
Highest paying jobs in Stockton 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 Stockton-Lodi, 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.
#50. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $55,380
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,990
- Employment: 138,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,570)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,900)
--- New Haven, CT ($63,790)
#49. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $55,650
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,180
- Employment: 333,570
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Modesto, CA ($57,160)
--- Bismarck, ND ($57,090)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,820)
#48. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $56,230
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,430
- Employment: 137,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($71,350)
--- Ames, IA ($68,340)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,060)
#47. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $56,460
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,000
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,090
- Employment: 253,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,900)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($73,400)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,480)
#46. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $57,810
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,870
- Employment: 20,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Evansville, IN-KY ($77,880)
--- Anchorage, AK ($77,690)
--- Oklahoma City, OK ($77,100)
#45. Bus drivers, transit and intercity
- Annual mean salary: $58,020
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,110
- Employment: 162,850
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($69,940)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,310)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($67,370)
#44. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $58,900
- #243 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,000
- Employment: 197,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($91,320)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($89,860)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,750)
#43. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $59,520
- #222 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
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)
#42. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,210
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#41. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,250
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,040
- Employment: 103,730
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Madera, CA ($76,040)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,800)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($73,360)
#40. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $61,340
- #229 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)
#39. Stonemasons
- Annual mean salary: $61,350
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#38. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $61,610
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560
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)
#37. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $61,740
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,280
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,200
- Employment: 699,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($81,730)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,680)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,280)
#36. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $63,600
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#35. Rail car repairers
- Annual mean salary: $63,920
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#34. Locomotive engineers
- Annual mean salary: $64,270
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,660
- Employment: 37,110
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($71,880)
--- Stockton-Lodi, CA ($64,270)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($43,070)
#33. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $64,410
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#32. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $64,430
- #175 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,010
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)
#31. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $64,580
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)
#30. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $64,990
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,100
- Employment: 32,200
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Jackson, MI ($93,360)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($91,080)
--- Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($87,760)
#29. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,070
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,790
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)
#28. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,180
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 980
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)
#27. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $65,220
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,990
- Employment: 168,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Midland, TX ($100,060)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($99,880)
--- Worcester, MA-CT ($93,400)
#26. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $65,320
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#25. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $66,740
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#24. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $66,870
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440
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)
#23. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Annual mean salary: $69,270
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $71,060
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#21. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $71,370
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,110
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)
#20. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $72,060
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
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)
#19. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $72,120
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#18. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $72,760
- #106 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,920
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)
#17. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $74,050
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,420
- Employment: 59,940
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($95,980)
--- Decatur, IL ($92,670)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($89,340)
#16. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,150
- #296 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
#15. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $76,500
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
#14. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $76,640
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#13. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $77,150
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590
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)
#12. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $77,870
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#11. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $79,110
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
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)
#10. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $80,730
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#9. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $82,530
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 980
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)
#8. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $84,000
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,720
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)
#7. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $85,680
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#6. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Annual mean salary: $85,750
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#5. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $85,980
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $99,100
- #163 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680
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)
#3. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $105,570
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
#2. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $108,800
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $137,030
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)