Highest-paying jobs in Lubbock 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 Lubbock 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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Vitpho // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $48,210
- Median hourly wage: $23.18
- Total employment: 2,360 people (14.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks

- Median annual wage: $48,360
- Median hourly wage: $23.25
- Total employment: 180 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $48,400
- Median hourly wage: $23.27
- Total employment: 110 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $48,460
- Median hourly wage: $23.30
- Total employment: 530 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $48,500
- Median hourly wage: $23.32
- Total employment: 300 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Pressmaster // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

- Median annual wage: $48,780
- Median hourly wage: $23.45
- Total employment: 60 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $49,070
- Median hourly wage: $23.59
- Total employment: 80 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $50,030
- Median hourly wage: $24.05
- Total employment: 390 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Said M // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Service unit operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $50,380
- Median hourly wage: $24.22
- Total employment: 210 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $50,510
- Median hourly wage: $24.28
- Total employment: 1,030 people (6.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $50,530
- Median hourly wage: $24.29
- Total employment: 680 people (4.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $50,950
- Median hourly wage: $24.50
- Total employment: 60 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $51,170
- Median hourly wage: $24.60
- Total employment: 790 people (4.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $51,490
- Median hourly wage: $24.76
- Total employment: 50 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Cargo and freight agents

- Median annual wage: $54,430
- Median hourly wage: $26.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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welcomia // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $55,280
- Median hourly wage: $26.58
- Total employment: 240 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $56,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.16
- Total employment: 650 people (3.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $56,850
- Median hourly wage: $27.33
- Total employment: 950 people (5.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $56,890
- Median hourly wage: $27.35
- Total employment: 60 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,630
- Median hourly wage: $27.71
- Total employment: 310 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $58,630
- Median hourly wage: $28.19
- Total employment: 160 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

- Median annual wage: $59,250
- Median hourly wage: $28.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,450
- Median hourly wage: $28.58
- Total employment: 460 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#26. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $59,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 180 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products (tie)

- Median annual wage: $59,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 990 people (6.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $59,610
- Median hourly wage: $28.66
- Total employment: 340 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,700
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 2,250 people (13.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,710
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: 260 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $59,940
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 340 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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santi lumubol // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,000
- Median hourly wage: $28.85
- Total employment: 30 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

- Median annual wage: $61,890
- Median hourly wage: $29.75
- Total employment: 60 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,920
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 270 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $62,990
- Median hourly wage: $30.28
- Total employment: 340 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,130
- Median hourly wage: $30.35
- Total employment: 840 people (5.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,950
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 780 people (4.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $64,360
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 70 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $66,730
- Median hourly wage: $32.08
- Total employment: 210 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $71,490
- Median hourly wage: $34.37
- Total employment: 270 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $72,140
- Median hourly wage: $34.68
- Total employment: 100 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yulai Studio // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Surgical assistants

- Median annual wage: $75,070
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $76,260
- Median hourly wage: $36.66
- Total employment: 750 people (4.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $76,450
- Median hourly wage: $36.75
- Total employment: 460 people (2.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $79,720
- Median hourly wage: $38.33
- Total employment: 300 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $81,380
- Median hourly wage: $39.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $86,560
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $89,110
- Median hourly wage: $42.84
- Total employment: Not available

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $100,380
- Median hourly wage: $48.26
- Total employment: 150 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $105,700
- Median hourly wage: $50.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $107,550
- Median hourly wage: $51.71
- Total employment: 80 people (0.48 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.