
Highest paying jobs in Jefferson City for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Jefferson City 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 Jefferson City, 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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#50. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $40,810
- #305 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#49. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $40,830
- #427 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
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. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $41,450
- #445 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#47. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $42,120
- #206 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#46. Printing press operators
- Annual mean salary: $42,570
- #85 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $42,630
- #222 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)
#44. Mechanical door repairers
- Annual mean salary: $43,660
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,350
- Employment: 22,680
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($61,630)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($58,550)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($57,020)

#43. Procurement clerks
- Annual mean salary: $43,740
- #137 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#42. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $43,770
- #349 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)
#41. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Annual mean salary: $44,060
- #141 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
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#40. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $44,070
- #210 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)

#39. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $44,270
- #390 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#38. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $44,420
- #451 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#37. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $44,490
- #261 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#36. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $44,670
- #335 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)
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#35. Traffic technicians
- Annual mean salary: $45,390
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,140
- Employment: 7,430
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($85,160)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($77,500)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($76,460)

#34. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $46,370
- #365 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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: $46,920
- #261 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)

#32. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $47,200
- #398 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#31. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $47,710
- #173 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#30. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $48,400
- #465 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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)

#29. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $48,920
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#28. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $50,210
- #381 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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: $50,580
- #377 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $50,810
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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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#25. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $51,050
- #338 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#24. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $51,120
- #437 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840
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)

#23. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $51,720
- #152 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)

#22. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $52,750
- #333 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#21. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $53,250
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#20. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $53,650
- #393 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)

#19. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,810
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#17 (tie). Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $56,620
- #315 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#17 (tie). Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $56,620
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#16. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $60,080
- #182 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $60,480
- #288 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)

#14. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $60,510
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#13. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $61,870
- #175 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)

#12. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $62,040
- #316 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#11. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $62,090
- #398 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)
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#10. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $63,280
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)

#9. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,650
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#8. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $66,050
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,220
- #175 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
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: $68,420
- #298 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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: $70,900
- #267 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)

#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $72,050
- #368 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#3. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $73,110
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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 police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $85,180
- #234 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $89,690
- #293 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)
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