Highest-paying jobs in Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. 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.

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

1 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,750
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 3,980 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Sound engineering technicians

- Median annual wage: $76,760
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 220 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Photostriker // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other

- Median annual wage: $77,020
- Median hourly wage: $37.03
- Total employment: 80 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Chemical plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $77,030
- Median hourly wage: $37.04
- Total employment: 130 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

- Median annual wage: $77,540
- Median hourly wage: $37.28
- Total employment: Not available

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $77,620
- Median hourly wage: $37.32
- Total employment: 3,490 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Guiderom // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Rail car repairers

- Median annual wage: $77,910
- Median hourly wage: $37.46
- Total employment: 560 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $78,200
- Median hourly wage: $37.60
- Total employment: 3,540 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

mrak.hr // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $78,280
- Median hourly wage: $37.64
- Total employment: 480 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Gas plant operators

- Median annual wage: $80,070
- Median hourly wage: $38.50
- Total employment: Not available

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,800
- Median hourly wage: $38.85
- Total employment: 710 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

12 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $81,100
- Median hourly wage: $38.99
- Total employment: 14,500 people (4.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $81,460
- Median hourly wage: $39.17
- Total employment: 440 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

funnyangel // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Fire inspectors and investigators

- Median annual wage: $81,740
- Median hourly wage: $39.30
- Total employment: 140 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rezoff // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Plant and system operators, all other

- Median annual wage: $81,930
- Median hourly wage: $39.39
- Total employment: 390 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $83,060
- Median hourly wage: $39.94
- Total employment: 2,050 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $83,130
- Median hourly wage: $39.97
- Total employment: 12,610 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $83,430
- Median hourly wage: $40.11
- Total employment: 14,590 people (4.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

JL IMAGES // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Transit and railroad police

- Median annual wage: $86,650
- Median hourly wage: $41.66
- Total employment: 260 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $88,600
- Median hourly wage: $42.60
- Total employment: 2,800 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $89,190
- Median hourly wage: $42.88
- Total employment: 830 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $89,250
- Median hourly wage: $42.91
- Total employment: 9,210 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisKlimov // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $89,480
- Median hourly wage: $43.02
- Total employment: 110 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $89,640
- Median hourly wage: $43.10
- Total employment: 1,560 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kokulina // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Makeup artists, theatrical and performance

- Median annual wage: $91,290
- Median hourly wage: $43.89
- Total employment: 90 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $92,210
- Median hourly wage: $44.33
- Total employment: 1,700 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $92,530
- Median hourly wage: $44.48
- Total employment: 310 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $92,790
- Median hourly wage: $44.61
- Total employment: 130 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $93,030
- Median hourly wage: $44.73
- Total employment: 6,510 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $93,920
- Median hourly wage: $45.15
- Total employment: 3,160 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $95,420
- Median hourly wage: $45.88
- Total employment: 390 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Insurance appraisers, auto damage

- Median annual wage: $95,480
- Median hourly wage: $45.90
- Total employment: 40 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Magsi // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment

- Median annual wage: $96,460
- Median hourly wage: $46.38
- Total employment: 430 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $97,680
- Median hourly wage: $46.96
- Total employment: 50 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrei Agape // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Avionics technicians

- Median annual wage: $97,740
- Median hourly wage: $46.99
- Total employment: Not available

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Josep Suria // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $97,850
- Median hourly wage: $47.05
- Total employment: 1,310 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $98,500
- Median hourly wage: $47.36
- Total employment: 550 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $100,140
- Median hourly wage: $48.14
- Total employment: 4,860 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $100,710
- Median hourly wage: $48.42
- Total employment: 60 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $101,760
- Median hourly wage: $48.93
- Total employment: 200 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Fortish // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters

- Median annual wage: $104,210
- Median hourly wage: $50.10
- Total employment: 600 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $114,620
- Median hourly wage: $55.11
- Total employment: 2,340 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

socrates471 // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Media and communication equipment workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $119,020
- Median hourly wage: $57.22
- Total employment: 740 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $119,200
- Median hourly wage: $57.31
- Total employment: 630 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

curraheeshutter // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Ship engineers

- Median annual wage: $121,970
- Median hourly wage: $58.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kojala // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Artists and related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $122,320
- Median hourly wage: $58.81
- Total employment: 1,540 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $124,770
- Median hourly wage: $59.99
- Total employment: 4,960 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $125,690
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 440 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $132,510
- Median hourly wage: $63.71
- Total employment: 2,420 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $153,340
- Median hourly wage: $73.72
- Total employment: 4,760 people (1.53 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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