Highest-paying jobs in Spokane 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 Spokane 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.

Vadim Ratnikov // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Earth drillers, except oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $67,780
- Median hourly wage: $32.59
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $68,010
- Median hourly wage: $32.70
- Total employment: 580 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kirill Lasis // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Tapers

- Median annual wage: $68,070
- Median hourly wage: $32.73
- Total employment: 100 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $69,150
- Median hourly wage: $33.25
- Total employment: 180 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $69,910
- Median hourly wage: $33.61
- Total employment: 140 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,650
- Median hourly wage: $33.97
- Total employment: 1,390 people (5.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

7 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,870
- Median hourly wage: $34.07
- Total employment: 2,530 people (9.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

8 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,980
- Median hourly wage: $34.13
- Total employment: 2,410 people (9.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $70,990
- Median hourly wage: $34.13
- Total employment: 310 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $71,690
- Median hourly wage: $34.47
- Total employment: 620 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $71,850
- Median hourly wage: $34.55
- Total employment: 230 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $72,580
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 100 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,760
- Median hourly wage: $34.98
- Total employment: 90 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $73,000
- Median hourly wage: $35.10
- Total employment: 380 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $73,540
- Median hourly wage: $35.36
- Total employment: 310 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $73,800
- Median hourly wage: $35.48
- Total employment: 280 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $74,150
- Median hourly wage: $35.65
- Total employment: 750 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $74,250
- Median hourly wage: $35.70
- Total employment: 70 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $74,350
- Median hourly wage: $35.74
- Total employment: 40 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

muratart // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $74,470
- Median hourly wage: $35.80
- Total employment: 100 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $75,100
- Median hourly wage: $36.11
- Total employment: 60 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $76,400
- Median hourly wage: $36.73
- Total employment: 590 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $76,450
- Median hourly wage: $36.75
- Total employment: 630 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,550
- Median hourly wage: $36.80
- Total employment: 410 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#25. Crane and tower operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $77,230
- Median hourly wage: $37.13
- Total employment: 60 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lucky Business // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Sales and related workers, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $77,230
- Median hourly wage: $37.13
- Total employment: 100 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $77,750
- Median hourly wage: $37.38
- Total employment: 130 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,030
- Median hourly wage: $38.00
- Total employment: 70 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $79,090
- Median hourly wage: $38.03
- Total employment: 50 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $79,230
- Median hourly wage: $38.09
- Total employment: 1,150 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $80,670
- Median hourly wage: $38.78
- Total employment: 110 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $81,540
- Median hourly wage: $39.20
- Total employment: 1,100 people (4.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $81,770
- Median hourly wage: $39.31
- Total employment: 210 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $82,000
- Median hourly wage: $39.42
- Total employment: 180 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $84,290
- Median hourly wage: $40.53
- Total employment: 690 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $89,130
- Median hourly wage: $42.85
- Total employment: 1,240 people (4.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $90,080
- Median hourly wage: $43.31
- Total employment: 70 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $92,280
- Median hourly wage: $44.36
- Total employment: 570 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $93,320
- Median hourly wage: $44.87
- Total employment: 120 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $101,210
- Median hourly wage: $48.66
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $103,200
- Median hourly wage: $49.62
- Total employment: 340 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $107,580
- Median hourly wage: $51.72
- Total employment: 260 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $107,760
- Median hourly wage: $51.81
- Total employment: 170 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $108,460
- Median hourly wage: $52.15
- Total employment: 60 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $111,500
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $123,700
- Median hourly wage: $59.47
- Total employment: 60 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $124,440
- Median hourly wage: $59.83
- Total employment: 220 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $124,860
- Median hourly wage: $60.03
- Total employment: 170 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $127,290
- Median hourly wage: $61.20
- Total employment: 220 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $129,190
- Median hourly wage: $62.11
- Total employment: 60 people (0.24 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.