Highest-paying jobs in Jackson for high school graduates

For decades, common wisdom held that earning a bachelor's degree would guarantee a high-paying career. Higher education does still seem to be an advantage: A college graduate's average annual salary of $60,000 in 2024 is roughly $20,000 more than that of a high school graduate, and those with bachelor's degrees can typically expect to earn between $630,000 and $900,000 more over the course of a lifetime. However, recent shifts in higher education and the job market have people wondering—with good reason—whether or not a bachelor's degree will really pay off.

According to a 2024 study from the Pew Research Center, 29% of Americans believe obtaining a college degree isn't worthwhile, a trend reflected in shrinking attendance at universities across the nation. Meanwhile, annual college costs have skyrocketed to an average of $38,270 per student in 2025, often necessitating student loans with steep interest rates.

With these factors in mind, it's natural for recent high school graduates to consider vocational opportunities outside of college. Those who do may be pleasantly surprised—many companies have stopped requiring bachelor's degrees for entry-, mid-, and even senior-level positions. And while college graduates' average earnings may be higher, a 2024 report from Launchpad Jobs found that around 1 in 5 nondegree holders out-earn the $70,000 median wages of someone with a bachelor's degree.

Of course, salaries for high school grads vary widely based on job, industry, and location. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Jackson for high school graduates. The analysis included jobs that listed a high school diploma or had no formal education requirement. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.

welcomia // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $50,460
- Median hourly wage: $24.26
- Total employment: 120 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $50,490
- Median hourly wage: $24.27
- Total employment: 190 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $50,630
- Median hourly wage: $24.34
- Total employment: 230 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Self-enrichment teachers

- Median annual wage: $50,960
- Median hourly wage: $24.50
- Total employment: 260 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

flywish // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

- Median annual wage: $51,090
- Median hourly wage: $24.56
- Total employment: 60 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Jackson

mahc // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Tile and stone setters

- Median annual wage: $51,190
- Median hourly wage: $24.61
- Total employment: 40 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $51,280
- Median hourly wage: $24.65
- Total employment: 910 people (3.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Property, real estate, and community association managers

- Median annual wage: $51,460
- Median hourly wage: $24.74
- Total employment: 480 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $51,680
- Median hourly wage: $24.85
- Total employment: 70 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $51,790
- Median hourly wage: $24.90
- Total employment: 150 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: The most expensive neighborhoods in Jackson

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 180 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $52,390
- Median hourly wage: $25.19
- Total employment: 60 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $52,460
- Median hourly wage: $25.22
- Total employment: 440 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $53,330
- Median hourly wage: $25.64
- Total employment: 520 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $53,400
- Median hourly wage: $25.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $53,510
- Median hourly wage: $25.73
- Total employment: Not available

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $54,450
- Median hourly wage: $26.18
- Total employment: 480 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $54,890
- Median hourly wage: $26.39
- Total employment: 300 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $55,050
- Median hourly wage: $26.47
- Total employment: 70 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $55,540
- Median hourly wage: $26.70
- Total employment: 730 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Best public high schools in the Jackson metro area

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $55,630
- Median hourly wage: $26.75
- Total employment: 280 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators

- Median annual wage: $55,980
- Median hourly wage: $26.91
- Total employment: 4,810 people (17.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,120
- Median hourly wage: $26.98
- Total employment: 830 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $56,660
- Median hourly wage: $27.24
- Total employment: 560 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

- Median annual wage: $57,590
- Median hourly wage: $27.69
- Total employment: 60 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Where people in Jackson are looking to buy homes

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $57,990
- Median hourly wage: $27.88
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Said M // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Service unit operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $58,370
- Median hourly wage: $28.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

- Median annual wage: $58,730
- Median hourly wage: $28.24
- Total employment: 3,250 people (12.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Cargo and freight agents

- Median annual wage: $58,970
- Median hourly wage: $28.35
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vadim Ratnikov // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Earth drillers, except oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $59,130
- Median hourly wage: $28.43
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

- Median annual wage: $59,290
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 1,830 people (6.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 90 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#17. First-line supervisors of police and detectives (tie)

- Median annual wage: $59,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 410 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines (tie)

- Median annual wage: $59,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 380 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $60,500
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 1,090 people (4.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Car insurance rates in Jackson October 2025

rlat // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 150 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $61,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.50
- Total employment: 210 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $63,080
- Median hourly wage: $30.33
- Total employment: 150 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $63,730
- Median hourly wage: $30.64
- Total employment: 90 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

- Median annual wage: $65,400
- Median hourly wage: $31.44
- Total employment: 1,610 people (6.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $65,930
- Median hourly wage: $31.70
- Total employment: 860 people (3.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $66,020
- Median hourly wage: $31.74
- Total employment: 670 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

- Median annual wage: $66,140
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 520 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

- Median annual wage: $68,020
- Median hourly wage: $32.70
- Total employment: 1,790 people (6.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $68,460
- Median hourly wage: $32.91
- Total employment: 90 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: The 30 most popular homes for sale in Jackson

4 PM production // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

- Median annual wage: $68,850
- Median hourly wage: $33.10
- Total employment: 1,610 people (5.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $72,750
- Median hourly wage: $34.98
- Total employment: 40 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $74,840
- Median hourly wage: $35.98
- Total employment: 310 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $76,800
- Median hourly wage: $36.92
- Total employment: 670 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $93,660
- Median hourly wage: $45.03
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.

You may also like: How much house $1 million buys you in Jackson