Highest paying jobs in San Francisco for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in San Francisco 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, 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. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $78,430
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 20,270
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)

#49. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $79,630
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,320
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)

#48. Choreographers
- Annual mean salary: $79,760
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,000
- Employment: 3,580
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($94,910)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($79,760)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($63,250)

#47. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $80,640
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560
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)

#46. Model makers, metal and plastic
- Annual mean salary: $81,140
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,180
- Employment: 3,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($81,140)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($76,210)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($74,210)
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#45. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Annual mean salary: $81,390
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,950
- Employment: 54,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($81,390)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($80,460)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($73,070)

#44. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $81,440
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,560
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)

#43. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $82,030
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 850
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)

#42. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $82,120
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,240
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)

#41. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $82,390
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,530
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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#40. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Annual mean salary: $83,090
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
#39. Fabric and apparel patternmakers
- Annual mean salary: $83,260
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,880
- Employment: 4,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($84,960)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($83,260)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($74,480)

#38. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $84,540
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,660
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)

#37. Traffic technicians
- Annual mean salary: $85,160
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,140
- Employment: 7,430
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($85,160)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($77,500)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($76,460)

#36. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $85,230
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,630
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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#35. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $85,280
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)

#34. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $85,370
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 13,450
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)

#33. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $86,900
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,560
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)
#32. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $87,420
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 12,160
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)

#31. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $89,070
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
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#30. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $89,500
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,600
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)

#29. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $90,580
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,080
- Employment: 44,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($91,590)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,580)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($80,780)

#28. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $90,680
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,020
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)

#27. Chemical plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $91,210
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,460
- Employment: 29,710
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Lima, OH ($92,450)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($91,210)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($90,170)
#26. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $92,790
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,030
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)
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#25. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $92,870
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,430
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)

#24. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $92,910
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,190
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)

#23. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $93,760
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)

#22. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $93,900
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,590
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)

#21. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $93,980
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 860
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)
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#20. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $96,190
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,470
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)

#19. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $97,360
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 24,110
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)

#18. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Annual mean salary: $100,220
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#17. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $103,470
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,110
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)

#16. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $103,820
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 10,240
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)
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#15. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $103,930
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 970
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)

#14. Pile driver operators
- Annual mean salary: $104,880
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)

#13. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $105,090
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 930
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)

#12. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $105,420
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)

#11. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $106,190
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,780
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. Boilermakers
- Annual mean salary: $106,660
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,430
- Employment: 14,020
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,660)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($96,080)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($90,620)

#9. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $109,490
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 880
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)

#8. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $113,220
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#7. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $117,620
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720
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)

#6. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $122,930
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,440
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)
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#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $127,000
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,260
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)

#4. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $130,290
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
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)

#3. Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists
- Annual mean salary: $134,990
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,130
- Employment: 2,900
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($134,990)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($104,060)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($84,900)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $170,740
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 690
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: $185,920
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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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