Highest paying jobs in Bridgeport 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 Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 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. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $62,990
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 640
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,740
- Employment: 101,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Leominster-Gardner, MA ($81,020)
--- Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area ($79,820)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($79,600)
#49. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $63,360
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#48. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $63,760
- #18 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)
#47. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $64,000
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,150
- Employment: 68,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Eugene, OR ($70,940)
--- Salem, OR ($68,640)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($68,520)
#46. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $64,140
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,860
- Employment: 188,450
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($64,510)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($64,140)
--- Decatur, IL ($60,740)
#45. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $64,360
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,440
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,580
- Employment: 549,200
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($88,150)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($80,420)
--- Odessa, TX ($70,950)
#44. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $64,720
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)
#43. Tree trimmers and pruners
- Annual mean salary: $66,120
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,040
- Employment: 52,040
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($66,120)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,000)
--- Anchorage, AK ($64,280)
#42. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $68,160
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)
#41. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $68,370
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#40. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $68,740
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,260
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)
#39. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $68,910
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
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)
#38. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $69,120
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#37. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Annual mean salary: $69,160
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,000
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,650
- Employment: 248,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($69,160)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($68,140)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($64,980)
#36. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $69,410
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 990
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)
#35. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,960
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#34. Opticians, dispensing
- Annual mean salary: $70,300
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,380
- Employment: 68,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,300)
--- New Haven, CT ($69,460)
--- Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area ($66,670)
#33. Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping
- Annual mean salary: $70,360
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,080
- Employment: 57,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,360)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($54,750)
--- West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($52,920)
#32. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $70,480
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)
#31. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $70,770
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,020
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)
#30. Photographers
- Annual mean salary: $71,160
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,290
- Employment: 41,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($76,810)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($71,160)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($70,440)
#29. Travel agents
- Annual mean salary: $72,820
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,650
- Employment: 55,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($72,820)
--- Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($61,710)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,110)
#28. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $73,540
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,100
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)
#27. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $73,720
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,430
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)
#26. Hearing aid specialists
- Annual mean salary: $75,130
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,630
- Employment: 7,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($75,130)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($73,180)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($72,300)
#25. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $75,150
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720
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)
#24. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $75,250
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 730
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)
#23. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $75,730
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)
#22. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,580
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,530
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)
#21. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $76,760
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)
#20. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $77,990
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#19. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $79,000
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,270
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)
#18. Cargo and freight agents
- Annual mean salary: $80,300
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,170
- Employment: 96,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($80,300)
--- Yakima, WA ($68,030)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($64,030)
#17. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $83,380
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#16. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $85,500
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,410
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)
#15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $85,960
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,090
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. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Annual mean salary: $87,740
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#13. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $87,760
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,480
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)
#12. Parking enforcement workers
- Annual mean salary: $90,360
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,870
- Employment: 7,560
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($90,360)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($70,670)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($57,200)
#11. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $92,490
- #7 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)
#10. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $92,660
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,890
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)
#9. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $93,460
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
#8. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $95,200
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)
#7. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $96,420
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
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)
#6. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $98,150
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#5. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $98,260
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#4. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $99,880
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440
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)
#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $103,040
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $108,010
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $154,170
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)