Highest paying jobs in New Haven 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 New Haven, 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. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,260
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,200
- Employment: 86,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houma-Thibodaux, LA ($59,410)
--- Florence, SC ($59,360)
--- Monroe, MI ($59,320)
#49. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $54,360
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,500
- Employment: 141,260
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,770)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,250)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($59,160)
#48. Ophthalmic laboratory technicians
- Annual mean salary: $54,580
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,640
- Employment: 26,140
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area ($56,150)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,920)
--- New Haven, CT ($54,580)
#47. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $54,960
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,750
- Employment: 160,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($84,640)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,320)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($77,210)
#46. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $55,590
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#45. Community health workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,160
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,000
- Employment: 58,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,110)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($65,530)
--- Bend-Redmond, OR ($61,820)
#44. Hazardous materials removal workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,250
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,170
- Employment: 44,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($76,120)
--- Amarillo, TX ($73,270)
--- Knoxville, TN ($70,000)
#43. Outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $56,490
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,090
- Employment: 31,500
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($60,540)
--- New Haven, CT ($56,490)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($54,740)
#42. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $56,990
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#41. Highway maintenance workers
- Annual mean salary: $57,070
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,200
- Employment: 149,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($70,690)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($67,370)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($67,340)
#40. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $57,400
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
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)
#39. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $57,720
- #116 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#38. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $57,830
- #35 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)
#37. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $58,650
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
#36. Cargo and freight agents
- Annual mean salary: $59,970
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#35. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $60,090
- #208 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#34. Photographers
- Annual mean salary: $60,870
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#33. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $62,470
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,030
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)
#32. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Annual mean salary: $62,980
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,470
- Employment: 27,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($109,380)
--- Syracuse, NY ($97,670)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($93,740)
#31. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $63,140
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#30. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $63,790
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#29. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $63,950
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)
#28. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $64,190
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#27. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $64,380
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800
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)
#26. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,740
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
#25. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $65,900
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 980
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)
#24. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,050
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,300
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)
#23. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $66,220
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $68,640
- #97 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,410
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)
#21. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $69,110
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720
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)
#20. Opticians, dispensing
- Annual mean salary: $69,460
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#19. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $70,130
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440
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)
#18. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $70,700
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#17. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $70,810
- #97 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)
#16. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $71,380
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 710
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)
#15. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $72,190
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $72,930
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#13. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $78,740
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040
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)
#12. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $79,540
- #75 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)
#11. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $81,510
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#10. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $83,420
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)
#9. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $84,000
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,420
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)
#8. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $85,060
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)
#7. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $88,960
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
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. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $93,860
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $101,460
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)
#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $102,230
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)
#3. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $108,260
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $109,180
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
#1. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $121,510
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)