
Highest paying jobs in Hot Springs for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Hot Springs for high school graduates
The average college graduate in 2020 earned $1,305 a week, while the average high school graduate takes home just $781, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Of course, college isn’t for everyone. There are many reasons high-school graduates may choose to not continue on to college, not the least of which being cost. Average tuition costs continue to rise each year, the exception being the 2020-2021 school year, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Average tuition at a public, in-state university coming in at $9,687; tuition for out-of-state students at public schools, and for everyone at private universities, is significantly higher at $21,874 and $35,087, respectively.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest paying jobs for high school graduates in Hot Springs, AR using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.
Keep reading to see which jobs in your city pay the most for high school graduates.
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#50. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $32,250
- #519 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,790
- Employment: 1,357,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,230)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,870)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($56,650)
#49. Pharmacy technicians
- Annual mean salary: $32,260
- #460 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,450
- Employment: 415,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,340)
--- Napa, CA ($58,620)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($58,390)

#48. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $32,460
- #458 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,000
- Employment: 597,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,010)
--- Napa, CA ($52,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,300)

#47. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Annual mean salary: $32,520
- #436 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,880
- Employment: 891,540
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($52,950)
--- Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($52,620)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,140)
#46. Office clerks, general
- Annual mean salary: $32,840
- #407 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 850
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,770
- Employment: 2,788,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($49,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($49,740)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($48,850)
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#45. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive
- Annual mean salary: $33,040
- #472 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,420
- Employment: 1,850,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,720)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,730)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($54,450)
#44. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $33,570
- #238 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,220
- Employment: 52,760
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($60,940)
--- Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($52,510)
--- Bowling Green, KY ($49,980)
#43. Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $33,670
- #283 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,900
- Employment: 93,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area ($59,920)
--- Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area ($58,870)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($56,220)
#42. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Annual mean salary: $33,950
- #208 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,500
- Employment: 40,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($87,740)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($86,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($83,090)

#41. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $34,270
- #499 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,580
- Employment: 549,200
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($88,150)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($80,420)
--- Odessa, TX ($70,950)
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#40. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $34,480
- #379 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,750
- Employment: 160,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($84,640)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,320)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($77,210)
#39. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Annual mean salary: $35,020
- #411 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,490
- Employment: 156,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,520)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($62,040)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($60,730)

#38. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Annual mean salary: $35,940
- #305 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,650
- Employment: 248,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($69,160)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($68,140)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($64,980)

#37. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $36,010
- #477 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,890
- Employment: 119,380
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($92,370)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($87,990)
#36. Billing and posting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $36,320
- #397 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,610
- Employment: 445,160
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,850)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($55,130)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($54,960)
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#35. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $36,330
- #514 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,280
- Employment: 402,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,910)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($91,860)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($91,120)

#34. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $36,650
- #512 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,200
- Employment: 699,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($81,730)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,680)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,280)

#33. Light truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $37,020
- #400 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,050
- Employment: 929,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($51,860)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($51,560)
--- Waterbury, CT ($50,100)

#32. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $37,080
- #508 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,690
- Employment: 397,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($72,500)
--- Anchorage, AK ($71,840)
--- West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($71,250)
#31. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $37,600
- #373 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,140
- Employment: 137,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Midland, MI ($60,190)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($58,940)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($58,790)
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#29 (tie). Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $38,830
- #515 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,090
- Employment: 253,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,900)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($73,400)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,480)

#29 (tie). First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $38,830
- #489 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,300
- Employment: 1,063,110
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($57,830)
--- Boulder, CO ($56,520)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,930)
#28. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $38,860
- #290 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,990
- Employment: 138,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,570)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,900)
--- New Haven, CT ($63,790)

#27. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $39,810
- #520 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,550
- Employment: 656,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,900)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($91,090)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($86,600)
#26. Animal trainers
- Annual mean salary: $39,850
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,950
- Employment: 14,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($67,060)
--- Ocala, FL ($55,180)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($50,660)
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#25. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $40,200
- #469 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,800
- Employment: 360,340
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($76,230)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($71,070)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($69,300)
#24. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Annual mean salary: $40,530
- #281 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,780
- Employment: 204,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($59,060)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($58,140)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,710)

#23. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $41,020
- #224 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,270
- Employment: 31,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area ($122,290)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($121,090)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($111,410)

#22. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $41,170
- #337 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,990
- Employment: 168,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Midland, TX ($100,060)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($99,880)
--- Worcester, MA-CT ($93,400)
#21. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $41,540
- #267 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,770
- Employment: 53,370
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($84,710)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($77,840)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($76,960)
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#20. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $41,690
- #447 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,210
- Employment: 219,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($109,540)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($106,420)
--- Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area ($105,220)

#19. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $43,300
- #495 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,100
- Employment: 417,440
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,580)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($89,500)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($89,190)
#18. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $45,570
- #307 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,430
- Employment: 137,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($71,350)
--- Ames, IA ($68,340)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,060)
#17. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,040
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,070
- Employment: 240,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,830)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($59,120)
--- Portsmouth, NH-ME ($58,380)
#16. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $46,140
- #520 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,010
- Employment: 1,427,260
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($82,050)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($79,520)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,430)
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#15. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,500
- #392 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,000
- Employment: 362,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($74,970)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($71,160)
--- West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($67,770)

#14. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $46,890
- #509 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,490
- Employment: 977,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($103,810)
--- Boulder, CO ($101,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($97,360)
#13. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $47,850
- #478 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,230
- Employment: 503,390
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,590)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($87,760)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($87,420)

#12. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $47,970
- #476 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,000
- Employment: 197,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($91,320)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($89,860)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,750)

#11. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $49,420
- #484 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,350
- Employment: 385,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($85,900)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($85,360)
--- Anchorage, AK ($82,890)
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#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $50,830
- #521 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $72,990
- Employment: 614,080
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($112,020)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,820)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($101,210)

#9. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $53,410
- #514 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,800
- Employment: 599,900
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($98,170)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($97,910)
--- West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($96,900)

#8. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $53,710
- #521 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,100
- Employment: 475,000
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($93,830)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($93,030)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,870)

#7. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,350
- #152 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,180
- Employment: 333,570
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Modesto, CA ($57,160)
--- Bismarck, ND ($57,090)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,820)

#6. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $55,210
- #341 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,100
- Employment: 409,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($104,230)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,470)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($95,620)
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#5. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,320
- #480 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $90,120
- Employment: 240,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($129,860)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($121,360)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($121,250)

#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $61,390
- #374 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $74,410
- Employment: 114,930
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($117,700)
--- Salinas, CA ($110,180)
--- North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area ($109,740)
#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $62,180
- #412 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $97,180
- Employment: 122,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($182,700)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($170,740)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($164,600)

#2. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $62,670
- #384 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,500
- Employment: 1,278,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($102,280)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($92,660)
--- Napa, CA ($92,620)

#1. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $74,170
- #93 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,650
- Employment: 287,150
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($104,350)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($95,200)
--- Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area ($92,500)
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