
Highest paying jobs in Savannah for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Savannah 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 Savannah, GA 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. Coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Annual mean salary: $46,990
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,280
- Employment: 12,580
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($58,770)
--- Fort Smith, AR-OK ($55,470)
--- Pittsburgh, PA ($52,460)

#49. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $47,090
- #369 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)
#48. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $47,160
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,300
- Employment: 149,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($70,030)
--- Waco, TX ($63,080)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($57,930)

#47. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $47,470
- #196 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,690
- Employment: 397,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($72,500)
--- Anchorage, AK ($71,840)
--- West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($71,250)

#46. Logging equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $48,360
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,570
- Employment: 25,560
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($64,000)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($62,910)
--- Longview, WA ($62,780)
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#45. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $48,760
- #268 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#44. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $49,030
- #263 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)

#43. Photographers
- Annual mean salary: $49,230
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#42. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $49,320
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770
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)
#41. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $49,710
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,140
- Employment: 137,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Midland, MI ($60,190)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($58,940)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($58,790)
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#40. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $50,400
- #217 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#39. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $50,970
- #198 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#38. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $51,010
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#37. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $52,070
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#36. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $52,380
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
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#35. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $53,040
- #193 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#34. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $53,340
- #325 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)

#33. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $53,730
- #312 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 640
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)
#32. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $53,870
- #357 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,570
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)
#31. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $53,970
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,490
- Employment: 20,440
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($66,390)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($59,690)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($57,930)
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#30. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,380
- #108 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)

#29. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,440
- #137 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)
#28. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $54,610
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#27. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $54,790
- #369 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)

#26. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $54,960
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,800
- Employment: 360,340
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($76,230)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($71,070)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($69,300)
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#25. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $55,380
- #244 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)

#24. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $55,730
- #292 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#23. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $56,060
- #399 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 890
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)

#22. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $56,960
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)

#21. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $57,090
- #245 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 780
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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#20. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $57,120
- #154 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#19. Chemical plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $57,750
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#18. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $60,720
- #74 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)
#17. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $62,510
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)

#16. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers
- Annual mean salary: $62,660
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,050
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,510
- Employment: 38,460
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($64,250)
--- Savannah, GA ($62,660)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($59,890)
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#15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,900
- #376 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650
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. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $63,970
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,080
- Employment: 44,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($91,590)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,580)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($80,780)

#13. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $64,420
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#12. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $68,980
- #186 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,360
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)

#11. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $70,460
- #241 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,340
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)
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#10. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $72,420
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 580
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)

#9. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $74,280
- #327 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
#8. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $75,330
- #311 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $75,690
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
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)

#6. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $76,260
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,960
- Employment: 65,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area ($77,890)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($77,690)
--- Savannah, GA ($76,260)
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#5. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $76,510
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#4. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $81,170
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $87,510
- #316 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)

#2. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $88,700
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $177,450
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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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