Highest paying jobs in Portland, 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 Portland-South Portland, 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. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $51,430
- #253 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)
#48 (tie). Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $51,540
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#48 (tie). Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $51,540
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
#47. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $51,570
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#46. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $52,950
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#45. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $53,560
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#44. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $53,600
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
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)
#43. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $53,940
- #177 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
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)
#42. Tax preparers
- Annual mean salary: $54,000
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)
#41. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,290
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
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)
#40. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $54,450
- #142 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#39. Community health workers
- Annual mean salary: $55,310
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,000
- Employment: 58,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,110)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($65,530)
--- Bend-Redmond, OR ($61,820)
#38. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $55,500
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#37. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $55,760
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#36. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $55,950
- #236 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
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)
#35. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $56,030
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#34. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers
- Annual mean salary: $56,680
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)
#33. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $56,780
- #263 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)
#32. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,840
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
#31. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $56,910
- #264 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 970
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)
#30. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $57,290
- #263 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)
#29. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $57,360
- #121 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)
#28. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $57,730
- #235 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660
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. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $57,820
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,870
- Employment: 20,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Evansville, IN-KY ($77,880)
--- Anchorage, AK ($77,690)
--- Oklahoma City, OK ($77,100)
#26. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $57,880
- #135 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)
#25. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $57,990
- #170 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#24. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $58,980
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)
#23. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $59,270
- #227 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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)
#22. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $60,730
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#21. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,990
- #148 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,470
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)
#20. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Annual mean salary: $61,070
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,950
- Employment: 54,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($81,390)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($80,460)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($73,070)
#19. Cargo and freight agents
- Annual mean salary: $62,360
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#18. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $63,430
- #213 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,200
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)
#17. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $64,690
- #284 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,160
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)
#16. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $64,740
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,480
- #339 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 690
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)
#14. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,610
- #234 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 700
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)
#13. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $66,430
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
#12. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $66,740
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#11. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $66,910
- #344 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 740
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)
#10. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $71,390
- #134 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,620
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)
#9. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $73,530
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 950
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)
#8. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $79,030
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#7. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $81,420
- #154 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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 police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $89,910
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#5. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $95,040
- #57 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)
#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $102,110
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#3. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $108,220
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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 inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $112,260
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,320
- Employment: 27,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($112,260)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($111,930)
--- Anchorage, AK ($108,140)
#1. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $129,860
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750
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)