
Highest paying jobs in Sacramento for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Sacramento 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 Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 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. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $66,390
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 790
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,000
- Employment: 147,680
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($86,740)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($82,520)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($79,470)

#49. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $66,990
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
#48. Glaziers
- Annual mean salary: $67,580
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,970
- Employment: 52,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($78,840)
--- Salem, OR ($78,000)
--- Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area ($76,680)

#47. Stonemasons
- Annual mean salary: $67,830
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,290
- Employment: 11,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($72,900)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($67,830)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($66,650)

#46. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $67,940
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
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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#44 (tie). Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,960
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 990
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,320
- Employment: 128,220
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($101,150)
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($94,930)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($93,840)

#44 (tie). Rail car repairers
- Annual mean salary: $67,960
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,250
- Employment: 22,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($86,690)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($76,530)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($74,740)
#43. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $69,290
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,800
- Employment: 93,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($97,380)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,790)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($76,950)

#42. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $70,270
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,270
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)

#41. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $70,460
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,320
- Employment: 27,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($112,260)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($111,930)
--- Anchorage, AK ($108,140)
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#40. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $70,560
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,580
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)
#38 (tie). Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $70,880
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,430
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)
#38 (tie). First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $70,880
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,610
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)

#37. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $70,920
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,030
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)

#36. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $71,750
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,040
- Employment: 110,040
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($97,840)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($97,720)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($83,050)
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#35. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $72,100
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,650
- Employment: 71,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($95,020)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($88,250)
--- Western Washington nonmetropolitan area ($84,570)
#34. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $72,700
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,400
- Employment: 44,560
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,510)
--- Nevada nonmetropolitan area ($81,690)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($78,180)

#33. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $72,860
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
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)
#32. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $73,520
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#31. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $73,890
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,830
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)
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#30. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $74,290
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,620
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)

#29. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $75,590
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,570
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)

#28. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $76,990
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,440
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)

#27. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $78,240
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,540
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)

#26. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $78,300
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,610
- Employment: 40,480
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($105,090)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($101,900)
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($97,860)
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#25. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $78,760
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,860
- Employment: 122,480
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,680)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($90,370)
--- Salinas, CA ($88,050)

#24. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $79,540
- #231 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,000
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)
#23. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Annual mean salary: $79,760
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#22. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $80,410
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,060
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)

#21. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $80,510
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,810
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,340
- Employment: 405,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($96,580)
--- Salinas, CA ($89,100)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($86,260)
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#20. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $81,080
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,010
- Employment: 44,060
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($131,160)
--- Syracuse, NY ($103,350)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($99,990)

#19. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $83,120
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,400
- Employment: 50,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($98,380)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($94,070)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($92,800)

#18. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $83,230
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $79,660
- Employment: 13,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($97,930)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($96,450)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($94,460)

#17. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Annual mean salary: $83,280
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $76,810
- Employment: 5,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($104,810)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($101,650)
--- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($101,610)

#16. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $88,240
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,170
- Employment: 29,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,300)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,930)
--- South Illinois nonmetropolitan area ($101,630)
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#15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $89,970
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,210
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)

#14. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $89,980
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,570
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)

#13. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $90,510
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,630
- Employment: 44,610
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($152,460)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($133,810)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($132,320)

#12. Pile driver operators
- Annual mean salary: $91,910
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,880
- Employment: 3,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($106,620)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($106,340)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($104,880)

#11. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $91,990
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 850
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,470
- Employment: 113,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New Haven, CT ($121,510)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($107,330)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,190)
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#10. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $98,150
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,470
National
- Annual mean salary: $89,300
- Employment: 105,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($132,210)
--- Anchorage, AK ($127,070)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($123,460)

#9. Gambling managers
- Annual mean salary: $100,150
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $85,440
- Employment: 3,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($106,830)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($104,140)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($103,210)
#8. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $105,080
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,050
National
- Annual mean salary: $105,100
- Employment: 132,210
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($159,890)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,170)
--- Trenton, NJ ($144,620)

#7. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $107,550
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,200
- Employment: 24,730
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($130,290)
--- Kansas City, MO-KS ($113,590)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($113,480)

#6. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $107,740
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770
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)
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#5. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $112,950
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,600
- Employment: 53,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($114,400)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,220)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($112,950)

#4. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $114,660
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,890
- Employment: 32,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($129,650)
--- Wenatchee, WA ($123,180)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($114,660)

#3. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Annual mean salary: $121,840
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $93,260
- Employment: 9,940
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($131,560)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($129,570)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($123,540)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $143,790
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 740
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)

#1. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $165,400
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $110,830
- Employment: 37,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($185,920)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($184,260)
--- Savannah, GA ($177,450)
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