Highest paying jobs in Sacramento 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 Sacramento 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. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $64,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.06
- Total employment: 770 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#49. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $64,870
- Median hourly wage: $31.19
- Total employment: 5,300 people (5.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#48. Rail car repairers
- Median annual wage: $65,510
- Median hourly wage: $31.49
- Total employment: 130 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#46. Property, real estate, and community association managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $65,610
- Median hourly wage: $31.54
- Total employment: 2,880 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#46. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $65,610
- Median hourly wage: $31.55
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#45. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $66,110
- Median hourly wage: $31.79
- Total employment: 890 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#44. Glaziers
- Median annual wage: $66,200
- Median hourly wage: $31.83
- Total employment: 440 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#43. Medical equipment preparers
- Median annual wage: $66,700
- Median hourly wage: $32.07
- Total employment: 610 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#42. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers
- Median annual wage: $67,140
- Median hourly wage: $32.28
- Total employment: 280 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#41. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $67,880
- Median hourly wage: $32.63
- Total employment: 9,330 people (9.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#40. Media and communication workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $68,450
- Median hourly wage: $32.91
- Total employment: 230 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#39. Meter readers, utilities
- Median annual wage: $70,180
- Median hourly wage: $33.74
- Total employment: 70 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#38. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $71,000
- Median hourly wage: $34.14
- Total employment: 2,110 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#37. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $72,240
- Median hourly wage: $34.73
- Total employment: 3,220 people (3.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#36. Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters
- Median annual wage: $73,680
- Median hourly wage: $35.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#35. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $74,490
- Median hourly wage: $35.81
- Total employment: 3,170 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#34. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $74,780
- Median hourly wage: $35.95
- Total employment: 630 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#33. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Median annual wage: $74,980
- Median hourly wage: $36.05
- Total employment: 330 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#32. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Median annual wage: $75,600
- Median hourly wage: $36.35
- Total employment: 410 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#31. Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists
- Median annual wage: $76,230
- Median hourly wage: $36.65
- Total employment: 40 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
#30. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $76,900
- Median hourly wage: $36.97
- Total employment: 2,330 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#29. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $76,940
- Median hourly wage: $36.99
- Total employment: 3,580 people (3.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#28. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $80,510
- Median hourly wage: $38.71
- Total employment: 150 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
#27. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $81,240
- Median hourly wage: $39.06
- Total employment: 2,750 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#26. Plant and system operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $81,690
- Median hourly wage: $39.27
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#25. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $81,870
- Median hourly wage: $39.36
- Total employment: 910 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#24. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $82,710
- Median hourly wage: $39.77
- Total employment: 1,010 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#23. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $83,100
- Median hourly wage: $39.95
- Total employment: 630 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#22. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $83,750
- Median hourly wage: $40.26
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#21. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $85,450
- Median hourly wage: $41.08
- Total employment: 170 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#20. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Median annual wage: $85,750
- Median hourly wage: $41.23
- Total employment: 70 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#19. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $85,760
- Median hourly wage: $41.23
- Total employment: 5,150 people (5.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#18. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $86,300
- Median hourly wage: $41.49
- Total employment: 710 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#17. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $86,470
- Median hourly wage: $41.57
- Total employment: 1,910 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#16. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $86,580
- Median hourly wage: $41.63
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#15. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Median annual wage: $93,600
- Median hourly wage: $45.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#14. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $96,050
- Median hourly wage: $46.18
- Total employment: 1,060 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#13. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $96,080
- Median hourly wage: $46.19
- Total employment: 340 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#12. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $98,530
- Median hourly wage: $47.37
- Total employment: 1,310 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#11. Gambling managers
- Median annual wage: $100,080
- Median hourly wage: $48.11
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#10. Pile driver operators
- Median annual wage: $100,470
- Median hourly wage: $48.30
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#9. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $101,770
- Median hourly wage: $48.93
- Total employment: 1,450 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#8. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $103,030
- Median hourly wage: $49.54
- Total employment: 5,500 people (5.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#7. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Median annual wage: $103,480
- Median hourly wage: $49.75
- Total employment: 110 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
#6. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $115,750
- Median hourly wage: $55.65
- Total employment: 570 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#5. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $116,230
- Median hourly wage: $55.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $122,740
- Median hourly wage: $59.01
- Total employment: 680 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#3. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $132,830
- Median hourly wage: $63.86
- Total employment: 120 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#2. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $138,420
- Median hourly wage: $66.55
- Total employment: 190 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $142,150
- Median hourly wage: $68.34
- Total employment: 730 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
