Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $55,460
- Median hourly wage: $26.67
- Total employment: 2,020 people (21.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Oshkosh for high school graduates
For decades, common wisdom held that earning a bachelor's degree would guarantee a high-paying career. Higher education does still seem to be an advantage: A college graduate's average annual salary of $60,000 in 2024 is roughly $20,000 more than that of a high school graduate, and those with bachelor's degrees can typically expect to earn between $630,000 and $900,000 more over the course of a lifetime. However, recent shifts in higher education and the job market have people wondering—with good reason—whether or not a bachelor's degree will really pay off.
According to a 2024 study from the Pew Research Center, 29% of Americans believe obtaining a college degree isn't worthwhile, a trend reflected in shrinking attendance at universities across the nation. Meanwhile, annual college costs have skyrocketed to an average of $38,270 per student in 2025, often necessitating student loans with steep interest rates.
With these factors in mind, it's natural for recent high school graduates to consider vocational opportunities outside of college. Those who do may be pleasantly surprised—many companies have stopped requiring bachelor's degrees for entry-, mid-, and even senior-level positions. And while college graduates' average earnings may be higher, a 2024 report from Launchpad Jobs found that around 1 in 5 nondegree holders out-earn the $70,000 median wages of someone with a bachelor's degree.
Of course, salaries for high school grads vary widely based on job, industry, and location. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Oshkosh for high school graduates. The analysis included jobs that listed a high school diploma or had no formal education requirement. 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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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $56,660
- Median hourly wage: $27.24
- Total employment: 330 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $56,770
- Median hourly wage: $27.30
- Total employment: 110 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $57,010
- Median hourly wage: $27.41
- Total employment: 1,030 people (10.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Cargo and freight agents
- Median annual wage: $57,360
- Median hourly wage: $27.58
- Total employment: 40 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 80 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $58,210
- Median hourly wage: $27.99
- Total employment: 520 people (5.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 170 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $58,620
- Median hourly wage: $28.18
- Total employment: 30 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $58,700
- Median hourly wage: $28.22
- Total employment: 150 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $58,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.23
- Total employment: 50 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. 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)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. 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
14 / 50#37. 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
15 / 50#36. 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
16 / 50#35. 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
17 / 50#34. 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
18 / 50#33. 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
19 / 50#32. 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)
Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. 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)
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. 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
22 / 50#29. 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
23 / 50#28. 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)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. 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
25 / 50#26. 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)
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26 / 50#25. 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
27 / 50#24. 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)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. 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)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. 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
30 / 50#21. 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)
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Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. 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)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. 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
33 / 50#18. 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)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. 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)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. 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)
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Syda Productions // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. 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)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. 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)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. 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
39 / 50#12. 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
40 / 50#11. 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)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. 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
42 / 50#9. 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)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. 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
44 / 50#7. 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
45 / 50#6. 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)
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Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. 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
47 / 50#4. 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
48 / 50#3. 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)
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 Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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