Highest-paying jobs in Madison 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 Madison 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.

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $64,670
- Median hourly wage: $31.09
- Total employment: 120 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $64,780
- Median hourly wage: $31.14
- Total employment: 100 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $65,280
- Median hourly wage: $31.39
- Total employment: 1,030 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $65,310
- Median hourly wage: $31.40
- Total employment: 540 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $66,110
- Median hourly wage: $31.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $66,470
- Median hourly wage: $31.96
- Total employment: 120 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $66,490
- Median hourly wage: $31.97
- Total employment: 270 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

branislavpudar // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Hazardous materials removal workers

- Median annual wage: $66,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.99
- Total employment: 70 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#41. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $66,600
- Median hourly wage: $32.02
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Carpet installers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $66,600
- Median hourly wage: $32.02
- Total employment: 90 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $67,810
- Median hourly wage: $32.60
- Total employment: 380 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $68,420
- Median hourly wage: $32.89
- Total employment: 950 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

adriaticfoto // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Miscellaneous construction and related workers

- Median annual wage: $68,630
- Median hourly wage: $33.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $69,000
- Median hourly wage: $33.17
- Total employment: 60 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Fusionstudio // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles

- Median annual wage: $69,460
- Median hourly wage: $33.39
- Total employment: 80 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lee Charlie // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Court, municipal, and license clerks

- Median annual wage: $70,140
- Median hourly wage: $33.72
- Total employment: 170 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $72,130
- Median hourly wage: $34.68
- Total employment: 110 people (0.28 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: $72,450
- Median hourly wage: $34.83
- Total employment: 3,740 people (9.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $72,630
- Median hourly wage: $34.92
- Total employment: 190 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $75,540
- Median hourly wage: $36.32
- Total employment: 220 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $75,610
- Median hourly wage: $36.35
- Total employment: 760 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,820
- Median hourly wage: $36.45
- Total employment: 2,110 people (5.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $76,560
- Median hourly wage: $36.81
- Total employment: 680 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $76,720
- Median hourly wage: $36.88
- Total employment: 80 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,380
- Median hourly wage: $37.20
- Total employment: 30 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#24. Electricians (tie)

- Median annual wage: $77,560
- Median hourly wage: $37.29
- Total employment: 1,650 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Property, real estate, and community association managers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $77,560
- Median hourly wage: $37.29
- Total employment: 320 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Glaziers

- Median annual wage: $79,080
- Median hourly wage: $38.02
- Total employment: 100 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $79,240
- Median hourly wage: $38.10
- Total employment: 150 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $79,400
- Median hourly wage: $38.17
- Total employment: 1,530 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $80,310
- Median hourly wage: $38.61
- Total employment: 120 people (0.29 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: $82,080
- Median hourly wage: $39.46
- Total employment: 1,310 people (3.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $83,120
- Median hourly wage: $39.96
- Total employment: 1,560 people (3.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $83,150
- Median hourly wage: $39.98
- Total employment: 430 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

M2020 // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $83,160
- Median hourly wage: $39.98
- Total employment: 110 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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sculpies // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $83,470
- Median hourly wage: $40.13
- Total employment: 1,790 people (4.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

muratart // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $84,650
- Median hourly wage: $40.70
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Insulation workers, mechanical

- Median annual wage: $88,200
- Median hourly wage: $42.41
- Total employment: 30 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $88,960
- Median hourly wage: $42.77
- Total employment: 80 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $90,520
- Median hourly wage: $43.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Skycolors // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $97,660
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $98,050
- Median hourly wage: $47.14
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $98,370
- Median hourly wage: $47.29
- Total employment: 390 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $99,450
- Median hourly wage: $47.81
- Total employment: 1,380 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $100,820
- Median hourly wage: $48.47
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $101,690
- Median hourly wage: $48.89
- Total employment: 260 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $102,380
- Median hourly wage: $49.22
- Total employment: 900 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $104,010
- Median hourly wage: $50.01
- Total employment: 440 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

49 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $105,370
- Median hourly wage: $50.66
- Total employment: 70 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $115,590
- Median hourly wage: $55.57
- Total employment: 200 people (0.49 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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