
Highest paying jobs in Mankato for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Mankato 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 Mankato-North Mankato, MN 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. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $43,360
- #193 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,500
- Employment: 141,260
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,770)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,250)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($59,160)

#49. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $44,140
- #256 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440
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. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $44,610
- #312 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)
#47. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $44,930
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,960
- Employment: 116,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area ($69,070)
--- South Illinois nonmetropolitan area ($61,970)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($60,690)

#46. Printing press operators
- Annual mean salary: $45,170
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,200
- Employment: 160,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($56,850)
--- Dover-Durham, NH-ME ($51,730)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($50,370)
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#45. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $45,720
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
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)

#44. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $46,160
- #149 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,860
- Employment: 188,450
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($64,510)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($64,140)
--- Decatur, IL ($60,740)

#43. Light truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $46,190
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)
#42. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $46,390
- #116 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#41. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Annual mean salary: $48,110
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
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#40. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $48,190
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#39. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $48,210
- #284 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#38. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $48,240
- #206 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#37. Social and human service assistants
- Annual mean salary: $49,120
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
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)

#36. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $49,430
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
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#35. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $50,370
- #117 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#34. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $50,930
- #199 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#33. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $51,200
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#32. Highway maintenance workers
- Annual mean salary: $51,320
- #76 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)
#31. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Annual mean salary: $51,680
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
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#30. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $51,780
- #179 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#29. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $52,350
- #143 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)

#28. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,690
- #136 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#27. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,940
- #210 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#26. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $53,970
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
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#25. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $54,280
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#24. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Annual mean salary: $54,510
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,800
- Employment: 134,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Mankato-North Mankato, MN ($54,510)
--- Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC ($52,470)
--- Lafayette, LA ($52,280)

#23. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $56,180
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#22. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $56,340
- #112 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. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $56,920
- #271 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
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#20. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $57,630
- #222 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#19. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $58,390
- #216 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#18. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $58,890
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,800
- Employment: 93,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($97,380)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,790)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($76,950)

#17. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $60,270
- #202 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#16. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $60,400
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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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#15. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $60,970
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#14. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $61,420
- #320 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#13. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,920
- #117 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)

#12. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $62,920
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#11. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $63,290
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
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#10. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $63,720
- #352 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530
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. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $64,000
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#8. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,640
- #275 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)

#7. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $65,220
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#6. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $68,150
- #81 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)
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#5. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $68,710
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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 mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $72,960
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#3. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $73,150
- #152 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $78,390
- #253 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)

#1. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $81,170
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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