Highest-paying jobs in Blacksburg 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 Blacksburg 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.

Rido // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Opticians, dispensing

- Median annual wage: $47,910
- Median hourly wage: $23.03
- Total employment: 30 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Maintenance and repair workers, general

- Median annual wage: $48,230
- Median hourly wage: $23.19
- Total employment: 960 people (12.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $48,310
- Median hourly wage: $23.23
- Total employment: 110 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $48,380
- Median hourly wage: $23.26
- Total employment: 250 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks

- Median annual wage: $48,450
- Median hourly wage: $23.29
- Total employment: 760 people (10.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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muratart // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $48,540
- Median hourly wage: $23.34
- Total employment: Not available

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $48,700
- Median hourly wage: $23.42
- Total employment: 420 people (5.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Socrates471 // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Audio and video technicians

- Median annual wage: $48,980
- Median hourly wage: $23.55
- Total employment: 70 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators

- Median annual wage: $49,060
- Median hourly wage: $23.59
- Total employment: 2,610 people (35.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $49,160
- Median hourly wage: $23.64
- Total employment: 110 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

New Africa // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers

- Median annual wage: $49,170
- Median hourly wage: $23.64
- Total employment: 130 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $49,270
- Median hourly wage: $23.69
- Total employment: 110 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $49,430
- Median hourly wage: $23.76
- Total employment: 90 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $49,470
- Median hourly wage: $23.78
- Total employment: 300 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $49,540
- Median hourly wage: $23.82
- Total employment: 1,010 people (13.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $50,140
- Median hourly wage: $24.11
- Total employment: 300 people (3.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services

- Median annual wage: $50,480
- Median hourly wage: $24.27
- Total employment: 70 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $50,670
- Median hourly wage: $24.36
- Total employment: 150 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $50,750
- Median hourly wage: $24.40
- Total employment: 210 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $50,840
- Median hourly wage: $24.44
- Total employment: 70 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $51,010
- Median hourly wage: $24.52
- Total employment: Not available

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $52,090
- Median hourly wage: $25.04
- Total employment: 180 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

- Median annual wage: $52,970
- Median hourly wage: $25.47
- Total employment: 180 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $53,960
- Median hourly wage: $25.94
- Total employment: 220 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $54,350
- Median hourly wage: $26.13
- Total employment: 470 people (6.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $54,580
- Median hourly wage: $26.24
- Total employment: 320 people (4.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $56,110
- Median hourly wage: $26.98
- Total employment: 80 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,030
- Median hourly wage: $27.42
- Total employment: 720 people (9.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $57,140
- Median hourly wage: $27.47
- Total employment: 440 people (5.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $57,500
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 80 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 60 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 300 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,510
- Median hourly wage: $28.13
- Total employment: 320 people (4.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $59,650
- Median hourly wage: $28.68
- Total employment: 190 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $61,930
- Median hourly wage: $29.78
- Total employment: 330 people (4.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $61,970
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 240 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,600
- Median hourly wage: $30.10
- Total employment: 610 people (8.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $64,410
- Median hourly wage: $30.97
- Total employment: 80 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $64,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.15
- Total employment: 150 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $65,420
- Median hourly wage: $31.45
- Total employment: 70 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $66,370
- Median hourly wage: $31.91
- Total employment: 70 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,160
- Median hourly wage: $32.29
- Total employment: 280 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,350
- Median hourly wage: $35.74
- Total employment: 530 people (7.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,100
- Median hourly wage: $37.07
- Total employment: 400 people (5.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $79,540
- Median hourly wage: $38.24
- Total employment: 110 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $81,540
- Median hourly wage: $39.20
- Total employment: 80 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $82,790
- Median hourly wage: $39.80
- Total employment: 40 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials

- Median annual wage: $83,580
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $93,070
- Median hourly wage: $44.74
- Total employment: 30 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

50 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $93,240
- Median hourly wage: $44.83
- Total employment: 90 people (1.16 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.