
Highest paying jobs in Kalamazoo for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo-Portage, 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. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $45,320
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)

#49. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $45,760
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 970
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)
#48. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $46,040
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,220
- Employment: 52,760
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($60,940)
--- Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($52,510)
--- Bowling Green, KY ($49,980)

#47. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $46,840
- #320 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#46. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,870
- #192 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
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#45. Highway maintenance workers
- Annual mean salary: $47,030
- #136 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,200
- Employment: 149,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($70,690)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($67,370)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($67,340)

#44. Medical appliance technicians
- Annual mean salary: $47,110
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,630
- Employment: 13,710
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Flagstaff, AZ ($59,800)
--- San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX ($58,690)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,910)
#43. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Annual mean salary: $47,220
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#42. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $47,230
- #249 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680
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)

#41. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $47,310
- #276 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)
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#40. Glaziers
- Annual mean salary: $47,420
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#39. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $47,640
- #325 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#38. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $48,510
- #261 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#37. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $48,920
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#36. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $49,900
- #238 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
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#35. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $50,490
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)

#34. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $50,830
- #346 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#33. Community health workers
- Annual mean salary: $52,660
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#32. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,200
- #342 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)

#31. Bailiffs
- Annual mean salary: $53,860
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,730
- Employment: 18,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN ($69,600)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,050)
--- Glens Falls, NY ($66,980)
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#30. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $55,470
- #191 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
#29. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $55,680
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#28. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $55,980
- #287 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750
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)

#27. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $56,650
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#26. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $56,810
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
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#25. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $56,970
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#24. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $57,030
- #245 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
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)

#22 (tie). Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $57,070
- #263 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#22 (tie). Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $57,070
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#21. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $57,160
- #295 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
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#19 (tie). Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Annual mean salary: $57,190
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#19 (tie). Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $57,190
- #265 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)

#18. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $58,910
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#17. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $59,840
- #181 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)
#16. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,090
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,050
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)
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#15. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $62,180
- #366 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,190
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)

#14. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $62,780
- #205 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)

#13. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $62,800
- #379 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,800
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)

#12. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $62,950
- #106 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#11. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $63,460
- #209 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
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)
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#10. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,060
- #52 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)

#9. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $66,950
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800
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. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $67,300
- #234 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $70,150
- #247 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $72,500
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,080
- Employment: 44,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($91,590)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,580)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($80,780)
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#5. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $73,660
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)

#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $73,950
- #332 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $79,790
- #169 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $85,630
- #227 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $86,260
- #325 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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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