
Highest paying jobs in Las Cruces for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Las Cruces 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 Las Cruces, NM 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. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Annual mean salary: $37,200
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,420
- Employment: 22,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area ($85,480)
--- Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area ($77,330)
--- Longview, WA ($74,500)
#49. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $37,230
- #322 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#48. Social and human service assistants
- Annual mean salary: $37,690
- #225 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,230
- Employment: 399,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($56,140)
--- North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area ($55,360)
--- Danbury, CT ($54,870)

#47. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $37,930
- #483 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)

#46. Light truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $38,210
- #354 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
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)
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#45. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $38,460
- #448 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#44. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $39,220
- #287 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
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)
#43. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Annual mean salary: $39,310
- #275 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,490
- Employment: 156,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,520)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($62,040)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($60,730)
#42. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $40,420
- #316 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)

#41. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $40,430
- #254 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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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#40. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Annual mean salary: $40,560
- #197 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#39. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Annual mean salary: $40,850
- #271 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#38. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $40,950
- #416 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590
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)

#37. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $41,420
- #328 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#36. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $41,550
- #387 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
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#35. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $41,700
- #496 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#34. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Annual mean salary: $42,570
- #173 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#33. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $42,790
- #376 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#32. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $42,920
- #414 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#31. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $44,450
- #313 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
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#30. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $44,960
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,930
- Employment: 222,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,350)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($66,650)
--- Utica-Rome, NY ($63,470)

#29. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $45,440
- #348 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)

#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $45,760
- #447 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)

#27. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $45,870
- #260 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#26. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $46,780
- #467 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
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#25. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $47,930
- #285 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $48,170
- #232 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#23. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $49,880
- #363 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)

#22. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $51,250
- #460 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#21. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $51,420
- #190 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,600
- Employment: 53,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($114,400)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,220)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($112,950)
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#20. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $52,050
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#19. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $52,110
- #417 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
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)

#18. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $52,390
- #379 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. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $52,450
- #336 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#16. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,100
- #352 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)
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#15. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $54,100
- #514 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)

#14. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $54,600
- #490 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#13. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $54,980
- #305 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#12. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $55,340
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#11. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $55,680
- #405 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)
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#10. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $56,570
- #321 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#9. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $57,400
- #246 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#8. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $57,780
- #471 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $58,780
- #477 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)

#6. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $61,790
- #485 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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: $66,690
- #321 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $71,140
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#3. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $79,830
- #174 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $110,830
- Employment: 37,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($185,920)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($184,260)
--- Savannah, GA ($177,450)

#2. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $87,510
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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)
#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $98,390
- #116 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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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