Highest paying jobs in Riverside for high school graduates
A high school diploma gives graduates a leg up in the workforce, even if they don't pursue any further education.
The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that workers over age of 25 with a high school diploma or equivalent earned about 25% more than those without one—$853 a week compared to $682. Diploma holders also faced lower unemployment rates, at 4% in 2022, compared to 5.5% for those who never completed high school.
There are many reasons high-school graduates may choose to not continue on to college—for instance, the cost. Average tuition costs continue to rise, increasing by 1% to 4% last year, depending on the institution type. While higher degrees of education typically pave the way for higher earnings, a college degree isn't necessary for many high-paying jobs. And for many careers, it doesn't make sense to pay to study for years when there are paid apprenticeship or learn-on-the-job programs.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Riverside for those with a high school diploma or equivalent. Jobs are ranked by their annual median salaries as of May 2022. Jobs without available data for annual pay were excluded from this analysis.
Keep reading to see which jobs in your city pay high school graduates the most.
This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.
#50. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $62,210
- Median hourly wage: $29.91
- Total employment: 16,060 people (9.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#49. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Median annual wage: $62,240
- Median hourly wage: $29.92
- Total employment: 400 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#48. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $62,270
- Median hourly wage: $29.94
- Total employment: 3,200 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#47. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $62,590
- Median hourly wage: $30.09
- Total employment: 12,570 people (7.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#46. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers
- Median annual wage: $62,600
- Median hourly wage: $30.10
- Total employment: 690 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#45. Meter readers, utilities
- Median annual wage: $62,660
- Median hourly wage: $30.13
- Total employment: 160 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#44. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $62,760
- Median hourly wage: $30.17
- Total employment: 250 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#43. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $62,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 2,370 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#42. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $63,260
- Median hourly wage: $30.41
- Total employment: 15,000 people (9.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#41. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $63,770
- Median hourly wage: $30.66
- Total employment: 1,270 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#40. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $63,950
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 870 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#39. Tree trimmers and pruners
- Median annual wage: $64,180
- Median hourly wage: $30.86
- Total employment: 1,360 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#38. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $64,740
- Median hourly wage: $31.12
- Total employment: 2,030 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#37. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Median annual wage: $64,750
- Median hourly wage: $31.13
- Total employment: 270 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#36. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $65,010
- Median hourly wage: $31.26
- Total employment: 1,120 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#35. Plant and system operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $65,350
- Median hourly wage: $31.42
- Total employment: 210 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#34. Traffic technicians
- Median annual wage: $66,310
- Median hourly wage: $31.88
- Total employment: 30 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#33. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $67,080
- Median hourly wage: $32.25
- Total employment: 320 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#32. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $67,250
- Median hourly wage: $32.33
- Total employment: 510 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#31. Personal service managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $67,830
- Median hourly wage: $32.61
- Total employment: 70 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#30. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $68,430
- Median hourly wage: $32.90
- Total employment: 380 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#29. Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters
- Median annual wage: $69,490
- Median hourly wage: $33.41
- Total employment: 30 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#28. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $69,660
- Median hourly wage: $33.49
- Total employment: 3,060 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#27. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other
- Median annual wage: $74,410
- Median hourly wage: $35.77
- Total employment: 240 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#26. Real estate brokers
- Median annual wage: $75,680
- Median hourly wage: $36.38
- Total employment: Not available
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#25. Media and communication equipment workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $75,810
- Median hourly wage: $36.45
- Total employment: 150 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#24. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $76,500
- Median hourly wage: $36.78
- Total employment: 1,770 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#23. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $76,750
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 5,670 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#22. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $77,780
- Median hourly wage: $37.39
- Total employment: 4,120 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#21. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $78,300
- Median hourly wage: $37.65
- Total employment: 1,410 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#20. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $78,840
- Median hourly wage: $37.90
- Total employment: 7,650 people (4.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#19. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $79,320
- Median hourly wage: $38.14
- Total employment: 570 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#18. Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists
- Median annual wage: $79,830
- Median hourly wage: $38.38
- Total employment: 30 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#17. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Median annual wage: $80,330
- Median hourly wage: $38.62
- Total employment: 170 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#16. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $80,410
- Median hourly wage: $38.66
- Total employment: 1,180 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#15. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $80,730
- Median hourly wage: $38.81
- Total employment: 1,270 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#14. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $81,810
- Median hourly wage: $39.33
- Total employment: 170 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#13. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $82,020
- Median hourly wage: $39.43
- Total employment: 4,140 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#12. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $88,630
- Median hourly wage: $42.61
- Total employment: 4,150 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#11. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $89,190
- Median hourly wage: $42.88
- Total employment: 80 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#10. Pile driver operators
- Median annual wage: $94,070
- Median hourly wage: $45.23
- Total employment: 70 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#9. Gambling managers
- Median annual wage: $97,460
- Median hourly wage: $46.86
- Total employment: 200 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $99,050
- Median hourly wage: $47.62
- Total employment: 1,500 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#7. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $100,820
- Median hourly wage: $48.47
- Total employment: 170 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#6. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $101,460
- Median hourly wage: $48.78
- Total employment: 6,430 people (3.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#5. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Median annual wage: $101,840
- Median hourly wage: $48.96
- Total employment: 100 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#4. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $102,440
- Median hourly wage: $49.25
- Total employment: 100 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#3. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $110,240
- Median hourly wage: $53.00
- Total employment: 1,240 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#2. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $113,030
- Median hourly wage: $54.34
- Total employment: 580 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $148,800
- Median hourly wage: $71.54
- Total employment: 490 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
