
Highest paying jobs in Chicago for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Chicago 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 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. Chemical plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $66,020
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#49. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $66,190
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)
#48. Glaziers
- Annual mean salary: $66,710
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 950
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,970
- Employment: 52,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($78,840)
--- Salem, OR ($78,000)
--- Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area ($76,680)

#47. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,960
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,090
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)

#46. Gas plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $67,060
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,290
- Employment: 14,990
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($98,750)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($97,080)
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#45. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $67,150
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,560
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)

#44. Airfield operations specialists
- Annual mean salary: $67,890
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,360
- Employment: 10,590
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Austin-Round Rock, TX ($88,510)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($80,230)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($79,230)

#43. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $68,140
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,850
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)

#42. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $68,710
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,410
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. Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers
- Annual mean salary: $68,920
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,890
- Employment: 14,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($104,560)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($68,920)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($60,810)
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#40. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $69,370
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 16,550
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)
#39. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,620
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 36,430
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)

#38. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,630
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 20,350
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)

#37. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $69,900
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 38,300
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)

#36. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $70,440
- #158 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 48,940
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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#35. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $70,760
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 10,870
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)

#34. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $71,150
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
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)

#33. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $71,630
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,340
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)

#32. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $72,300
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,260
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)

#31. Stonemasons
- Annual mean salary: $72,900
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,290
- Employment: 11,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($72,900)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($67,830)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($66,650)
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#30. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $74,350
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,120
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)

#29. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $76,490
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 12,110
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)

#28. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $77,930
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
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)
#27. Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $78,200
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 730
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)

#26. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $78,790
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800
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)
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#25. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $80,780
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,570
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)

#24. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $80,980
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,580
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)

#23. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $82,510
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,010
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)

#22. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $82,930
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,260
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)

#21. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $84,000
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
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#20. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $85,250
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,760
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)

#19. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $86,300
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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)

#18. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $86,600
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 15,610
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)

#17. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $89,190
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 11,780
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)

#16. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $89,760
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 10,240
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)
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#15. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $90,200
- #93 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,180
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)

#14. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $90,400
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,180
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)

#13. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Annual mean salary: $91,290
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $76,810
- Employment: 5,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($104,810)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($101,650)
--- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($101,610)

#12. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $91,380
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
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)

#11. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $93,330
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,370
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)
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#10. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $93,770
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620
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)

#9. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $95,030
- #124 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)

#8. Boilermakers
- Annual mean salary: $96,080
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#7. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers
- Annual mean salary: $97,000
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,700
- Employment: 18,680
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($97,000)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($88,350)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($75,440)

#6. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $101,600
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,090
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)
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#5. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Annual mean salary: $103,040
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#4. Pile driver operators
- Annual mean salary: $106,340
- #2 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)

#3. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $106,530
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 690
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)
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $111,800
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,630
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. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $126,270
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,610
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)
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