4 PM production // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $50,540
- Median hourly wage: $24.30
- Total employment: 80 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in St. George 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 St. George 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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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $50,650
- Median hourly wage: $24.35
- Total employment: 50 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $50,670
- Median hourly wage: $24.36
- Total employment: 170 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. First-line supervisors of personal service workers
- Median annual wage: $51,150
- Median hourly wage: $24.59
- Total employment: 60 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $51,160
- Median hourly wage: $24.60
- Total employment: 70 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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hedgehog94 // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Pest control workers
- Median annual wage: $51,540
- Median hourly wage: $24.78
- Total employment: 40 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $51,590
- Median hourly wage: $24.80
- Total employment: 80 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $52,260
- Median hourly wage: $25.12
- Total employment: 130 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $52,310
- Median hourly wage: $25.15
- Total employment: 170 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Radovan1 / Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Plasterers and stucco masons
- Median annual wage: $53,170
- Median hourly wage: $25.56
- Total employment: 250 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Syda Productions // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $53,650
- Median hourly wage: $25.79
- Total employment: 450 people (5.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $53,710
- Median hourly wage: $25.82
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $54,530
- Median hourly wage: $26.22
- Total employment: 590 people (6.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Median annual wage: $54,820
- Median hourly wage: $26.36
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $55,250
- Median hourly wage: $26.56
- Total employment: 490 people (5.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Aleksandar Malivuk // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Mechanical door repairers
- Median annual wage: $55,540
- Median hourly wage: $26.70
- Total employment: 30 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
muratart // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Pipelayers
- Median annual wage: $55,560
- Median hourly wage: $26.71
- Total employment: 40 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $55,910
- Median hourly wage: $26.88
- Total employment: 1,340 people (15.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $55,920
- Median hourly wage: $26.89
- Total employment: 440 people (5.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $56,000
- Median hourly wage: $26.92
- Total employment: 360 people (4.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Shift Drive // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $56,190
- Median hourly wage: $27.02
- Total employment: 240 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $56,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.20
- Total employment: 530 people (6.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $56,820
- Median hourly wage: $27.32
- Total employment: 150 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $56,890
- Median hourly wage: $27.35
- Total employment: 50 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $56,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.37
- Total employment: 380 people (4.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $57,800
- Median hourly wage: $27.79
- Total employment: 140 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $59,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.48
- Total employment: 70 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $59,490
- Median hourly wage: $28.60
- Total employment: 110 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $59,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 150 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $59,700
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 290 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $59,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.78
- Total employment: 530 people (6.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Transportation security screeners
- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $60,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.85
- Total employment: 150 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $60,320
- Median hourly wage: $29.00
- Total employment: 320 people (3.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $60,510
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $61,140
- Median hourly wage: $29.40
- Total employment: 890 people (10.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $61,950
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Massage therapists
- Median annual wage: $62,070
- Median hourly wage: $29.84
- Total employment: 200 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $63,090
- Median hourly wage: $30.33
- Total employment: 130 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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sculpies // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $67,220
- Median hourly wage: $32.32
- Total employment: 740 people (8.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $68,180
- Median hourly wage: $32.78
- Total employment: 80 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $68,920
- Median hourly wage: $33.13
- Total employment: 340 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $71,550
- Median hourly wage: $34.40
- Total employment: 80 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $80,450
- Median hourly wage: $38.68
- Total employment: 290 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Prath // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $87,760
- Median hourly wage: $42.19
- Total employment: 30 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $88,150
- Median hourly wage: $42.38
- Total employment: 80 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $91,760
- Median hourly wage: $44.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $107,720
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $111,780
- Median hourly wage: $53.74
- Total employment: 60 people (0.65 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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