Highest paying jobs in Lewiston, Maine 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 Lewiston-Auburn, ME 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.
#50. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Annual mean salary: $42,080
- #220 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,780
- Employment: 204,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($59,060)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($58,140)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,710)
#49. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Annual mean salary: $42,130
- #196 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,490
- Employment: 156,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,520)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($62,040)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($60,730)
#48. Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping
- Annual mean salary: $42,240
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,080
- Employment: 57,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,360)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($54,750)
--- West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($52,920)
#47. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $42,350
- #285 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#46. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $42,620
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,990
- Employment: 138,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,570)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,900)
--- New Haven, CT ($63,790)
#45. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $42,850
- #403 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#44. Light truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $42,970
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,050
- Employment: 929,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($51,860)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($51,560)
--- Waterbury, CT ($50,100)
#43. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $43,460
- #182 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#42. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Annual mean salary: $44,190
- #116 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)
#41. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $44,260
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,220
- Employment: 370,910
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Battle Creek, MI ($60,150)
--- Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area ($54,930)
--- Albany, GA ($53,570)
#40. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $44,490
- #242 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)
#39. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $45,350
- #128 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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)
#38. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $45,630
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#37. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $45,920
- #257 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#36. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,300
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,070
- Employment: 240,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,830)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($59,120)
--- Portsmouth, NH-ME ($58,380)
#35. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $47,230
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,960
- Employment: 116,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area ($69,070)
--- South Illinois nonmetropolitan area ($61,970)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($60,690)
#34. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $47,260
- #364 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Annual mean salary: $47,310
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#32. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $47,490
- #243 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
#31. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $47,650
- #324 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#30. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $49,260
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#28 (tie). Cargo and freight agents
- Annual mean salary: $49,620
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,170
- Employment: 96,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($80,300)
--- Yakima, WA ($68,030)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($64,030)
#28 (tie). First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $49,620
- #236 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#27. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $50,320
- #269 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#26. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $50,540
- #364 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)
#25. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $52,230
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,140
- Employment: 137,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Midland, MI ($60,190)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($58,940)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($58,790)
#24. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $52,630
- #414 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#23. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $52,850
- #123 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,170
- Employment: 29,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,300)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,930)
--- South Illinois nonmetropolitan area ($101,630)
#22. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $52,920
- #287 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#21. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $53,590
- #244 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#20. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $53,760
- #52 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)
#19. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $53,960
- #121 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,420
- Employment: 59,940
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($95,980)
--- Decatur, IL ($92,670)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($89,340)
#18. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $54,530
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#17. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $55,260
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#16. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $56,380
- #275 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#15. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,970
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)
#14. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $57,090
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#13. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $57,420
- #243 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#12. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $58,870
- #219 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
#11. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,620
- #411 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
#10. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $60,810
- #170 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#9. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $62,210
- #246 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
#8. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,080
- #357 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
#7. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $65,320
- #392 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#6. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $66,690
- #255 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)
#5. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $68,070
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $69,480
- #286 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#3. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $74,710
- #84 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $75,780
- #305 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $91,980
- #261 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)