
Highest paying jobs in Gulfport for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Gulfport 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 Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS 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: $45,960
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $46,390
- #114 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,870
- Employment: 20,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Evansville, IN-KY ($77,880)
--- Anchorage, AK ($77,690)
--- Oklahoma City, OK ($77,100)

#48. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $46,530
- #140 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)

#47. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $46,750
- #178 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#46. Printing press operators
- Annual mean salary: $46,810
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $47,220
- #212 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#44. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $47,270
- #140 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#43. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $47,420
- #244 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 640
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)

#42. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $47,560
- #295 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#41. Procurement clerks
- Annual mean salary: $48,530
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,400
- Employment: 61,000
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area ($58,310)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,800)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($56,330)
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#40. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers
- Annual mean salary: $48,690
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,160
- Employment: 19,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,710)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($65,990)
--- Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY ($65,510)
#39. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $49,390
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#38. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $50,700
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#37. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $50,850
- #445 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,280
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)

#36. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $51,110
- #475 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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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#35. Meter readers, utilities
- Annual mean salary: $51,400
- #44 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)
#34. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $51,920
- #424 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#33. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $51,970
- #314 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,300
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)

#32. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $52,060
- #383 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#31. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $52,350
- #295 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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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#30. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $52,610
- #404 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)

#29. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $52,660
- #126 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)

#28. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,890
- #210 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#27. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $52,950
- #341 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#26. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $53,520
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
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)
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#25. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $53,620
- #139 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#24. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $53,720
- #159 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $53,900
- #100 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#22. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $54,800
- #368 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)

#21. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $54,990
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,250
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)
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#20. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $56,830
- #447 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)

#19. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $57,010
- #246 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,770
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. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $60,240
- #448 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560
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)

#17. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $61,030
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#16. Boilermakers
- Annual mean salary: $63,870
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,430
- Employment: 14,020
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,660)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($96,080)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($90,620)
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#15. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,910
- #463 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#14. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,600
- #364 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,230
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)

#13. Gas plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $64,970
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,290
- Employment: 14,990
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($98,750)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($97,080)

#12. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $65,730
- #335 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#11. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $66,750
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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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#10. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $67,970
- #255 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#9. Print binding and finishing workers
- Annual mean salary: $68,840
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,430
- Employment: 42,450
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS ($68,840)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($50,000)
--- Spartanburg, SC ($46,850)

#8. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $69,020
- #194 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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: $69,030
- #280 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
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. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $72,590
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 870
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)
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#5. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $74,200
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650
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)

#4. Gambling managers
- Annual mean salary: $77,820
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $85,440
- Employment: 3,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($106,830)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($104,140)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($103,210)

#3. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $81,420
- #84 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $85,480
- #331 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#1. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $99,480
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,630
- Employment: 44,610
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($152,460)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($133,810)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($132,320)