
Highest paying jobs in Lafayette for high school graduates
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.
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#50. Carpenters
- 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)
#49. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians
- 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)

#48. Tax preparers
- 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)

#47. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- 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)
#46. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers
- 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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#45. Maintenance workers, machinery
- 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)

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

#43. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- 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)

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

#41. Private detectives and investigators
- 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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#40. Automotive body and related repairers
- 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)

#39. Self-enrichment teachers
- 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)
#38. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- 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)

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

#36. Chefs and head cooks
- 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)
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#35. Real estate sales agents
- 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)

#34. Machinists
- 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)

#33. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- 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)

#32. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- 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)

#31. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- 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)
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#30. Advertising sales agents
- 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)
#29. Glaziers
- 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)

#28. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- 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)

#27. Crane and tower operators
- 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)

#26. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- 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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#25. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- 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)

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

#22. Food service managers
- 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)

#21. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- 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)
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#20. Postal service mail carriers
- 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)

#19. Detectives and criminal investigators
- 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)

#18. Postal service clerks
- 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)

#17. Construction and building inspectors
- 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)

#16. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- 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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#15. Industrial machinery mechanics
- 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)

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

#13. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- 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)
#12. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- 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)

#11. Insurance sales agents
- 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)
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#10. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- 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)

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

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

#7. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- 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)

#6. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- 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)
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#5. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- 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)

#4. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- 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)
#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- 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)

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

#1. Commercial pilots
- 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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