Highest paying jobs in Bowling Green for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Bowling Green 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 Bowling Green, KY 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.
You may also like: Highest-earning zip codes in Bowling Green metro area

#50. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $38,680
- #443 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#49. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $39,390
- #310 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#48. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $39,690
- #488 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#47. Adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $39,790
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,640
- Employment: 12,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tulsa, OK ($54,190)
--- Dayton, OH ($46,860)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($46,480)

#46. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $39,960
- #452 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 780
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,300
- Employment: 1,063,110
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($57,830)
--- Boulder, CO ($56,520)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,930)
You may also like: Metros sending the most people to Bowling Green

#45. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Annual mean salary: $40,030
- #190 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,650
- Employment: 248,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($69,160)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($68,140)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($64,980)
#44. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Annual mean salary: $40,960
- #267 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,780
- Employment: 204,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($59,060)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($58,140)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,710)

#43. Light truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $41,000
- #216 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 670
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,050
- Employment: 929,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($51,860)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($51,560)
--- Waterbury, CT ($50,100)

#42. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $41,450
- #229 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#41. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $41,580
- #383 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
You may also like: Metros where people in Bowling Green are getting new jobs

#40. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $41,760
- #269 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 730
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,790
- Employment: 1,357,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,230)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,870)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($56,650)

#39. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $41,770
- #446 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#38. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $42,360
- #194 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $42,850
- #281 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,860
- Employment: 188,450
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($64,510)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($64,140)
--- Decatur, IL ($60,740)

#36. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $43,110
- #418 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
You may also like: Cities with the fastest growing home prices in Bowling Green metro area

#35. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $43,960
- #274 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#34. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $44,440
- #344 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#33. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $44,640
- #308 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)

#32. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $45,120
- #420 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#31. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $45,620
- #235 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,290
- Employment: 133,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,600)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,240)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($60,930)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Bowling Green in the last week

#30. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $46,900
- #248 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#29. Cargo and freight agents
- Annual mean salary: $47,530
- #75 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)

#28. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $47,560
- #351 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#27. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $47,890
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#26. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $49,310
- #413 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
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)
You may also like: Highest paying jobs in Bowling Green that require a graduate degree

#25. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Annual mean salary: $49,690
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#24. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $49,980
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#23. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $50,030
- #420 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#22. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $50,860
- #114 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#21. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $51,460
- #434 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
You may also like: Zip codes with the most expensive homes in Bowling Green metro area

#20. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $51,850
- #317 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#19. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $52,050
- #304 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)

#18. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,480
- #243 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#17. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $52,690
- #233 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)

#16. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,270
- #164 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Bowling Green

#15. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $54,590
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#14. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $54,600
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $55,510
- #303 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 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)

#12. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $55,650
- #300 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)

#11. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $55,750
- #403 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in Bowling Green metro area

#10. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $56,090
- #331 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#9. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,930
- #491 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720
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. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $60,600
- #334 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#7. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $62,060
- #400 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
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)

#6. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $65,530
- #386 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
You may also like: People from these metros are finding new jobs in Bowling Green
#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $66,000
- #390 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#4. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,020
- #294 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,230
- #430 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $72,880
- #420 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $74,350
- #224 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
You may also like: Where people in Bowling Green are moving to most