Highest-paying jobs in San Diego for high school graduates
Highest-paying jobs in San Diego 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 San Diego 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.
#50. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $73,670
- Median hourly wage: $35.42
- Total employment: 90 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $73,690
- Median hourly wage: $35.43
- Total employment: 9,690 people (6.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $73,880
- Median hourly wage: $35.52
- Total employment: 1,120 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $74,120
- Median hourly wage: $35.63
- Total employment: 5,080 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Tapers
- Median annual wage: $74,240
- Median hourly wage: $35.69
- Total employment: 490 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $74,250
- Median hourly wage: $35.70
- Total employment: 11,750 people (7.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Plant and system operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $74,830
- Median hourly wage: $35.98
- Total employment: 200 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Median annual wage: $74,990
- Median hourly wage: $36.05
- Total employment: 250 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $75,110
- Median hourly wage: $36.11
- Total employment: 150 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Riggers
- Median annual wage: $75,170
- Median hourly wage: $36.14
- Total employment: 350 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $75,420
- Median hourly wage: $36.26
- Total employment: Not available
#39. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $75,640
- Median hourly wage: $36.37
- Total employment: 7,330 people (4.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Subway and streetcar operators
- Median annual wage: $75,660
- Median hourly wage: $36.38
- Total employment: 150 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $75,930
- Median hourly wage: $36.51
- Total employment: 840 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $76,010
- Median hourly wage: $36.54
- Total employment: 4,260 people (2.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $76,760
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 540 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $77,270
- Median hourly wage: $37.15
- Total employment: 160 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Media and communication workers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $77,550
- Median hourly wage: $37.29
- Total employment: 390 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $77,550
- Median hourly wage: $37.28
- Total employment: 1,370 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $78,590
- Median hourly wage: $37.78
- Total employment: 690 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $78,770
- Median hourly wage: $37.87
- Total employment: 1,620 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Hearing aid specialists
- Median annual wage: $78,830
- Median hourly wage: $37.90
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Pipelayers
- Median annual wage: $78,880
- Median hourly wage: $37.92
- Total employment: 160 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Artists and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $78,950
- Median hourly wage: $37.96
- Total employment: 50 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $79,390
- Median hourly wage: $38.17
- Total employment: 900 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $81,240
- Median hourly wage: $39.06
- Total employment: 230 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $82,270
- Median hourly wage: $39.56
- Total employment: 4,030 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $82,630
- Median hourly wage: $39.73
- Total employment: 5,820 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $82,740
- Median hourly wage: $39.78
- Total employment: 2,810 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $83,100
- Median hourly wage: $39.95
- Total employment: 2,700 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Traffic technicians
- Median annual wage: $83,570
- Median hourly wage: $40.18
- Total employment: 230 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other
- Median annual wage: $83,800
- Median hourly wage: $40.29
- Total employment: 170 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $88,390
- Median hourly wage: $42.50
- Total employment: 790 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $93,670
- Median hourly wage: $45.03
- Total employment: 110 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $93,710
- Median hourly wage: $45.05
- Total employment: 7,720 people (5.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Flight attendants
- Median annual wage: $94,650
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 910 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $94,990
- Median hourly wage: $45.67
- Total employment: 90 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $98,980
- Median hourly wage: $47.59
- Total employment: 1,220 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $99,580
- Median hourly wage: $47.88
- Total employment: 500 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $101,670
- Median hourly wage: $48.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Gambling managers
- Median annual wage: $102,070
- Median hourly wage: $49.07
- Total employment: 100 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Median annual wage: $102,780
- Median hourly wage: $49.42
- Total employment: 60 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $106,720
- Median hourly wage: $51.31
- Total employment: 920 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $109,000
- Median hourly wage: $52.40
- Total employment: 2,180 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $109,190
- Median hourly wage: $52.49
- Total employment: 4,990 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Median annual wage: $116,160
- Median hourly wage: $55.85
- Total employment: Not available
#4. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $118,830
- Median hourly wage: $57.13
- Total employment: 2,780 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $136,670
- Median hourly wage: $65.71
- Total employment: 210 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $147,340
- Median hourly wage: $70.84
- Total employment: 890 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $166,600
- Median hourly wage: $80.10
- Total employment: 120 people (0.08 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.
