Highest paying jobs in Kansas City for high school graduates
A high school diploma gives graduates a leg up in the workforce, even if they don't pursue any further education.
The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that workers over age of 25 with a high school diploma or equivalent earned about 25% more than those without one—$853 a week compared to $682. Diploma holders also faced lower unemployment rates, at 4% in 2022, compared to 5.5% for those who never completed high school.
There are many reasons high-school graduates may choose to not continue on to college—for instance, the cost. Average tuition costs continue to rise, increasing by 1% to 4% last year, depending on the institution type. While higher degrees of education typically pave the way for higher earnings, a college degree isn't necessary for many high-paying jobs. And for many careers, it doesn't make sense to pay to study for years when there are paid apprenticeship or learn-on-the-job programs.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Kansas City for those with a high school diploma or equivalent. Jobs are ranked by their annual median salaries as of May 2022. Jobs without available data for annual pay were excluded from this analysis.
Keep reading to see which jobs in your city pay high school graduates the most.
This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.
#50. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $55,180
- Median hourly wage: $26.53
- Total employment: 370 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#49. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $55,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.57
- Total employment: 550 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#48. Meter readers, utilities
- Median annual wage: $55,940
- Median hourly wage: $26.89
- Total employment: 250 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#47. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $56,190
- Median hourly wage: $27.02
- Total employment: 4,590 people (4.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#46. Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters
- Median annual wage: $56,790
- Median hourly wage: $27.30
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#45. Bailiffs
- Median annual wage: $57,100
- Median hourly wage: $27.45
- Total employment: 140 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#44. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $57,430
- Median hourly wage: $27.61
- Total employment: 2,220 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#43. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $58,290
- Median hourly wage: $28.02
- Total employment: 5,210 people (4.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#42. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Median annual wage: $58,810
- Median hourly wage: $28.27
- Total employment: 140 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#41. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $59,490
- Median hourly wage: $28.60
- Total employment: 5,060 people (4.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#40. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $59,760
- Median hourly wage: $28.73
- Total employment: 750 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#39. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $60,060
- Median hourly wage: $28.88
- Total employment: 1,630 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#38. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $60,180
- Median hourly wage: $28.93
- Total employment: 3,220 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#37. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Median annual wage: $60,340
- Median hourly wage: $29.01
- Total employment: 300 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#36. Glaziers
- Median annual wage: $60,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.02
- Total employment: 230 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#35. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $60,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 4,650 people (4.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#34. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $61,090
- Median hourly wage: $29.37
- Total employment: 330 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#33. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $61,300
- Median hourly wage: $29.47
- Total employment: 10,290 people (9.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#32. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $61,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.49
- Total employment: 1,330 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#31. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $61,550
- Median hourly wage: $29.59
- Total employment: 3,510 people (3.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#30. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 5,250 people (4.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#29. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $63,010
- Median hourly wage: $30.30
- Total employment: 860 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#28. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $63,240
- Median hourly wage: $30.41
- Total employment: 4,710 people (4.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#27. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $63,750
- Median hourly wage: $30.65
- Total employment: 9,860 people (9.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#26. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,010
- Median hourly wage: $30.77
- Total employment: 170 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#25. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $64,030
- Median hourly wage: $30.78
- Total employment: 290 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#24. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $64,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.06
- Total employment: 4,400 people (4.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#23. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $64,790
- Median hourly wage: $31.15
- Total employment: 590 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#22. Media and communication workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $65,310
- Median hourly wage: $31.40
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#21. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $65,760
- Median hourly wage: $31.62
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#20. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $66,180
- Median hourly wage: $31.82
- Total employment: 350 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#19. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $68,030
- Median hourly wage: $32.71
- Total employment: 3,740 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#18. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $69,370
- Median hourly wage: $33.35
- Total employment: 10,870 people (10.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#17. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $70,660
- Median hourly wage: $33.97
- Total employment: 1,020 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#16. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $73,270
- Median hourly wage: $35.23
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#15. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $74,300
- Median hourly wage: $35.72
- Total employment: 2,770 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#14. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $75,560
- Median hourly wage: $36.33
- Total employment: 80 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#13. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $75,690
- Median hourly wage: $36.39
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#12. Gambling managers
- Median annual wage: $76,710
- Median hourly wage: $36.88
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#11. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $77,170
- Median hourly wage: $37.10
- Total employment: 4,420 people (4.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#10. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $80,550
- Median hourly wage: $38.73
- Total employment: 1,230 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#9. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $80,750
- Median hourly wage: $38.82
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#8. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $81,240
- Median hourly wage: $39.06
- Total employment: 1,110 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#7. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $81,530
- Median hourly wage: $39.20
- Total employment: 70 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#6. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $83,560
- Median hourly wage: $40.17
- Total employment: 720 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $94,840
- Median hourly wage: $45.60
- Total employment: 1,000 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $95,980
- Median hourly wage: $46.14
- Total employment: 1,140 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#3. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $101,800
- Median hourly wage: $48.94
- Total employment: 80 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#2. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $106,120
- Median hourly wage: $51.02
- Total employment: 280 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#1. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $110,640
- Median hourly wage: $53.19
- Total employment: 140 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
