
Highest paying jobs in Pensacola 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 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL 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. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $45,300
- #459 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 580
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)
#49. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $45,360
- #490 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
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)
#48. Dental laboratory technicians
- Annual mean salary: $45,510
- #85 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,230
- Employment: 30,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($67,730)
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($59,560)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($55,140)
#47. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $45,680
- #215 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)
#46. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $45,720
- #300 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)
#45. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $46,340
- #467 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
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)
#44. Cargo and freight agents
- Annual mean salary: $46,380
- #92 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)
#43. Community health workers
- Annual mean salary: $46,420
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#42. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $46,440
- #293 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
#41. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Annual mean salary: $46,450
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,750
- Employment: 69,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($59,130)
--- Anchorage, AK ($57,900)
--- Longview, WA ($57,410)
#40. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $46,710
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#39. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $46,850
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)
#38. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $47,150
- #176 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,440
- Employment: 105,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Huntsville, AL ($55,830)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,260)
--- Wausau, WI ($55,060)
#37. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $48,110
- #330 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,000
- Employment: 362,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($74,970)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($71,160)
--- West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($67,770)
#36. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $48,120
- #410 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)
#35. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $48,400
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,220
- Employment: 52,760
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($60,940)
--- Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($52,510)
--- Bowling Green, KY ($49,980)
#34. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Annual mean salary: $48,650
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#33. Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $49,030
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,250
- Employment: 15,380
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($78,200)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($69,720)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($69,320)
#32. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $49,040
- #459 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $49,380
- #182 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#30. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $50,010
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
#29. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $50,100
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,330
- Employment: 93,060
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area ($91,300)
--- Billings, MT ($88,420)
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($76,050)
#28. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $50,440
- #375 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
#27. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $50,690
- #355 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#26. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $51,370
- #193 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#25. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $51,670
- #229 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#24. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $51,920
- #163 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)
#23. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $52,330
- #214 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
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)
#22. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $53,390
- #336 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#21. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,790
- #234 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)
#20. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $55,540
- #299 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,020
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)
#19. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $57,870
- #211 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
#18. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $58,070
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,480
- Employment: 99,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Longview, WA ($65,210)
--- Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL ($58,070)
--- Western Washington nonmetropolitan area ($57,790)
#17. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $59,480
- #315 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,230
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)
#16. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,890
- #459 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040
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)
#15. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $60,590
- #195 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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)
#14. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $60,860
- #437 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,170
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)
#13. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $61,550
- #186 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
#12. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $63,590
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)
#11. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $65,050
- #405 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 780
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. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $67,440
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#9. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,520
- #167 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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)
#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $68,140
- #300 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#7. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $78,040
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,320
- Employment: 27,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($112,260)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($111,930)
--- Anchorage, AK ($108,140)
#6. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $78,860
- #176 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $79,040
- #236 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
#4. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $81,040
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $81,840
- #257 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#2. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $84,180
- #163 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $97,140
- #190 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)