
Highest paying jobs in Monroe for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Monroe 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 Monroe, 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. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $36,550
- #471 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $36,640
- #515 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 810
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)
#48. Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Annual mean salary: $36,710
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,990
- Employment: 69,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Charleston-North Charleston, SC ($54,200)
--- Spartanburg, SC ($51,910)
--- Albany, OR ($50,620)
#47. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $36,780
- #320 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,800
- Employment: 93,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($97,380)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,790)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($76,950)

#46. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $36,860
- #458 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750
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)
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#45. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $37,300
- #370 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#44. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $38,840
- #430 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#43. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $38,940
- #439 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#42. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $39,340
- #405 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#41. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $40,410
- #224 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
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#40. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $40,490
- #424 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Annual mean salary: $40,950
- #188 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#38. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $41,120
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#37. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $41,480
- #440 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#36. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $41,700
- #424 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
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#35. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $43,060
- #412 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#34. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $43,630
- #465 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#33. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $43,730
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#32. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $44,000
- #491 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)

#31. Logging equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $44,130
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,570
- Employment: 25,560
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($64,000)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($62,910)
--- Longview, WA ($62,780)
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#30. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $44,350
- #169 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#29. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $44,610
- #347 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#28. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $44,650
- #497 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)
#27. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $45,490
- #192 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,770
- Employment: 53,370
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($84,710)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($77,840)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($76,960)

#26. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $45,800
- #397 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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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#25. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $45,870
- #136 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#24. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $46,410
- #233 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#23. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $48,100
- #358 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#22. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $48,110
- #174 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
#21. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $48,880
- #495 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 960
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)
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#20. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $49,700
- #491 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#19. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $50,350
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $50,770
- #381 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $51,860
- #220 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#16. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $52,020
- #312 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
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#15. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $52,730
- #411 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#14. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $53,050
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,170
- #174 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#12. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $54,320
- #304 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#11. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $55,500
- #456 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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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#10. Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $55,970
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#9. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $56,240
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#8. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $57,740
- #137 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#7. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $57,860
- #213 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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)

#6. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,880
- #428 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)
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#5. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,770
- #426 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)

#4. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $62,640
- #471 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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)

#3. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $63,250
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#2. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $63,420
- #359 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720
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)

#1. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $70,150
- #392 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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