4 PM production // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $47,240
- Median hourly wage: $22.71
- Total employment: 130 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in College Station 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 College Station 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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M2020 // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Helpers--electricians
- Median annual wage: $47,500
- Median hourly wage: $22.84
- Total employment: 90 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $48,200
- Median hourly wage: $23.18
- Total employment: 1,270 people (9.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $48,540
- Median hourly wage: $23.34
- Total employment: 60 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $48,590
- Median hourly wage: $23.36
- Total employment: 110 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $48,920
- Median hourly wage: $23.52
- Total employment: 50 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GolF2532 // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $48,970
- Median hourly wage: $23.54
- Total employment: 40 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Median annual wage: $48,990
- Median hourly wage: $23.55
- Total employment: 640 people (4.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $49,070
- Median hourly wage: $23.59
- Total employment: 340 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Massage therapists
- Median annual wage: $49,590
- Median hourly wage: $23.84
- Total employment: 60 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Joey Chung // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $49,700
- Median hourly wage: $23.90
- Total employment: 780 people (5.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $49,790
- Median hourly wage: $23.94
- Total employment: 450 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $50,460
- Median hourly wage: $24.26
- Total employment: 390 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $50,640
- Median hourly wage: $24.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $51,190
- Median hourly wage: $24.61
- Total employment: 290 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $51,740
- Median hourly wage: $24.87
- Total employment: 60 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $52,140
- Median hourly wage: $25.07
- Total employment: 70 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $52,380
- Median hourly wage: $25.18
- Total employment: 310 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $53,080
- Median hourly wage: $25.52
- Total employment: 390 people (2.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $53,360
- Median hourly wage: $25.66
- Total employment: 50 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $53,760
- Median hourly wage: $25.85
- Total employment: 100 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $55,230
- Median hourly wage: $26.55
- Total employment: 100 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $55,430
- Median hourly wage: $26.65
- Total employment: 70 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $55,490
- Median hourly wage: $26.68
- Total employment: 500 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $56,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.20
- Total employment: 190 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $57,410
- Median hourly wage: $27.60
- Total employment: 480 people (3.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $58,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.23
- Total employment: 130 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $58,790
- Median hourly wage: $28.26
- Total employment: 130 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $59,090
- Median hourly wage: $28.41
- Total employment: 330 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $59,820
- Median hourly wage: $28.76
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $60,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.01
- Total employment: Not available
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $60,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 1,890 people (14.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $60,500
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 420 people (3.16 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: $60,600
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 600 people (4.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $61,530
- Median hourly wage: $29.58
- Total employment: 70 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $62,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.01
- Total employment: 380 people (2.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $62,640
- Median hourly wage: $30.12
- Total employment: 420 people (3.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $64,150
- Median hourly wage: $30.84
- Total employment: 590 people (4.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Median annual wage: $64,890
- Median hourly wage: $31.20
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $65,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.51
- Total employment: 190 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rlat // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $66,810
- Median hourly wage: $32.12
- Total employment: 50 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $68,220
- Median hourly wage: $32.80
- Total employment: 520 people (3.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $73,870
- Median hourly wage: $35.52
- Total employment: 60 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $75,480
- Median hourly wage: $36.29
- Total employment: 60 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $76,740
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 530 people (4.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $77,180
- Median hourly wage: $37.11
- Total employment: 110 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $78,150
- Median hourly wage: $37.57
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $87,220
- Median hourly wage: $41.94
- Total employment: 180 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $96,770
- Median hourly wage: $46.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $96,800
- Median hourly wage: $46.54
- Total employment: 70 people (0.56 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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