Highest-paying jobs in Richmond 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 Richmond 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.

pio3 // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $62,480
- Median hourly wage: $30.04
- Total employment: 3,240 people (4.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $62,570
- Median hourly wage: $30.08
- Total employment: 140 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $62,590
- Median hourly wage: $30.09
- Total employment: 2,720 people (4.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Akimov Igor // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $62,620
- Median hourly wage: $30.11
- Total employment: 30 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $62,670
- Median hourly wage: $30.13
- Total employment: 130 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,860
- Median hourly wage: $30.22
- Total employment: 1,080 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $63,520
- Median hourly wage: $30.54
- Total employment: 90 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Private detectives and investigators

- Median annual wage: $63,580
- Median hourly wage: $30.57
- Total employment: 170 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Bus drivers, transit and intercity

- Median annual wage: $63,920
- Median hourly wage: $30.73
- Total employment: 500 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,530
- Median hourly wage: $31.02
- Total employment: 6,850 people (10.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $64,620
- Median hourly wage: $31.07
- Total employment: 700 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $64,970
- Median hourly wage: $31.24
- Total employment: 70 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $65,790
- Median hourly wage: $31.63
- Total employment: 70 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $66,070
- Median hourly wage: $31.76
- Total employment: 1,900 people (2.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vadim Ratnikov // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Earth drillers, except oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $66,180
- Median hourly wage: $31.82
- Total employment: 50 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#34. Real estate sales agents (tie)

- Median annual wage: $66,550
- Median hourly wage: $32.00
- Total employment: 630 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. First-line supervisors of correctional officers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $66,550
- Median hourly wage: $31.99
- Total employment: 500 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Photostriker // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other

- Median annual wage: $66,810
- Median hourly wage: $32.12
- Total employment: 50 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,230
- Median hourly wage: $32.32
- Total employment: 470 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $69,180
- Median hourly wage: $33.26
- Total employment: 850 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,680
- Median hourly wage: $33.50
- Total employment: 270 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $69,810
- Median hourly wage: $33.56
- Total employment: 90 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $70,630
- Median hourly wage: $33.96
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Flight attendants

- Median annual wage: $72,380
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $73,090
- Median hourly wage: $35.14
- Total employment: 220 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,480
- Median hourly wage: $35.33
- Total employment: 2,140 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,720
- Median hourly wage: $35.44
- Total employment: 4,370 people (6.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $75,040
- Median hourly wage: $36.08
- Total employment: 2,110 people (3.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Josep Suria // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $75,840
- Median hourly wage: $36.46
- Total employment: 90 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Hearing aid specialists

- Median annual wage: $75,910
- Median hourly wage: $36.50
- Total employment: 30 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $76,480
- Median hourly wage: $36.77
- Total employment: 140 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Chemical plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $76,550
- Median hourly wage: $36.80
- Total employment: Not available

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,570
- Median hourly wage: $36.81
- Total employment: 240 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $77,110
- Median hourly wage: $37.07
- Total employment: 1,560 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,970
- Median hourly wage: $37.97
- Total employment: 2,960 people (4.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $79,200
- Median hourly wage: $38.08
- Total employment: 510 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,800
- Median hourly wage: $38.36
- Total employment: 750 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,900
- Median hourly wage: $38.89
- Total employment: 150 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $82,550
- Median hourly wage: $39.69
- Total employment: 520 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $88,500
- Median hourly wage: $42.55
- Total employment: 460 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $93,350
- Median hourly wage: $44.88
- Total employment: 1,430 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $93,560
- Median hourly wage: $44.98
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $94,250
- Median hourly wage: $45.31
- Total employment: 30 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $100,670
- Median hourly wage: $48.40
- Total employment: 660 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $101,140
- Median hourly wage: $48.62
- Total employment: 560 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $101,400
- Median hourly wage: $48.75
- Total employment: 480 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $102,190
- Median hourly wage: $49.13
- Total employment: 70 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $105,140
- Median hourly wage: $50.55
- Total employment: 230 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $115,110
- Median hourly wage: $55.34
- Total employment: 40 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $163,750
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 140 people (0.21 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.