Shift Drive // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $54,640
- Median hourly wage: $26.27
- Total employment: 270 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Midland 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 Midland 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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SatawatK // Shutterstock
2 / 50#48. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $55,660
- Median hourly wage: $26.76
- Total employment: 80 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (tie)
- Median annual wage: $55,660
- Median hourly wage: $26.76
- Total employment: 410 people (3.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $56,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.16
- Total employment: 70 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $56,880
- Median hourly wage: $27.35
- Total employment: 240 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: Not available
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $57,710
- Median hourly wage: $27.75
- Total employment: 130 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $57,730
- Median hourly wage: $27.75
- Total employment: 4,680 people (39.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $57,970
- Median hourly wage: $27.87
- Total employment: 380 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $58,870
- Median hourly wage: $28.30
- Total employment: Not available
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Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $59,220
- Median hourly wage: $28.47
- Total employment: 1,010 people (8.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $59,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.47
- Total employment: 300 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $59,380
- Median hourly wage: $28.55
- Total employment: 1,070 people (8.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $59,470
- Median hourly wage: $28.59
- Total employment: 50 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $59,920
- Median hourly wage: $28.81
- Total employment: 430 people (3.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kot500 // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $60,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 670 people (5.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $60,680
- Median hourly wage: $29.17
- Total employment: 2,420 people (20.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $61,150
- Median hourly wage: $29.40
- Total employment: 50 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $61,240
- Median hourly wage: $29.44
- Total employment: 170 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Median annual wage: $61,290
- Median hourly wage: $29.47
- Total employment: 60 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Chay_Tee // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Tax preparers
- Median annual wage: $61,410
- Median hourly wage: $29.52
- Total employment: 30 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $61,990
- Median hourly wage: $29.80
- Total employment: 320 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $62,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 280 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $63,220
- Median hourly wage: $30.40
- Total employment: 640 people (5.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladimir Endovitskiy // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas
- Median annual wage: $64,550
- Median hourly wage: $31.03
- Total employment: 610 people (5.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $65,770
- Median hourly wage: $31.62
- Total employment: 150 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $66,300
- Median hourly wage: $31.88
- Total employment: 620 people (5.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Median annual wage: $66,670
- Median hourly wage: $32.06
- Total employment: 90 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $67,290
- Median hourly wage: $32.35
- Total employment: 280 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $72,430
- Median hourly wage: $34.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $72,760
- Median hourly wage: $34.98
- Total employment: 1,120 people (9.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $75,020
- Median hourly wage: $36.07
- Total employment: 230 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $75,070
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 1,660 people (13.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $77,110
- Median hourly wage: $37.07
- Total employment: 950 people (7.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $77,440
- Median hourly wage: $37.23
- Total employment: 180 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $77,850
- Median hourly wage: $37.43
- Total employment: 90 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $78,190
- Median hourly wage: $37.59
- Total employment: 1,240 people (10.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $79,510
- Median hourly wage: $38.23
- Total employment: 190 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Wellhead pumpers
- Median annual wage: $79,640
- Median hourly wage: $38.29
- Total employment: 1,470 people (12.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $80,530
- Median hourly wage: $38.72
- Total employment: 2,840 people (23.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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pio3 // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $80,850
- Median hourly wage: $38.87
- Total employment: 350 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $82,070
- Median hourly wage: $39.46
- Total employment: 530 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $94,420
- Median hourly wage: $45.39
- Total employment: 110 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $94,650
- Median hourly wage: $45.51
- Total employment: 310 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $95,510
- Median hourly wage: $45.92
- Total employment: 330 people (2.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $97,890
- Median hourly wage: $47.06
- Total employment: 240 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $105,000
- Median hourly wage: $50.48
- Total employment: 320 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $106,340
- Median hourly wage: $51.13
- Total employment: 300 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $109,410
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $115,220
- Median hourly wage: $55.39
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 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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