Highest-paying jobs in La Crosse 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 La Crosse 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.

Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Construction laborers

- Median annual wage: $53,430
- Median hourly wage: $25.69
- Total employment: 570 people (6.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Bus drivers, transit and intercity

- Median annual wage: $53,840
- Median hourly wage: $25.88
- Total employment: 90 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $55,020
- Median hourly wage: $26.45
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $55,370
- Median hourly wage: $26.62
- Total employment: 90 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $56,070
- Median hourly wage: $26.96
- Total employment: 80 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 190 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $56,620
- Median hourly wage: $27.22
- Total employment: 340 people (4.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

8 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,810
- Median hourly wage: $27.31
- Total employment: 50 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $57,380
- Median hourly wage: $27.59
- Total employment: 410 people (4.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- 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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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $58,240
- Median hourly wage: $28.00
- Total employment: 200 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $58,830
- Median hourly wage: $28.28
- Total employment: 490 people (5.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $59,160
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 120 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

- Median annual wage: $59,530
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 80 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $59,660
- Median hourly wage: $28.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SatawatK // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,790
- Median hourly wage: $28.74
- Total employment: 100 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $59,860
- Median hourly wage: $28.78
- Total employment: 50 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $60,020
- Median hourly wage: $28.86
- Total employment: 2,070 people (24.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,090
- Median hourly wage: $28.89
- Total employment: 520 people (6.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.96
- Total employment: 30 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,600
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 220 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,800
- Median hourly wage: $29.23
- Total employment: 790 people (9.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $61,300
- Median hourly wage: $29.47
- Total employment: 130 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $61,680
- Median hourly wage: $29.66
- Total employment: 60 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $61,720
- Median hourly wage: $29.67
- Total employment: 160 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $61,760
- Median hourly wage: $29.69
- Total employment: 220 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 40 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $62,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.98
- Total employment: 60 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $62,860
- Median hourly wage: $30.22
- Total employment: 220 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,210
- Median hourly wage: $30.39
- Total employment: 590 people (7.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.45
- Total employment: 300 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $64,220
- Median hourly wage: $30.87
- Total employment: 240 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $64,620
- Median hourly wage: $31.07
- Total employment: 150 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,500
- Median hourly wage: $31.49
- Total employment: 540 people (6.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,840
- Median hourly wage: $31.65
- Total employment: 50 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $65,890
- Median hourly wage: $31.68
- Total employment: 70 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $67,240
- Median hourly wage: $32.33
- Total employment: 60 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $67,550
- Median hourly wage: $32.48
- Total employment: 290 people (3.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $67,620
- Median hourly wage: $32.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $68,210
- Median hourly wage: $32.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $76,090
- Median hourly wage: $36.58
- Total employment: 300 people (3.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $78,710
- Median hourly wage: $37.84
- Total employment: 240 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $78,880
- Median hourly wage: $37.93
- Total employment: 40 people (0.49 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: $79,730
- Median hourly wage: $38.33
- Total employment: 310 people (3.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,340
- Median hourly wage: $38.62
- Total employment: 340 people (4.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $84,090
- Median hourly wage: $40.43
- Total employment: 140 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $94,580
- Median hourly wage: $45.47
- Total employment: 70 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $97,560
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $103,270
- Median hourly wage: $49.65
- Total employment: 100 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $106,080
- Median hourly wage: $51.00
- Total employment: 90 people (1.04 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.