Highest-paying jobs in Oshkosh 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 Oshkosh 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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GaudiLab // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services

- Median annual wage: $59,020
- Median hourly wage: $28.37
- Total employment: 30 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $59,170
- Median hourly wage: $28.45
- Total employment: 240 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $59,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 90 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $59,700
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 30 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Steve Hamann // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners

- Median annual wage: $59,800
- Median hourly wage: $28.75
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Vera Larina // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $59,880
- Median hourly wage: $28.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $60,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.96
- Total employment: 50 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LuckView // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $60,340
- Median hourly wage: $29.01
- Total employment: 570 people (6.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

9 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 1,670 people (17.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,970
- Median hourly wage: $29.31
- Total employment: 30 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,280
- Median hourly wage: $29.46
- Total employment: 150 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.48
- Total employment: 50 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $61,320
- Median hourly wage: $29.48
- Total employment: 250 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,370
- Median hourly wage: $29.51
- Total employment: 440 people (4.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $61,680
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 1,630 people (17.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,790
- Median hourly wage: $29.71
- Total employment: 350 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 40 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $62,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.96
- Total employment: 80 people (0.81 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: $62,560
- Median hourly wage: $30.08
- Total employment: 480 people (5.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $62,710
- Median hourly wage: $30.15
- Total employment: 400 people (4.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $62,760
- Median hourly wage: $30.17
- Total employment: 180 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 190 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: 800 people (8.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,370
- Median hourly wage: $30.46
- Total employment: 40 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,890
- Median hourly wage: $30.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,160
- Median hourly wage: $30.85
- Total employment: 30 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $64,270
- Median hourly wage: $30.90
- Total employment: 460 people (4.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $64,410
- Median hourly wage: $30.97
- Total employment: 80 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $64,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.99
- Total employment: 70 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $65,350
- Median hourly wage: $31.42
- Total employment: 30 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Irene Miller // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $66,840
- Median hourly wage: $32.14
- Total employment: 170 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $66,930
- Median hourly wage: $32.18
- Total employment: Not available

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $68,590
- Median hourly wage: $32.98
- Total employment: 150 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $70,210
- Median hourly wage: $33.76
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $72,090
- Median hourly wage: $34.66
- Total employment: 210 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Bigflick // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $75,710
- Median hourly wage: $36.40
- Total employment: 210 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $76,260
- Median hourly wage: $36.67
- Total employment: 660 people (7.03 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: $76,910
- Median hourly wage: $36.98
- Total employment: 990 people (10.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $80,360
- Median hourly wage: $38.64
- Total employment: 210 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $81,140
- Median hourly wage: $39.01
- Total employment: 280 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $81,520
- Median hourly wage: $39.19
- Total employment: 350 people (3.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $82,760
- Median hourly wage: $39.79
- Total employment: 830 people (8.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $88,910
- Median hourly wage: $42.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $89,650
- Median hourly wage: $43.10
- Total employment: 80 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $90,330
- Median hourly wage: $43.43
- Total employment: 190 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $90,880
- Median hourly wage: $43.69
- Total employment: 510 people (5.48 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: $93,860
- Median hourly wage: $45.13
- Total employment: 210 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $99,050
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $99,160
- Median hourly wage: $47.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $109,470
- Median hourly wage: $52.63
- Total employment: 150 people (1.55 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.