
Highest paying jobs in Hattiesburg for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Hattiesburg 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 Hattiesburg, 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. Helpers--electricians
- Annual mean salary: $33,890
- #121 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,440
- Employment: 73,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($53,560)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($50,530)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($48,690)

#49. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $33,960
- #358 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#48. Hazardous materials removal workers
- Annual mean salary: $34,210
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,170
- Employment: 44,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($76,120)
--- Amarillo, TX ($73,270)
--- Knoxville, TN ($70,000)

#47. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $34,310
- #488 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#46. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $34,460
- #484 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
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#45. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Annual mean salary: $34,800
- #396 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
#44. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $35,300
- #361 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#43. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $35,450
- #495 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 710
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)

#42. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Annual mean salary: $35,840
- #309 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#41. Opticians, dispensing
- Annual mean salary: $37,070
- #245 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
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#40. Light truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $37,540
- #384 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
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)

#39. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $37,950
- #444 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#38. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $38,290
- #494 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#37. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $38,410
- #488 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#36. Logging equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $38,930
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,570
- Employment: 25,560
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($64,000)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($62,910)
--- Longview, WA ($62,780)
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#35. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $39,000
- #479 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 850
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)
#34. Community health workers
- Annual mean salary: $39,010
- #241 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#33. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $39,780
- #476 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)

#32. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $40,320
- #478 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#31. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $40,360
- #449 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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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#30. Procurement clerks
- Annual mean salary: $40,890
- #227 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#29. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $41,510
- #508 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#28. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Annual mean salary: $41,900
- #231 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#27. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $42,290
- #426 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)
#26. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $42,920
- #240 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
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#25. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $43,150
- #417 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $43,770
- #519 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
#23. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Annual mean salary: $44,280
- #137 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,070
- Employment: 240,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,830)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($59,120)
--- Portsmouth, NH-ME ($58,380)

#22. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $45,750
- #478 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#21. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $45,810
- #396 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
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#20. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,530
- #390 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#19. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $46,650
- #437 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#18. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $46,930
- #513 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620
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)

#17. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $49,180
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#16. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $49,200
- #457 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
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#15. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $50,340
- #455 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#14. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $52,420
- #431 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#13. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $52,900
- #400 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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 construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $55,210
- #514 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)
#11. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $55,370
- #458 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
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#10. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $56,630
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#9. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $57,040
- #494 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)

#8. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $58,350
- #227 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,500
- #437 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#6. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $66,360
- #362 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)
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#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $68,690
- #292 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#4. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $68,920
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $78,990
- #397 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $79,580
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $86,750
- #57 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)
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