Highest paying jobs in Worcester for high school graduates

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July 20, 2022
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Highest paying jobs in Worcester 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 Worcester, 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. Postal service clerks

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $54,860
- #78 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)

#49. Glaziers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $54,950
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#48. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $55,710
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $43,930
- Employment: 29,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($72,260)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($65,320)
--- Joplin, MO ($65,210)

#47. Locksmiths and safe repairers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $55,720
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $46,240
- Employment: 16,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Reno, NV ($66,780)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($60,200)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,970)

#46. Self-enrichment teachers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $55,790
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680

National
- Annual mean salary: $47,930
- Employment: 222,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,350)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($66,650)
--- Utica-Rome, NY ($63,470)

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

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $56,090
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320

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)

#44. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $56,700
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#43. Surveying and mapping technicians

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $56,790
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#42. Industrial machinery mechanics

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $57,730
- #218 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400

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. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $58,000
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650

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)

#40. Opticians, dispensing

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $58,230
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#39. Chemical plant and system operators

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $58,660
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#38. Crane and tower operators

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $58,860
- #97 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)

#37. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $59,200
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620

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)

#36. Cargo and freight agents

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $59,810
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#35. Chefs and head cooks

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $59,930
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260

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)

#34. Carpenters

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $60,840
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,360

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)

#33. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $60,910
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

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)

#32. Security and fire alarm systems installers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $62,200
- #15 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)

#31. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $62,560
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

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)

#30. Correctional officers and jailers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $62,710
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#29. Food service managers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $65,110
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330

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)

#28. Advertising sales agents

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $65,230
- #38 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)

#27. Power plant operators

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $65,740
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#26. Construction and building inspectors

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $65,760
- #116 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

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)

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

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $67,590
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,120

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)

#24. Sheet metal workers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $69,270
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270

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)

#23. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $69,300
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,020

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)

#22. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $69,840
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 730

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)

#21. Brickmasons and blockmasons

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $70,390
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

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

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $71,530
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,360

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)

#19. Electricians

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $71,640
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,350

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)

#18. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $72,760
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

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)

#17. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $76,080
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750

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. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $77,000
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,310

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)

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

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $78,520
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 920

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)

#14. Detectives and criminal investigators

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $78,730
- #177 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#13. Postmasters and mail superintendents

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $79,320
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#12. Property, real estate, and community association managers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $79,390
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180

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)

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

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $79,750
- #225 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270

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)

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

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $81,190
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,200

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. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $82,660
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 980

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)

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

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $85,110
- #14 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)

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

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $86,380
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 930

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. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $92,890
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#5. Real estate sales agents

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $93,400
- #3 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)

#4. Insurance sales agents

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $94,390
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660

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)

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $94,900
- #141 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

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)

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $101,800
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

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. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Worcester, MA-CT
- Annual mean salary: $112,010
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260

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)

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