Highest-paying jobs in Beckley 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 Beckley 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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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks

- Median annual wage: $40,710
- Median hourly wage: $19.57
- Total employment: 500 people (11.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Self-enrichment teachers

- Median annual wage: $40,950
- Median hourly wage: $19.69
- Total employment: 80 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $41,390
- Median hourly wage: $19.90
- Total employment: 100 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Fusionstudio // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks

- Median annual wage: $41,530
- Median hourly wage: $19.97
- Total employment: 110 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

- Median annual wage: $41,740
- Median hourly wage: $20.07
- Total employment: 140 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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XiXinXing // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Medical records specialists

- Median annual wage: $42,860
- Median hourly wage: $20.60
- Total employment: 60 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

7 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $43,990
- Median hourly wage: $21.15
- Total employment: 30 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

8 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $44,160
- Median hourly wage: $21.23
- Total employment: 140 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $44,870
- Median hourly wage: $21.57
- Total employment: 60 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $44,950
- Median hourly wage: $21.61
- Total employment: 110 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Africa Studio // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $45,070
- Median hourly wage: $21.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $45,700
- Median hourly wage: $21.97
- Total employment: 190 people (4.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $45,800
- Median hourly wage: $22.02
- Total employment: 110 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Freedomz // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Health technologists and technicians, all other

- Median annual wage: $45,900
- Median hourly wage: $22.07
- Total employment: 40 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $45,930
- Median hourly wage: $22.08
- Total employment: 100 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $46,390
- Median hourly wage: $22.30
- Total employment: 90 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $46,800
- Median hourly wage: $22.50
- Total employment: 160 people (3.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $46,880
- Median hourly wage: $22.54
- Total employment: 390 people (9.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $47,050
- Median hourly wage: $22.62
- Total employment: 60 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $47,470
- Median hourly wage: $22.82
- Total employment: 690 people (16.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SritanaN // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $47,860
- Median hourly wage: $23.01
- Total employment: 200 people (4.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $47,930
- Median hourly wage: $23.04
- Total employment: 160 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $48,180
- Median hourly wage: $23.16
- Total employment: 50 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $48,540
- Median hourly wage: $23.34
- Total employment: 470 people (10.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $49,600
- Median hourly wage: $23.85
- Total employment: 140 people (3.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $50,380
- Median hourly wage: $24.22
- Total employment: 40 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stokkete // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Information and record clerks, all other

- Median annual wage: $50,650
- Median hourly wage: $24.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $52,210
- Median hourly wage: $25.10
- Total employment: 70 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $52,730
- Median hourly wage: $25.35
- Total employment: 400 people (9.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $55,050
- Median hourly wage: $26.47
- Total employment: 260 people (6.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $57,550
- Median hourly wage: $27.67
- Total employment: 80 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $58,200
- Median hourly wage: $27.98
- Total employment: 30 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,060
- Median hourly wage: $28.40
- Total employment: 210 people (4.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $59,070
- Median hourly wage: $28.40
- Total employment: 430 people (10.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining

- Median annual wage: $59,180
- Median hourly wage: $28.45
- Total employment: 110 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $60,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: Not available

welcomia // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $60,710
- Median hourly wage: $29.19
- Total employment: 120 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,850
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 90 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $62,160
- Median hourly wage: $29.89
- Total employment: 370 people (8.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 130 people (3.14 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: $62,880
- Median hourly wage: $30.23
- Total employment: 50 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ironwas // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Continuous mining machine operators

- Median annual wage: $62,900
- Median hourly wage: $30.24
- Total employment: 140 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $64,970
- Median hourly wage: $31.24
- Total employment: 30 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LaKirr // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Extraction workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $68,430
- Median hourly wage: $32.90
- Total employment: 70 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,970
- Median hourly wage: $33.16
- Total employment: 280 people (6.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Peruphotart // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining

- Median annual wage: $71,090
- Median hourly wage: $34.18
- Total employment: 210 people (4.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $74,880
- Median hourly wage: $36.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Causeway // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Roof bolters, mining

- Median annual wage: $76,040
- Median hourly wage: $36.56
- Total employment: 190 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

49 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,590
- Median hourly wage: $36.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

50 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $94,400
- Median hourly wage: $45.39
- Total employment: 350 people (8.27 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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