Highest-paying jobs in Waco 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 Waco 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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Irene Miller // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $49,080
- Median hourly wage: $23.60
- Total employment: 490 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

- Median annual wage: $49,160
- Median hourly wage: $23.63
- Total employment: 60 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rezoff // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Plant and system operators, all other

- Median annual wage: $49,990
- Median hourly wage: $24.03
- Total employment: 80 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $51,460
- Median hourly wage: $24.74
- Total employment: 270 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $51,580
- Median hourly wage: $24.80
- Total employment: 110 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $51,700
- Median hourly wage: $24.86
- Total employment: 410 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

- Median annual wage: $54,330
- Median hourly wage: $26.12
- Total employment: 40 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $55,130
- Median hourly wage: $26.50
- Total employment: 250 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $55,260
- Median hourly wage: $26.57
- Total employment: 30 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vagengeim // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Dental laboratory technicians

- Median annual wage: $56,100
- Median hourly wage: $26.97
- Total employment: 30 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 330 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

12 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,360
- Median hourly wage: $27.10
- Total employment: 690 people (5.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,770
- Median hourly wage: $27.29
- Total employment: 270 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $57,970
- Median hourly wage: $27.87
- Total employment: 440 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,150
- Median hourly wage: $27.96
- Total employment: 440 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $58,510
- Median hourly wage: $28.13
- Total employment: 50 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,570
- Median hourly wage: $28.16
- Total employment: 780 people (5.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,620
- Median hourly wage: $28.19
- Total employment: 1,680 people (12.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,660
- Median hourly wage: $28.20
- Total employment: 100 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $58,670
- Median hourly wage: $28.21
- Total employment: 670 people (5.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $58,900
- Median hourly wage: $28.32
- Total employment: 170 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $59,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.37
- Total employment: 120 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $59,520
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 40 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $59,590
- Median hourly wage: $28.65
- Total employment: 70 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $59,820
- Median hourly wage: $28.76
- Total employment: 780 people (6.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,180
- Median hourly wage: $28.93
- Total employment: 60 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chay_Tee // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Tax preparers

- Median annual wage: $60,730
- Median hourly wage: $29.20
- Total employment: Not available

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,110
- Median hourly wage: $29.38
- Total employment: 50 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $61,210
- Median hourly wage: $29.43
- Total employment: 40 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $61,250
- Median hourly wage: $29.45
- Total employment: 120 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $61,560
- Median hourly wage: $29.59
- Total employment: 170 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,710
- Median hourly wage: $30.15
- Total employment: 830 people (6.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,160
- Median hourly wage: $30.36
- Total employment: 300 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $63,390
- Median hourly wage: $30.48
- Total employment: 220 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $63,670
- Median hourly wage: $30.61
- Total employment: 70 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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sculpies // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,630
- Median hourly wage: $31.07
- Total employment: 820 people (6.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $64,990
- Median hourly wage: $31.25
- Total employment: 110 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $65,080
- Median hourly wage: $31.29
- Total employment: 280 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,740
- Median hourly wage: $32.09
- Total employment: 610 people (4.72 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: $66,950
- Median hourly wage: $32.19
- Total employment: 130 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $70,430
- Median hourly wage: $33.86
- Total employment: 1,250 people (9.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $75,270
- Median hourly wage: $36.19
- Total employment: 100 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $76,740
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 720 people (5.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,080
- Median hourly wage: $37.06
- Total employment: 90 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $77,410
- Median hourly wage: $37.22
- Total employment: 360 people (2.74 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: $80,630
- Median hourly wage: $38.77
- Total employment: 100 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $81,890
- Median hourly wage: $39.37
- Total employment: 50 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $82,380
- Median hourly wage: $39.61
- Total employment: 250 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrei Agape // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Avionics technicians

- Median annual wage: $82,430
- Median hourly wage: $39.63
- Total employment: 30 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $100,760
- Median hourly wage: $48.44
- Total employment: 60 people (0.5 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.