Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $45,260
- Median hourly wage: $21.76
- Total employment: 230 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in McAllen 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 McAllen 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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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $45,510
- Median hourly wage: $21.88
- Total employment: 370 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dagmara_K // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Median annual wage: $45,680
- Median hourly wage: $21.96
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Median annual wage: $45,690
- Median hourly wage: $21.97
- Total employment: 100 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $45,780
- Median hourly wage: $22.01
- Total employment: 840 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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David Spates // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $45,850
- Median hourly wage: $22.05
- Total employment: 430 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $45,940
- Median hourly wage: $22.09
- Total employment: 180 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $45,970
- Median hourly wage: $22.10
- Total employment: 4,420 people (15.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $46,100
- Median hourly wage: $22.16
- Total employment: 180 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $46,190
- Median hourly wage: $22.21
- Total employment: 230 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $46,220
- Median hourly wage: $22.22
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $46,260
- Median hourly wage: $22.24
- Total employment: 100 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
hedgehog94 // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Pest control workers
- Median annual wage: $46,630
- Median hourly wage: $22.42
- Total employment: 120 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $46,790
- Median hourly wage: $22.50
- Total employment: 930 people (3.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $46,860
- Median hourly wage: $22.53
- Total employment: 1,560 people (5.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Bigflick // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $47,040
- Median hourly wage: $22.61
- Total employment: 1,280 people (4.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $47,900
- Median hourly wage: $23.03
- Total employment: 610 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kawin Ounprasertsuk // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Locksmiths and safe repairers
- Median annual wage: $48,060
- Median hourly wage: $23.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $48,470
- Median hourly wage: $23.30
- Total employment: 320 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $48,700
- Median hourly wage: $23.41
- Total employment: 1,200 people (4.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $50,020
- Median hourly wage: $24.05
- Total employment: 2,070 people (7.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $50,180
- Median hourly wage: $24.12
- Total employment: 490 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $52,070
- Median hourly wage: $25.03
- Total employment: 180 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $52,110
- Median hourly wage: $25.05
- Total employment: 540 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $53,770
- Median hourly wage: $25.85
- Total employment: 3,170 people (10.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ITisha // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Bailiffs
- Median annual wage: $54,100
- Median hourly wage: $26.01
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Median annual wage: $54,640
- Median hourly wage: $26.27
- Total employment: 70 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $54,840
- Median hourly wage: $26.36
- Total employment: 430 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $55,990
- Median hourly wage: $26.92
- Total employment: 490 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $56,930
- Median hourly wage: $27.37
- Total employment: 50 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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pio3 // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $57,550
- Median hourly wage: $27.67
- Total employment: 1,820 people (6.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $57,730
- Median hourly wage: $27.76
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $57,820
- Median hourly wage: $27.80
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $58,770
- Median hourly wage: $28.26
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $59,250
- Median hourly wage: $28.49
- Total employment: 190 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $59,270
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 90 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $59,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 820 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $60,500
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 540 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $61,040
- Median hourly wage: $29.35
- Total employment: 810 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 120 people (0.4 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: $62,710
- Median hourly wage: $30.15
- Total employment: 150 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Transportation security screeners
- Median annual wage: $63,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $64,880
- Median hourly wage: $31.19
- Total employment: 370 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $67,830
- Median hourly wage: $32.61
- Total employment: 90 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $74,940
- Median hourly wage: $36.03
- Total employment: 370 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Yulai Studio // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Surgical assistants
- Median annual wage: $75,180
- Median hourly wage: $36.14
- Total employment: 110 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $76,130
- Median hourly wage: $36.60
- Total employment: 110 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $79,790
- Median hourly wage: $38.36
- Total employment: 130 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $87,480
- Median hourly wage: $42.06
- Total employment: 180 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $104,330
- Median hourly wage: $50.16
- Total employment: 1,660 people (5.71 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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