Highest-paying jobs in Sheboygan 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 Sheboygan 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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DC Studio // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

- Median annual wage: $50,500
- Median hourly wage: $24.28
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LuckView // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $50,800
- Median hourly wage: $24.42
- Total employment: 500 people (8.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Aleksandr Rybalko // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $50,850
- Median hourly wage: $24.45
- Total employment: 140 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

XiXinXing // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Medical records specialists

- Median annual wage: $51,810
- Median hourly wage: $24.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alba_alioth // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $53,710
- Median hourly wage: $25.82
- Total employment: 1,010 people (16.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $55,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.57
- Total employment: 110 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $55,570
- Median hourly wage: $26.71
- Total employment: 840 people (13.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $56,000
- Median hourly wage: $26.93
- Total employment: 40 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,280
- Median hourly wage: $27.06
- Total employment: 110 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,950
- Median hourly wage: $27.38
- Total employment: 180 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $57,360
- Median hourly wage: $27.58
- Total employment: 130 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LightField Studios // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Bus drivers, school

- Median annual wage: $57,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.68
- Total employment: 120 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $57,920
- Median hourly wage: $27.85
- Total employment: 160 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $58,700
- Median hourly wage: $28.22
- Total employment: 140 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $59,210
- Median hourly wage: $28.47
- Total employment: 1,040 people (17.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dagmara_K // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Drywall and ceiling tile installers

- Median annual wage: $59,380
- Median hourly wage: $28.55
- Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $59,510
- Median hourly wage: $28.61
- Total employment: 320 people (5.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $60,120
- Median hourly wage: $28.90
- Total employment: 340 people (5.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,140
- Median hourly wage: $28.91
- Total employment: 60 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $60,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.96
- Total employment: 70 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Maintenance and repair workers, general

- Median annual wage: $60,610
- Median hourly wage: $29.14
- Total employment: 760 people (12.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $60,960
- Median hourly wage: $29.31
- Total employment: 80 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,110
- Median hourly wage: $29.38
- Total employment: 220 people (3.56 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: $61,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.50
- Total employment: 140 people (2.35 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: 30 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $62,810
- Median hourly wage: $30.20
- Total employment: 230 people (3.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $63,740
- Median hourly wage: $30.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $64,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.90
- Total employment: 120 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,320
- Median hourly wage: $30.92
- Total employment: 50 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,360
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 190 people (3.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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welcomia // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $64,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $65,040
- Median hourly wage: $31.27
- Total employment: 500 people (8.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $65,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.63
- Total employment: 100 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,160
- Median hourly wage: $31.81
- Total employment: 430 people (7.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $66,190
- Median hourly wage: $31.82
- Total employment: 60 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $66,810
- Median hourly wage: $32.12
- Total employment: 140 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $67,200
- Median hourly wage: $32.31
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $71,430
- Median hourly wage: $34.34
- Total employment: 40 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $73,170
- Median hourly wage: $35.18
- Total employment: 280 people (4.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,450
- Median hourly wage: $35.31
- Total employment: 730 people (11.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $74,070
- Median hourly wage: $35.61
- Total employment: 110 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,850
- Median hourly wage: $36.47
- Total employment: 250 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $75,880
- Median hourly wage: $36.48
- Total employment: 180 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $76,900
- Median hourly wage: $36.97
- Total employment: 340 people (5.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $77,130
- Median hourly wage: $37.08
- Total employment: 50 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,560
- Median hourly wage: $37.29
- Total employment: 1,080 people (17.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,380
- Median hourly wage: $38.65
- Total employment: 250 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $85,560
- Median hourly wage: $41.13
- Total employment: 60 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)