Highest-paying jobs in Houston 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 Houston 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.

prochasson frederic // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Boilermakers

- Median annual wage: $64,310
- Median hourly wage: $30.92
- Total employment: 1,120 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman023_photography // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Riggers

- Median annual wage: $64,330
- Median hourly wage: $30.93
- Total employment: 1,250 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $64,360
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 900 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

4 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,030
- Median hourly wage: $31.27
- Total employment: 24,600 people (7.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anatoliy_gleb // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Derrick operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $65,910
- Median hourly wage: $31.69
- Total employment: 1,560 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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GaudiLab // Shutterstock

6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,340
- Median hourly wage: $31.89
- Total employment: 39,110 people (12.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $66,690
- Median hourly wage: $32.06
- Total employment: 2,200 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $66,750
- Median hourly wage: $32.09
- Total employment: 520 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $67,760
- Median hourly wage: $32.58
- Total employment: 800 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Parilov // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Pile driver operators

- Median annual wage: $67,980
- Median hourly wage: $32.68
- Total employment: 150 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chay_Tee // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Tax preparers

- Median annual wage: $68,160
- Median hourly wage: $32.77
- Total employment: 1,500 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $69,620
- Median hourly wage: $33.47
- Total employment: 3,570 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $70,380
- Median hourly wage: $33.84
- Total employment: 210 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kardasov Films // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Sailors and marine oilers

- Median annual wage: $70,660
- Median hourly wage: $33.97
- Total employment: 4,640 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

- Median annual wage: $72,300
- Median hourly wage: $34.76
- Total employment: 70 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,530
- Median hourly wage: $34.87
- Total employment: 14,610 people (4.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,940
- Median hourly wage: $35.55
- Total employment: 5,280 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $75,110
- Median hourly wage: $36.11
- Total employment: 7,070 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,150
- Median hourly wage: $36.13
- Total employment: 24,650 people (7.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#30. Police and sheriff's patrol officers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $75,450
- Median hourly wage: $36.28
- Total employment: 15,910 people (4.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Vladeep // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Crane and tower operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $75,450
- Median hourly wage: $36.27
- Total employment: 2,390 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,750
- Median hourly wage: $36.42
- Total employment: Not available

Neale Cousland // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Athletes and sports competitors

- Median annual wage: $76,070
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 450 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $76,290
- Median hourly wage: $36.68
- Total employment: 2,970 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Photostriker // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other

- Median annual wage: $77,800
- Median hourly wage: $37.40
- Total employment: 60 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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4 PM production // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,190
- Median hourly wage: $37.59
- Total employment: 17,510 people (5.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $78,290
- Median hourly wage: $37.64
- Total employment: 3,940 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $79,020
- Median hourly wage: $37.99
- Total employment: 470 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladimir Endovitskiy // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $79,150
- Median hourly wage: $38.05
- Total employment: 1,660 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrei Agape // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Avionics technicians

- Median annual wage: $79,780
- Median hourly wage: $38.36
- Total employment: 280 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Washburn HM // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $80,260
- Median hourly wage: $38.59
- Total employment: 560 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $80,480
- Median hourly wage: $38.69
- Total employment: 3,240 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $80,850
- Median hourly wage: $38.87
- Total employment: 3,060 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $81,540
- Median hourly wage: $39.20
- Total employment: 6,930 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

- Median annual wage: $82,680
- Median hourly wage: $39.75
- Total employment: 1,930 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Gas plant operators

- Median annual wage: $82,780
- Median hourly wage: $39.80
- Total employment: 820 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $83,360
- Median hourly wage: $40.08
- Total employment: 3,530 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

funnyangel // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Fire inspectors and investigators

- Median annual wage: $83,370
- Median hourly wage: $40.08
- Total employment: 390 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $86,440
- Median hourly wage: $41.56
- Total employment: 1,830 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Gas compressor and gas pumping station operators

- Median annual wage: $88,080
- Median hourly wage: $42.35
- Total employment: Not available

Suwin // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $94,940
- Median hourly wage: $45.64
- Total employment: 640 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $99,130
- Median hourly wage: $47.66
- Total employment: 90 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $100,450
- Median hourly wage: $48.29
- Total employment: 7,730 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Chemical plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $101,150
- Median hourly wage: $48.63
- Total employment: 1,820 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

- Median annual wage: $103,280
- Median hourly wage: $49.66
- Total employment: 6,200 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $110,030
- Median hourly wage: $52.90
- Total employment: 1,390 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

- Median annual wage: $116,620
- Median hourly wage: $56.07
- Total employment: 2,850 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

- Median annual wage: $129,820
- Median hourly wage: $62.42
- Total employment: 190 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

curraheeshutter // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Ship engineers

- Median annual wage: $130,180
- Median hourly wage: $62.59
- Total employment: 690 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $167,210
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 950 people (0.29 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.