Highest-paying jobs in Bellingham 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 Bellingham 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

1 / 50

#50. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,050
- Median hourly wage: $30.31
- Total employment: 50 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LightField Studios // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Bus drivers, school

- Median annual wage: $64,080
- Median hourly wage: $30.81
- Total employment: 270 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PHILIPIMAGE // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $64,370
- Median hourly wage: $30.95
- Total employment: 60 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $64,510
- Median hourly wage: $31.01
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

5 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.15
- Total employment: 270 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,980
- Median hourly wage: $31.24
- Total employment: 80 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dagmara_K // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Drywall and ceiling tile installers

- Median annual wage: $66,380
- Median hourly wage: $31.91
- Total employment: 140 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers

- Median annual wage: $67,590
- Median hourly wage: $32.50
- Total employment: Not available

Steve Hamann // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners

- Median annual wage: $68,450
- Median hourly wage: $32.91
- Total employment: 110 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $68,640
- Median hourly wage: $33.00
- Total employment: 220 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Freedomz // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Health technologists and technicians, all other

- Median annual wage: $69,340
- Median hourly wage: $33.34
- Total employment: 90 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $69,690
- Median hourly wage: $33.51
- Total employment: 70 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

flywish // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

- Median annual wage: $69,950
- Median hourly wage: $33.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $70,050
- Median hourly wage: $33.68
- Total employment: 40 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,500
- Median hourly wage: $33.90
- Total employment: 490 people (5.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,780
- Median hourly wage: $34.03
- Total employment: 340 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $71,360
- Median hourly wage: $34.31
- Total employment: 930 people (10.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $72,590
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 220 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,600
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 910 people (9.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,610
- Median hourly wage: $35.87
- Total employment: 660 people (7.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,070
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 750 people (8.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $75,870
- Median hourly wage: $36.48
- Total employment: 420 people (4.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $76,150
- Median hourly wage: $36.61
- Total employment: 440 people (4.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $76,370
- Median hourly wage: $36.72
- Total employment: 90 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,510
- Median hourly wage: $36.78
- Total employment: 120 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $76,860
- Median hourly wage: $36.95
- Total employment: 150 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $77,720
- Median hourly wage: $37.37
- Total employment: 210 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $78,690
- Median hourly wage: $37.83
- Total employment: 100 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zhanna Kavaliova // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Logging equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $78,810
- Median hourly wage: $37.89
- Total employment: 50 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $79,190
- Median hourly wage: $38.07
- Total employment: 290 people (3.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

muratart // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $80,310
- Median hourly wage: $38.61
- Total employment: 50 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $83,340
- Median hourly wage: $40.07
- Total employment: 50 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $83,860
- Median hourly wage: $40.32
- Total employment: 130 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $83,950
- Median hourly wage: $40.36
- Total employment: 30 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $85,060
- Median hourly wage: $40.90
- Total employment: 110 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $85,630
- Median hourly wage: $41.17
- Total employment: 370 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $86,170
- Median hourly wage: $41.43
- Total employment: 540 people (5.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $87,910
- Median hourly wage: $42.27
- Total employment: 70 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $87,980
- Median hourly wage: $42.30
- Total employment: 150 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $93,170
- Median hourly wage: $44.79
- Total employment: 270 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $96,850
- Median hourly wage: $46.56
- Total employment: 390 people (4.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $101,920
- Median hourly wage: $49.00
- Total employment: 750 people (8.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $104,350
- Median hourly wage: $50.17
- Total employment: 280 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $107,350
- Median hourly wage: $51.61
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $108,330
- Median hourly wage: $52.08
- Total employment: 70 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $112,130
- Median hourly wage: $53.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $120,080
- Median hourly wage: $57.73
- Total employment: 260 people (2.89 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: $126,490
- Median hourly wage: $60.81
- Total employment: 120 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $134,060
- Median hourly wage: $64.45
- Total employment: 90 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $153,590
- Median hourly wage: $73.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.38 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.