Highest-paying jobs in Los Angeles for high school graduates

Written by:
June 3, 2025
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

Highest-paying jobs in Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles 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.

You may also like: Highest-rated dessert shops in the Los Angeles area by diners

#50. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

- Median annual wage: $78,180
- Median hourly wage: $37.59
- Total employment: 1,490 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#49. Artists and related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $78,290
- Median hourly wage: $37.64
- Total employment: 180 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#48. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $78,560
- Median hourly wage: $37.77
- Total employment: 2,770 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $78,770
- Median hourly wage: $37.87
- Total employment: 49,580 people (8.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#46. Personal service managers, all other

- Median annual wage: $78,810
- Median hourly wage: $37.89
- Total employment: 660 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Los Angeles by diners

#45. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $79,460
- Median hourly wage: $38.20
- Total employment: 320 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#44. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $79,710
- Median hourly wage: $38.32
- Total employment: 5,920 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Fabric and apparel patternmakers

- Median annual wage: $79,820
- Median hourly wage: $38.38
- Total employment: 780 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#42. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $79,880
- Median hourly wage: $38.41
- Total employment: 810 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#41. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $79,950
- Median hourly wage: $38.44
- Total employment: Not available

You may also like: See how Los Angeles ranks in commuting

#40. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $80,340
- Median hourly wage: $38.63
- Total employment: 22,660 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $80,690
- Median hourly wage: $38.79
- Total employment: 2,070 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $81,890
- Median hourly wage: $39.37
- Total employment: 7,330 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $82,090
- Median hourly wage: $39.47
- Total employment: 500 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#36. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $82,640
- Median hourly wage: $39.73
- Total employment: 7,900 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Los Angeles

#35. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $82,840
- Median hourly wage: $39.83
- Total employment: 930 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#34. Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $84,000
- Median hourly wage: $40.39
- Total employment: 60 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $84,010
- Median hourly wage: $40.39
- Total employment: 730 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. Brokerage clerks

- Median annual wage: $84,290
- Median hourly wage: $40.52
- Total employment: Not available

#31. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $89,730
- Median hourly wage: $43.14
- Total employment: 7,470 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Highest-rated Southern restaurants in Los Angeles by diners

#30. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $89,790
- Median hourly wage: $43.17
- Total employment: 3,340 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $89,980
- Median hourly wage: $43.26
- Total employment: 740 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $92,100
- Median hourly wage: $44.28
- Total employment: 17,390 people (2.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $93,220
- Median hourly wage: $44.82
- Total employment: 8,430 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#26. Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters

- Median annual wage: $94,240
- Median hourly wage: $45.31
- Total employment: 60 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Highest-rated cafes in the Los Angeles area by diners

#25. Riggers

- Median annual wage: $94,540
- Median hourly wage: $45.45
- Total employment: 1,800 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $97,730
- Median hourly wage: $46.98
- Total employment: 19,320 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Media and communication workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $97,980
- Median hourly wage: $47.10
- Total employment: 7,570 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#22. Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists

- Median annual wage: $99,600
- Median hourly wage: $47.89
- Total employment: 60 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#21. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $100,440
- Median hourly wage: $48.29
- Total employment: Not available

You may also like: How much it costs to park at Los Angeles International Airport

#20. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

- Median annual wage: $101,090
- Median hourly wage: $48.60
- Total employment: 100 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#19. Costume attendants

- Median annual wage: $101,860
- Median hourly wage: $48.97
- Total employment: 1,290 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#18. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $103,480
- Median hourly wage: $49.75
- Total employment: 3,730 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#17. Pile driver operators

- Median annual wage: $103,790
- Median hourly wage: $49.90
- Total employment: 260 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#16. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $104,600
- Median hourly wage: $50.29
- Total employment: 11,660 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in the Los Angeles metro area

#15. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $105,200
- Median hourly wage: $50.58
- Total employment: 330 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#14. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $106,030
- Median hourly wage: $50.98
- Total employment: 450 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#13. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

- Median annual wage: $107,270
- Median hourly wage: $51.57
- Total employment: 1,770 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. Boilermakers

- Median annual wage: $107,600
- Median hourly wage: $51.73
- Total employment: 400 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#11. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $108,240
- Median hourly wage: $52.04
- Total employment: 130 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Los Angeles area by diners

#10. Insulation workers, mechanical

- Median annual wage: $109,360
- Median hourly wage: $52.58
- Total employment: 320 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#9. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $115,630
- Median hourly wage: $55.59
- Total employment: 24,310 people (3.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#8. Motion picture projectionists

- Median annual wage: $119,090
- Median hourly wage: $57.25
- Total employment: 120 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#7. Gambling managers

- Median annual wage: $119,310
- Median hourly wage: $57.36
- Total employment: 70 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#6. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $123,670
- Median hourly wage: $59.46
- Total employment: 240 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Best public high schools in the Los Angeles metro area

#5. Gas plant operators

- Median annual wage: $124,100
- Median hourly wage: $59.66
- Total employment: 190 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $127,810
- Median hourly wage: $61.45
- Total employment: 2,840 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#3. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $127,980
- Median hourly wage: $61.53
- Total employment: 3,070 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#2. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $136,920
- Median hourly wage: $65.83
- Total employment: 1,400 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $169,590
- Median hourly wage: $81.53
- Total employment: 4,800 people (0.77 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.

You may also like: Movies and TV shows casting in Los Angeles

Trending Now