Highest-paying jobs in New Orleans for high school graduates

For decades, common wisdom held that earning a bachelor's degree would guarantee a high-paying career. Higher education does still seem to be an advantage: A college graduate's average annual salary of $60,000 in 2024 is roughly $20,000 more than that of a high school graduate, and those with bachelor's degrees can typically expect to earn between $630,000 and $900,000 more over the course of a lifetime. However, recent shifts in higher education and the job market have people wondering—with good reason—whether or not a bachelor's degree will really pay off.

According to a 2024 study from the Pew Research Center, 29% of Americans believe obtaining a college degree isn't worthwhile, a trend reflected in shrinking attendance at universities across the nation. Meanwhile, annual college costs have skyrocketed to an average of $38,270 per student in 2025, often necessitating student loans with steep interest rates.

With these factors in mind, it's natural for recent high school graduates to consider vocational opportunities outside of college. Those who do may be pleasantly surprised—many companies have stopped requiring bachelor's degrees for entry-, mid-, and even senior-level positions. And while college graduates' average earnings may be higher, a 2024 report from Launchpad Jobs found that around 1 in 5 nondegree holders out-earn the $70,000 median wages of someone with a bachelor's degree.

Of course, salaries for high school grads vary widely based on job, industry, and location. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in New Orleans for high school graduates. The analysis included jobs that listed a high school diploma or had no formal education requirement. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.

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1 / 50

#50. Photographers

- Median annual wage: $57,800
- Median hourly wage: $27.79
- Total employment: 150 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nikita M production // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $58,000
- Median hourly wage: $27.89
- Total employment: 80 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

3 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,150
- Median hourly wage: $27.96
- Total employment: 140 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 1,190 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $58,430
- Median hourly wage: $28.09
- Total employment: 680 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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adriaticfoto // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Miscellaneous construction and related workers

- Median annual wage: $59,430
- Median hourly wage: $28.57
- Total employment: 570 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

7 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,880
- Median hourly wage: $28.79
- Total employment: 4,730 people (10.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 280 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $60,180
- Median hourly wage: $28.94
- Total employment: 790 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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10 / 50

#41. Media and communication workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $60,420
- Median hourly wage: $29.05
- Total employment: 520 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,480
- Median hourly wage: $29.08
- Total employment: 1,460 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $60,560
- Median hourly wage: $29.11
- Total employment: Not available

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13 / 50

#38. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 1,470 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

socrates471 // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Media and communication equipment workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $60,690
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 100 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $60,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 2,150 people (4.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $61,080
- Median hourly wage: $29.37
- Total employment: 280 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $61,090
- Median hourly wage: $29.37
- Total employment: 230 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,370
- Median hourly wage: $29.51
- Total employment: 200 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $61,560
- Median hourly wage: $29.60
- Total employment: 670 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

#31. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $62,300
- Median hourly wage: $29.95
- Total employment: 320 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $63,080
- Median hourly wage: $30.33
- Total employment: 1,160 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $63,130
- Median hourly wage: $30.35
- Total employment: 360 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $63,320
- Median hourly wage: $30.44
- Total employment: 1,900 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $64,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.93
- Total employment: 1,530 people (3.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,780
- Median hourly wage: $31.14
- Total employment: 4,400 people (9.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $65,570
- Median hourly wage: $31.53
- Total employment: 160 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,900
- Median hourly wage: $31.68
- Total employment: 440 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,400
- Median hourly wage: $31.92
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $67,740
- Median hourly wage: $32.57
- Total employment: 320 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $67,970
- Median hourly wage: $32.68
- Total employment: 150 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $68,180
- Median hourly wage: $32.78
- Total employment: 490 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Denys Yelmanov // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Bridge and lock tenders

- Median annual wage: $68,430
- Median hourly wage: $32.90
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $68,970
- Median hourly wage: $33.16
- Total employment: 110 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $69,190
- Median hourly wage: $33.26
- Total employment: 410 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Tank car, truck, and ship loaders

- Median annual wage: $71,230
- Median hourly wage: $34.25
- Total employment: 460 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $71,770
- Median hourly wage: $34.50
- Total employment: 70 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $74,810
- Median hourly wage: $35.97
- Total employment: 940 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,070
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 2,430 people (5.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

prochasson frederic // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Boilermakers

- Median annual wage: $75,370
- Median hourly wage: $36.24
- Total employment: 120 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,620
- Median hourly wage: $36.36
- Total employment: 2,140 people (4.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,010
- Median hourly wage: $36.54
- Total employment: 1,980 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $76,710
- Median hourly wage: $36.88
- Total employment: 240 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $77,530
- Median hourly wage: $37.27
- Total employment: 100 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $78,930
- Median hourly wage: $37.95
- Total employment: 1,210 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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45 / 50

#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $81,650
- Median hourly wage: $39.25
- Total employment: 760 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $96,200
- Median hourly wage: $46.25
- Total employment: 30 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $99,800
- Median hourly wage: $47.98
- Total employment: 180 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Chemical plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $99,810
- Median hourly wage: $47.99
- Total employment: 770 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $102,630
- Median hourly wage: $49.34
- Total employment: 470 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)