Highest Paying Jobs in Lafayette for High School Graduates

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

Highest paying jobs in Lafayette 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 Lafayette, LA 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.

1 / 50

Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

#50. Carpenters

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $42,590
- #360 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620

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)

2 / 50

PHILIPIMAGE // Shutterstock

#49. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $42,710
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

3 / 50

Unsplash

#48. Tax preparers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $42,940
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $52,710
- Employment: 62,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($81,880)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($79,470)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($73,170)

4 / 50

Canva

#47. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $43,190
- #390 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840

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)

5 / 50

Canva

#46. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $43,380
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750

National
- Annual mean salary: $51,830
- Employment: 10,580
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($75,030)
--- Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($69,840)
--- West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($68,890)

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6 / 50

Pxhere

#45. Maintenance workers, machinery

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $43,990
- #264 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240

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)

7 / 50

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

#44. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $44,360
- #385 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

8 / 50

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

#43. Security and fire alarm systems installers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $44,470
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $52,150
- Employment: 68,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Eugene, OR ($70,940)
--- Salem, OR ($68,640)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($68,520)

9 / 50

U.S. Customs and Border Protection // Wikimedia Commons

#42. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $44,670
- #208 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510

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)

10 / 50

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#41. Private detectives and investigators

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $44,860
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

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Canva

#40. Automotive body and related repairers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $45,420
- #312 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

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)

12 / 50

Brian S. Hagberg // Wikimedia Commons

#39. Self-enrichment teachers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $46,140
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

National
- Annual mean salary: $47,930
- Employment: 222,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,350)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($66,650)
--- Utica-Rome, NY ($63,470)

13 / 50

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#38. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $46,360
- #485 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,300

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)

14 / 50

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#37. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $47,000
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,110

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)

15 / 50

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

#36. Chefs and head cooks

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $47,470
- #308 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

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)

16 / 50

goodluz // Shutterstock

#35. Real estate sales agents

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $48,220
- #274 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

17 / 50

London Metropolitan Archives/Heritage Images // Getty Images

#34. Machinists

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $49,340
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,130

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)

18 / 50

Pixabay

#33. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $49,640
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,430

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)

19 / 50

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#32. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $49,700
- #358 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530

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)

20 / 50

Kot500 // Shutterstock

#31. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $50,310
- #215 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180

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)

21 / 50

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#30. Advertising sales agents

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $50,400
- #204 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

22 / 50

Canva

#29. Glaziers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $50,600
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

23 / 50

welcomia // Shutterstock

#28. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $50,840
- #342 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470

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)

24 / 50

Unsplash

#27. Crane and tower operators

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $51,660
- #165 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

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)

25 / 50

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

#26. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $51,990
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

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26 / 50

Dispossessed1974 // Wikimedia Commons

#25. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $52,280
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310

National
- Annual mean salary: $39,800
- Employment: 134,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Mankato-North Mankato, MN ($54,510)
--- Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC ($52,470)
--- Lafayette, LA ($52,280)

27 / 50

Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#24. Electricians

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $52,370
- #345 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,110

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)

28 / 50

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

#23. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $52,600
- #395 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,280

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)

29 / 50

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

#22. Food service managers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $53,000
- #405 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180

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)

30 / 50

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

#21. Property, real estate, and community association managers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $53,660
- #320 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300

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)

31 / 50

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

#20. Postal service mail carriers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $54,100
- #179 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480

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)

32 / 50

Prath // Shutterstock

#19. Detectives and criminal investigators

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $54,190
- #326 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)

33 / 50

rlat // Shutterstock

#18. Postal service clerks

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $55,530
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

34 / 50

Canva

#17. Construction and building inspectors

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $56,660
- #275 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

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)

35 / 50

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

#16. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $56,890
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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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36 / 50

SritanaN // Shutterstock

#15. Industrial machinery mechanics

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $57,140
- #242 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 710

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)

37 / 50

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

#14. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $57,530
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

38 / 50

Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

#13. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $57,840
- #361 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660

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)

39 / 50

Canva

#12. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $59,840
- #432 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310

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)

40 / 50

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#11. Insurance sales agents

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $60,640
- #242 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450

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)

41 / 50

4 PM production // Shutterstock

#10. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $64,570
- #423 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 910

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)

42 / 50

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

#9. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $64,990
- #315 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,690

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)

43 / 50

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

#8. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $65,870
- #226 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800

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)

44 / 50

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#7. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $66,250
- #329 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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)

45 / 50

sculpies // Shutterstock

#6. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $70,790
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040

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)

46 / 50

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

#5. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $71,140
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

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)

47 / 50

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#4. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $72,670
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

48 / 50

Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $86,360
- #322 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)

49 / 50

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

#2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $92,720
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

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)

50 / 50

Skycolors // Shutterstock

#1. Commercial pilots

Lafayette, LA
- Annual mean salary: $94,900
- #125 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

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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