Highest paying jobs in Rockford for high school graduates
A high school diploma gives graduates a leg up in the workforce, even if they don't pursue any further education.
The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that workers over age of 25 with a high school diploma or equivalent earned about 25% more than those without one—$853 a week compared to $682. Diploma holders also faced lower unemployment rates, at 4% in 2022, compared to 5.5% for those who never completed high school.
There are many reasons high-school graduates may choose to not continue on to college—for instance, the cost. Average tuition costs continue to rise, increasing by 1% to 4% last year, depending on the institution type. While higher degrees of education typically pave the way for higher earnings, a college degree isn't necessary for many high-paying jobs. And for many careers, it doesn't make sense to pay to study for years when there are paid apprenticeship or learn-on-the-job programs.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Rockford for those with a high school diploma or equivalent. Jobs are ranked by their annual median salaries as of May 2022. Jobs without available data for annual pay were excluded from this analysis.
Keep reading to see which jobs in your city pay high school graduates the most.
This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.
#50. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $45,900
- Median hourly wage: $22.07
- Total employment: 130 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#49. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $45,970
- Median hourly wage: $22.10
- Total employment: 150 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#48. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $46,450
- Median hourly wage: $22.33
- Total employment: 710 people (5.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#47. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Median annual wage: $46,840
- Median hourly wage: $22.52
- Total employment: 130 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#46. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $47,060
- Median hourly wage: $22.63
- Total employment: 1,860 people (13.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#45. Mechanical door repairers
- Median annual wage: $47,150
- Median hourly wage: $22.67
- Total employment: 70 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#44. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $47,250
- Median hourly wage: $22.72
- Total employment: 150 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#43. Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $47,450
- Median hourly wage: $22.81
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#42. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $48,450
- Median hourly wage: $23.29
- Total employment: 90 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#41. Light truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $48,470
- Median hourly wage: $23.31
- Total employment: 1,530 people (11.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#40. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $48,550
- Median hourly wage: $23.34
- Total employment: 2,940 people (21.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#39. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $49,580
- Median hourly wage: $23.84
- Total employment: 170 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#38. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $50,010
- Median hourly wage: $24.04
- Total employment: 100 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#37. Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $50,180
- Median hourly wage: $24.13
- Total employment: 90 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#36. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $50,870
- Median hourly wage: $24.46
- Total employment: 140 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#35. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $50,950
- Median hourly wage: $24.49
- Total employment: 320 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#34. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $51,170
- Median hourly wage: $24.60
- Total employment: 70 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#33. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $51,490
- Median hourly wage: $24.76
- Total employment: 40 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#32. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $51,570
- Median hourly wage: $24.79
- Total employment: 190 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#31. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $52,200
- Median hourly wage: $25.10
- Total employment: 80 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#30. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $52,720
- Median hourly wage: $25.35
- Total employment: 100 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#29. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $54,790
- Median hourly wage: $26.34
- Total employment: 380 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#28. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $55,260
- Median hourly wage: $26.57
- Total employment: 210 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#27. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $56,650
- Median hourly wage: $27.24
- Total employment: 680 people (4.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#26. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $56,910
- Median hourly wage: $27.36
- Total employment: 250 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#25. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $57,230
- Median hourly wage: $27.51
- Total employment: 280 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#24. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $58,620
- Median hourly wage: $28.18
- Total employment: 520 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#23. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $58,980
- Median hourly wage: $28.36
- Total employment: 160 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#22. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $59,070
- Median hourly wage: $28.40
- Total employment: 210 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#21. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $59,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 990 people (7.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#20. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $62,320
- Median hourly wage: $29.96
- Total employment: 1,200 people (8.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#19. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 70 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#18. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $62,780
- Median hourly wage: $30.18
- Total employment: 130 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#17. Advertising sales agents
- Median annual wage: $63,210
- Median hourly wage: $30.39
- Total employment: 140 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#16. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $63,320
- Median hourly wage: $30.44
- Total employment: 1,380 people (10.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#15. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $63,870
- Median hourly wage: $30.71
- Total employment: 100 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#14. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $64,470
- Median hourly wage: $31.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#13. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $68,010
- Median hourly wage: $32.70
- Total employment: 100 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#12. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $76,880
- Median hourly wage: $36.96
- Total employment: 480 people (3.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#11. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $77,440
- Median hourly wage: $37.23
- Total employment: 450 people (3.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#10. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $78,740
- Median hourly wage: $37.86
- Total employment: 110 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#9. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $78,850
- Median hourly wage: $37.91
- Total employment: 380 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#8. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $79,530
- Median hourly wage: $38.23
- Total employment: 890 people (6.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#7. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $80,120
- Median hourly wage: $38.52
- Total employment: 310 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#6. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $81,330
- Median hourly wage: $39.10
- Total employment: 110 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#5. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $84,480
- Median hourly wage: $40.62
- Total employment: 290 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#4. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $90,050
- Median hourly wage: $43.29
- Total employment: 120 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $100,290
- Median hourly wage: $48.22
- Total employment: 220 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#2. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $101,840
- Median hourly wage: $48.96
- Total employment: 430 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $104,000
- Median hourly wage: $50.00
- Total employment: 110 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
