Highest-paying jobs in Wheeling 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 Wheeling 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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Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

1 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $49,680
- Median hourly wage: $23.88
- Total employment: 60 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $50,010
- Median hourly wage: $24.05
- Total employment: 60 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $50,210
- Median hourly wage: $24.14
- Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Said M // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Service unit operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $50,580
- Median hourly wage: $24.32
- Total employment: 100 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $50,750
- Median hourly wage: $24.40
- Total employment: 220 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $51,010
- Median hourly wage: $24.53
- Total employment: 1,090 people (18.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $51,060
- Median hourly wage: $24.55
- Total employment: 70 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $51,290
- Median hourly wage: $24.66
- Total employment: 180 people (3.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $52,950
- Median hourly wage: $25.46
- Total employment: 360 people (6.11 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: $53,850
- Median hourly wage: $25.89
- Total employment: 540 people (9.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $53,930
- Median hourly wage: $25.93
- Total employment: 460 people (7.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $54,100
- Median hourly wage: $26.01
- Total employment: 80 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $55,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.57
- Total employment: 430 people (7.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 180 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.20
- Total employment: 160 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $57,430
- Median hourly wage: $27.61
- Total employment: 120 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $57,540
- Median hourly wage: $27.66
- Total employment: 150 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,600
- Median hourly wage: $27.69
- Total employment: 260 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $58,030
- Median hourly wage: $27.90
- Total employment: 50 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $59,040
- Median hourly wage: $28.39
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,000
- Median hourly wage: $28.85
- Total employment: 110 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $60,060
- Median hourly wage: $28.87
- Total employment: 80 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $60,660
- Median hourly wage: $29.17
- Total employment: 560 people (9.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $61,010
- Median hourly wage: $29.33
- Total employment: 60 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 50 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SatawatK // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,950
- Median hourly wage: $29.78
- Total employment: 100 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,990
- Median hourly wage: $30.28
- Total employment: 280 people (4.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Blanscape // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Conveyor operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $63,200
- Median hourly wage: $30.38
- Total employment: 90 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,390
- Median hourly wage: $30.96
- Total employment: 60 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peruphotart // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Underground mining machine operators, all other

- Median annual wage: $64,670
- Median hourly wage: $31.09
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

worradirek // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers

- Median annual wage: $64,810
- Median hourly wage: $31.16
- Total employment: 50 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LaKirr // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Extraction workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $65,350
- Median hourly wage: $31.42
- Total employment: 210 people (3.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ironwas // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Continuous mining machine operators

- Median annual wage: $65,620
- Median hourly wage: $31.55
- Total employment: 150 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,650
- Median hourly wage: $31.56
- Total employment: 60 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $65,810
- Median hourly wage: $31.64
- Total employment: 260 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Nikita M production // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $65,820
- Median hourly wage: $31.64
- Total employment: 30 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $66,020
- Median hourly wage: $31.74
- Total employment: 220 people (3.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,110
- Median hourly wage: $31.79
- Total employment: 220 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $67,780
- Median hourly wage: $32.59
- Total employment: 350 people (5.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $68,120
- Median hourly wage: $32.75
- Total employment: 120 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $72,560
- Median hourly wage: $34.88
- Total employment: 50 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $72,660
- Median hourly wage: $34.94
- Total employment: 70 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $75,040
- Median hourly wage: $36.08
- Total employment: 40 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peruphotart // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining

- Median annual wage: $77,450
- Median hourly wage: $37.24
- Total employment: 200 people (3.37 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: $78,240
- Median hourly wage: $37.62
- Total employment: 390 people (6.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Causeway // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Roof bolters, mining

- Median annual wage: $81,810
- Median hourly wage: $39.33
- Total employment: 150 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $86,010
- Median hourly wage: $41.35
- Total employment: 150 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $88,710
- Median hourly wage: $42.65
- Total employment: 50 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

49 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $90,760
- Median hourly wage: $43.64
- Total employment: 600 people (10.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $94,660
- Median hourly wage: $45.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 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.