 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $68,600
- Median hourly wage: $32.98
- Total employment: 660 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $71,290
- Median hourly wage: $34.27
- Total employment: 150 people (0.12 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: $74,130
- Median hourly wage: $35.64
- Total employment: 5,240 people (4.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,620
- Median hourly wage: $35.88
- Total employment: 17,500 people (13.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,160
- Median hourly wage: $36.14
- Total employment: 750 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $75,300
- Median hourly wage: $36.20
- Total employment: 250 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $76,410
- Median hourly wage: $36.74
- Total employment: 1,350 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $76,990
- Median hourly wage: $37.01
- Total employment: 480 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $77,470
- Median hourly wage: $37.24
- Total employment: 1,680 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,530
- Median hourly wage: $37.28
- Total employment: 8,060 people (6.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrei Agape // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Avionics technicians

- Median annual wage: $78,160
- Median hourly wage: $37.58
- Total employment: Not available

Yulai Studio // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Surgical assistants

- Median annual wage: $78,800
- Median hourly wage: $37.89
- Total employment: 170 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,410
- Median hourly wage: $38.66
- Total employment: 2,230 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $80,540
- Median hourly wage: $38.72
- Total employment: 2,890 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $80,840
- Median hourly wage: $38.86
- Total employment: 90 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $81,240
- Median hourly wage: $39.06
- Total employment: 1,010 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

funnyangel // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Fire inspectors and investigators

- Median annual wage: $81,460
- Median hourly wage: $39.17
- Total employment: 60 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladimir Endovitskiy // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $82,380
- Median hourly wage: $39.61
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $82,670
- Median hourly wage: $39.74
- Total employment: 160 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $83,820
- Median hourly wage: $40.30
- Total employment: 4,280 people (3.4 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: $97,380
- Median hourly wage: $46.82
- Total employment: 890 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $98,450
- Median hourly wage: $47.33
- Total employment: 260 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $100,620
- Median hourly wage: $48.38
- Total employment: 390 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $103,830
- Median hourly wage: $49.92
- Total employment: 1,940 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $105,950
- Median hourly wage: $50.94
- Total employment: 160 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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ITisha // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

- Median annual wage: $123,520
- Median hourly wage: $59.38
- Total employment: 90 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $127,540
- Median hourly wage: $61.32
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $127,860
- Median hourly wage: $61.47
- Total employment: 490 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $129,130
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 280 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Neale Cousland // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Athletes and sports competitors

- Median annual wage: $213,470
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 150 people (0.12 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.