
Highest paying jobs in Columbia, Missouri for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Columbia, Missouri 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 Columbia, MO 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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#49 (tie). New accounts clerks
- Annual mean salary: $40,850
- #86 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,870
- Employment: 45,250
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,930)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($54,190)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($53,440)
#49 (tie). First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $40,850
- #297 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)
#48. Home appliance repairers
- Annual mean salary: $40,920
- #84 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,810
- Employment: 27,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($61,210)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($58,670)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($57,420)

#47. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $41,060
- #456 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#46. Procurement clerks
- Annual mean salary: $41,860
- #199 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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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#45. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Annual mean salary: $42,270
- #191 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#44. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $42,590
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#43. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $43,310
- #240 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#42. Medical appliance technicians
- Annual mean salary: $43,410
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#41. Bill and account collectors
- Annual mean salary: $44,020
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,630
- Employment: 222,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($58,700)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($58,610)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,940)
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#40. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $44,110
- #137 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $44,200
- #253 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
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)
#38. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Annual mean salary: $44,350
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#37. Light truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $45,270
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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)
#35 (tie). Loan interviewers and clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,500
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840
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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#35 (tie). Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,500
- #211 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#34. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $48,120
- #308 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#33. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $48,550
- #197 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#32. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $48,810
- #250 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#31. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $49,020
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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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#30. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $49,900
- #124 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#29. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $49,940
- #185 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
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. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $50,280
- #215 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#27. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $50,500
- #386 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#26. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $51,440
- #340 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
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#25. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $51,840
- #344 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#24. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $52,300
- #410 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)

#23. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $52,390
- #434 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#22. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $52,660
- #458 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
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)

#21. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $52,710
- #177 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
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#20. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $52,740
- #277 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#19. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $52,890
- #198 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#18. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,390
- #275 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
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. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $56,930
- #264 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)

#16. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $56,940
- #220 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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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#15. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,960
- #124 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#14. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $60,260
- #154 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#13. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,860
- #404 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)

#12. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $62,000
- #481 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)

#11. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $62,180
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
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#10. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $62,710
- #382 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440
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. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $63,260
- #199 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)

#8. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $63,330
- #100 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#7. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $64,690
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#6. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $68,220
- #211 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
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#5. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,660
- #222 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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 police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $71,180
- #351 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $73,820
- #231 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,460
- #286 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $92,220
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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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