
Highest paying jobs in New Orleans for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in New Orleans 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 New Orleans-Metairie, 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. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $51,510
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)

#49. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $51,540
- #188 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#48. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Annual mean salary: $52,050
- #121 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,420
- Employment: 22,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area ($85,480)
--- Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area ($77,330)
--- Longview, WA ($74,500)
#47. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $52,140
- #417 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,910
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)

#46. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $52,270
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,840
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)
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#45. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Annual mean salary: $52,800
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,470
- Employment: 27,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($109,380)
--- Syracuse, NY ($97,670)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($93,740)

#44. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,940
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 580
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)

#43. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $53,090
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
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)

#42. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $53,180
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,910
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. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,260
- #334 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,500
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)
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#40. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $53,670
- #158 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
#39. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $54,070
- #351 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,380
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)

#38. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $54,720
- #255 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,030
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)

#37. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $55,020
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)

#35 (tie). Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $55,230
- #414 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,840
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)
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#35 (tie). Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $55,230
- #186 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 700
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)

#34. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $55,360
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800
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. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $55,560
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,860
- Employment: 122,480
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,680)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($90,370)
--- Salinas, CA ($88,050)
#32. Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $55,810
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,850
- Employment: 47,930
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($92,800)
--- Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area ($83,130)
--- Napa, CA ($68,470)

#31. Pile driver operators
- Annual mean salary: $56,570
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,880
- Employment: 3,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($106,620)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($106,340)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($104,880)
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#30. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $56,700
- #176 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#29. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $57,040
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)

#28. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $58,260
- #227 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,250
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)

#27. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $58,600
- #221 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)

#26. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $58,820
- #233 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,090
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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#25. Boilermakers
- Annual mean salary: $61,490
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,430
- Employment: 14,020
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,660)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($96,080)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($90,620)

#24. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $63,650
- #188 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,880
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)

#23. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $64,990
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,500
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)

#22. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $65,300
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)

#21. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $66,410
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)
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#20. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $66,570
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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)

#19. Chemical plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $66,670
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,070
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,460
- Employment: 29,710
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Lima, OH ($92,450)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($91,210)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($90,170)

#18. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $69,890
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,890
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)

#17. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $70,410
- #160 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,510
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)
#16. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $70,440
- #357 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 950
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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#15. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $70,710
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840
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)

#14. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $72,120
- #176 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,360
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)

#13. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $72,880
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
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)

#12. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $72,900
- #174 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,300
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)

#11. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $75,490
- #307 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 690
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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#10. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $77,890
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,270
- Employment: 31,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area ($122,290)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($121,090)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($111,410)

#9. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $79,610
- #168 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)

#8. Gas plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $81,500
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,290
- Employment: 14,990
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($98,750)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($97,080)

#7. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $81,560
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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)

#6. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $83,110
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,890
- Employment: 32,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($129,650)
--- Wenatchee, WA ($123,180)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($114,660)
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#5. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $83,520
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,050
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)

#4. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $83,920
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $79,660
- Employment: 13,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($97,930)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($96,450)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($94,460)

#3. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $86,970
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,200
- Employment: 24,730
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($130,290)
--- Kansas City, MO-KS ($113,590)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($113,480)
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $97,700
- #182 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $119,460
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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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