
Highest paying jobs in Tampa for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Tampa 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, 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.
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#50. Brokerage clerks
- Annual mean salary: $51,640
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 860
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,460
- Employment: 44,720
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,310)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,330)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,970)

#49. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $51,720
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,000
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)

#48. Hearing aid specialists
- Annual mean salary: $51,950
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#47. Pile driver operators
- Annual mean salary: $52,660
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#46. Chemical plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $53,050
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
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#45. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $53,780
- #117 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,860
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)

#44. Boilermakers
- Annual mean salary: $53,890
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)

#43. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $54,020
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,060
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)

#42. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,510
- #99 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 640
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)

#41. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,550
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,280
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)
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#40. Psychiatric aides
- Annual mean salary: $54,830
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $33,300
- Employment: 51,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($54,830)
--- Stockton-Lodi, CA ($54,000)
--- Utica-Rome, NY ($51,960)

#39. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers
- Annual mean salary: $54,860
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,160
- Employment: 19,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,710)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($65,990)
--- Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY ($65,510)

#38. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $54,940
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,250
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)
#37. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $55,060
- #331 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,210
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)

#36. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $55,080
- #320 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,940
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)
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#35. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $56,630
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660
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)

#34. Riggers
- Annual mean salary: $56,950
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,020
- Employment: 21,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($89,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($73,310)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($73,160)

#33. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $57,270
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#32. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Annual mean salary: $57,340
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,420
- Employment: 22,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area ($85,480)
--- Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area ($77,330)
--- Longview, WA ($74,500)

#31. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $57,750
- #152 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,020
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)
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#30. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $58,180
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,160
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)

#29. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $58,440
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#28. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $60,100
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#27. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $60,320
- #177 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,360
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)

#26. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $60,690
- #239 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,550
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)
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#25. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $60,850
- #84 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)
#24. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,100
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 15,800
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. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,130
- #398 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,760
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)

#22. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $61,430
- #190 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,750
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)

#21. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $63,440
- #211 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 14,690
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)
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#20. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $64,290
- #430 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,990
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)

#19. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $64,460
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)

#18. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,200
- #284 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,750
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)

#17. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $67,280
- #235 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,250
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)

#16. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $69,010
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 11,340
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)
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#15. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $71,330
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,440
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. Flight attendants
- Annual mean salary: $72,130
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,150
- Employment: 116,260
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kansas City, MO-KS ($94,320)
--- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($72,130)
--- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL ($67,620)

#13. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $72,790
- #246 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,280
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)

#12. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials
- Annual mean salary: $73,600
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,140
- Employment: 16,590
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($73,600)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($63,500)
--- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($62,260)

#11. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Annual mean salary: $77,550
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $93,260
- Employment: 9,940
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($131,560)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($129,570)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($123,540)
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#10. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $79,040
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)

#9. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $85,460
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,010
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)

#8. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $86,510
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#7. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $91,950
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)

#6. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $93,070
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,120
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)
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#5. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $93,120
- #15 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)

#4. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $97,930
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $99,070
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 910
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. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $99,470
- #158 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040
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. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $113,940
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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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