Highest paying jobs in Springfield, Massachusetts for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Springfield, Massachusetts 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 Springfield, MA-CT 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. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,710
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#49. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $55,640
- #86 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,240
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,340
- Employment: 405,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($96,580)
--- Salinas, CA ($89,100)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($86,260)
#48. Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Annual mean salary: $56,030
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,920
- Employment: 15,760
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- South Georgia nonmetropolitan area ($61,690)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($58,630)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($58,100)
#47. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $56,510
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#46. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $56,860
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
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)
#45. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $57,030
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 760
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)
#44. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $57,160
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)
#43. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $57,240
- #125 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#42. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $57,790
- #216 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 730
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)
#41. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $57,890
- #148 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#40. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $57,930
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,300
- Employment: 149,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($70,030)
--- Waco, TX ($63,080)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($57,930)
#39. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $58,750
- #207 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,600
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)
#38. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $59,090
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#37. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Annual mean salary: $59,420
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,500
- Employment: 40,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($87,740)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($86,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($83,090)
#36. Opticians, dispensing
- Annual mean salary: $59,750
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,380
- Employment: 68,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,300)
--- New Haven, CT ($69,460)
--- Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area ($66,670)
#35. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $60,810
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,280
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)
#34. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $61,660
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)
#33. Glaziers
- Annual mean salary: $61,760
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,970
- Employment: 52,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($78,840)
--- Salem, OR ($78,000)
--- Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area ($76,680)
#32. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $63,560
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
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)
#31. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,700
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,560
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)
#30. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $66,160
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#29. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $67,450
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 780
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)
#28. Meter readers, utilities
- Annual mean salary: $67,510
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,160
- Employment: 26,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($74,040)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($69,530)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($67,510)
#27. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $69,040
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,110
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)
#26. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $70,280
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)
#25. Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $70,330
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,050
- Employment: 18,650
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($70,330)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($62,120)
--- Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR ($57,460)
#24. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $72,120
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
#23. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $72,410
- #84 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)
#22. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $72,790
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,500
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)
#21. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $74,000
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,400
- Employment: 44,560
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,510)
--- Nevada nonmetropolitan area ($81,690)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($78,180)
#20. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $74,500
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,180
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)
#19. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $74,680
- #85 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)
#18. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $75,050
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#17. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $75,520
- #28 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)
#16. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $77,180
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,450
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)
#15. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $77,680
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#14. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $77,880
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#13. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $78,960
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 850
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)
#12. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $79,240
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#11. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $79,770
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720
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)
#10. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $80,010
- #221 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
#9. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $81,460
- #69 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)
#8. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $83,870
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,270
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)
#7. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $86,810
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,140
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)
#6. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $89,120
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#5. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $93,070
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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 inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $93,810
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $94,100
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $96,530
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $104,670
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)