Highest-paying jobs in Eau Claire 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 Eau Claire 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.

Dagmara_K // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Drywall and ceiling tile installers

- Median annual wage: $57,700
- Median hourly wage: $27.74
- Total employment: 50 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $57,880
- Median hourly wage: $27.83
- Total employment: 50 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#47. Computer user support specialists (tie)

- Median annual wage: $57,930
- Median hourly wage: $27.85
- Total employment: 420 people (4.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Ophthalmic medical technicians (tie)

- Median annual wage: $57,930
- Median hourly wage: $27.85
- Total employment: 60 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Bus drivers, transit and intercity

- Median annual wage: $58,050
- Median hourly wage: $27.91
- Total employment: 30 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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fizkes // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $58,240
- Median hourly wage: $28.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 190 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $58,510
- Median hourly wage: $28.13
- Total employment: 60 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $58,860
- Median hourly wage: $28.30
- Total employment: 260 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

- Median annual wage: $58,980
- Median hourly wage: $28.35
- Total employment: 210 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SatawatK // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,040
- Median hourly wage: $28.39
- Total employment: 70 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $59,430
- Median hourly wage: $28.57
- Total employment: 400 people (4.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,860
- Median hourly wage: $28.78
- Total employment: 340 people (3.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#36. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders (tie)

- Median annual wage: $60,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.85
- Total employment: 70 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (tie)

- Median annual wage: $60,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.85
- Total employment: 250 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $60,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.01
- Total employment: 290 people (3.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $60,660
- Median hourly wage: $29.16
- Total employment: 200 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 600 people (6.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $61,020
- Median hourly wage: $29.34
- Total employment: 60 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $61,320
- Median hourly wage: $29.48
- Total employment: 260 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $61,500
- Median hourly wage: $29.57
- Total employment: 70 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $61,640
- Median hourly wage: $29.64
- Total employment: 30 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.98
- Total employment: 180 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $62,560
- Median hourly wage: $30.08
- Total employment: 40 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,750
- Median hourly wage: $30.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,860
- Median hourly wage: $30.22
- Total employment: 80 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $62,970
- Median hourly wage: $30.27
- Total employment: 70 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $63,210
- Median hourly wage: $30.39
- Total employment: 110 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stokkete // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Information and record clerks, all other

- Median annual wage: $63,310
- Median hourly wage: $30.44
- Total employment: 30 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,650
- Median hourly wage: $30.60
- Total employment: 650 people (7.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,240
- Median hourly wage: $30.89
- Total employment: 890 people (10.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $64,630
- Median hourly wage: $31.07
- Total employment: 340 people (3.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Community health workers

- Median annual wage: $66,140
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 60 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $67,670
- Median hourly wage: $32.53
- Total employment: 120 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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pio3 // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $69,460
- Median hourly wage: $33.39
- Total employment: 300 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,490
- Median hourly wage: $34.37
- Total employment: 50 people (0.53 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: $72,890
- Median hourly wage: $35.04
- Total employment: 570 people (6.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $73,840
- Median hourly wage: $35.50
- Total employment: 320 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $74,520
- Median hourly wage: $35.83
- Total employment: 80 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $74,690
- Median hourly wage: $35.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $77,450
- Median hourly wage: $37.24
- Total employment: 50 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,210
- Median hourly wage: $37.60
- Total employment: 350 people (4.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,470
- Median hourly wage: $37.73
- Total employment: 360 people (4.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

M2020 // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $83,620
- Median hourly wage: $40.20
- Total employment: 40 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $84,370
- Median hourly wage: $40.56
- Total employment: 170 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $85,280
- Median hourly wage: $41.00
- Total employment: 350 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $91,950
- Median hourly wage: $44.21
- Total employment: 110 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

49 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $94,360
- Median hourly wage: $45.37
- Total employment: 160 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $99,050
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.4 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.