
Highest paying jobs in Bay City for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Bay City 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 Bay City, MI 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.
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#50. Tellers
- Annual mean salary: $32,550
- #304 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,960
- Employment: 423,570
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,040)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($43,490)
--- Napa, CA ($42,000)
#49. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Annual mean salary: $32,620
- #268 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,960
- Employment: 155,020
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portsmouth, NH-ME ($51,870)
--- Cedar Rapids, IA ($51,490)
--- South Illinois nonmetropolitan area ($51,430)
#48. Social and human service assistants
- Annual mean salary: $33,760
- #372 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,230
- Employment: 399,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($56,140)
--- North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area ($55,360)
--- Danbury, CT ($54,870)

#47. Light truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $34,520
- #470 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#46. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $34,880
- #333 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,000
- Employment: 597,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,010)
--- Napa, CA ($52,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,300)
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#45. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Annual mean salary: $35,230
- #306 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,880
- Employment: 891,540
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($52,950)
--- Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($52,620)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,140)
#44. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Annual mean salary: $35,440
- #287 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,650
- Employment: 179,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($49,970)
--- Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH ($49,680)
--- La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN ($49,470)
#43. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $36,100
- #488 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#42. Customer service representatives
- Annual mean salary: $36,160
- #260 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,510
- Employment: 2,833,250
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($52,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($50,510)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($47,490)

#41. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Annual mean salary: $37,060
- #253 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,210
- Employment: 727,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($51,470)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($48,440)
--- Anchorage, AK ($47,150)
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#40. Office clerks, general
- Annual mean salary: $38,000
- #194 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,770
- Employment: 2,788,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($49,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($49,740)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($48,850)
#39. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Annual mean salary: $38,020
- #355 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#38. Billing and posting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $38,130
- #309 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,610
- Employment: 445,160
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,850)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($55,130)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($54,960)
#37. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Annual mean salary: $38,570
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,750
- Employment: 283,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- California-Lexington Park, MD ($57,040)
--- Lima, OH ($56,660)
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($50,510)

#36. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $40,100
- #337 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)
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#35. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $40,120
- #382 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#34. Bill and account collectors
- Annual mean salary: $40,430
- #137 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,630
- Employment: 222,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($58,700)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($58,610)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,940)

#33. New accounts clerks
- Annual mean salary: $41,180
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,870
- Employment: 45,250
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,930)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($54,190)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($53,440)

#32. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Annual mean salary: $41,560
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,650
- Employment: 248,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($69,160)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($68,140)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($64,980)
#31. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive
- Annual mean salary: $42,360
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,420
- Employment: 1,850,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,720)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,730)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($54,450)
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#30. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Annual mean salary: $43,130
- #176 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#29. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $44,260
- #457 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#28. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $45,220
- #304 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#27. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $46,320
- #369 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#26. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $46,470
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)
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#25. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,490
- #212 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,290
- Employment: 133,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,600)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,240)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($60,930)

#24. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $47,880
- #231 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#23. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $50,880
- #407 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#22. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $51,070
- #206 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#21. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $51,880
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
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#20. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $52,310
- #65 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)

#19. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $52,640
- #170 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#18. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $53,330
- #374 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#17. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $53,650
- #61 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)

#16. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,070
- #186 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
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#15. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $56,410
- #279 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#14. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $59,280
- #226 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#13. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $59,410
- #156 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#12. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,650
- #183 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#11. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $60,500
- #444 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)
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#10. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $61,220
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#9. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $62,780
- #170 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#8. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $63,870
- #150 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#7. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $64,450
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#6. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,740
- #330 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
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#5. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $69,220
- #84 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 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)

#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $79,350
- #233 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#3. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $80,770
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#2. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $81,140
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $89,570
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
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