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1 / 50#50. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $54,690
- Median hourly wage: $26.29
- Total employment: 50 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Glens Falls 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 Glens Falls 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.
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2 / 50#49. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $54,760
- Median hourly wage: $26.33
- Total employment: 80 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $54,880
- Median hourly wage: $26.39
- Total employment: 200 people (4.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $56,070
- Median hourly wage: $26.96
- Total employment: 460 people (9.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $56,180
- Median hourly wage: $27.01
- Total employment: 40 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 140 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $57,710
- Median hourly wage: $27.75
- Total employment: 60 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $58,260
- Median hourly wage: $28.01
- Total employment: 160 people (3.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 150 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $58,860
- Median hourly wage: $28.30
- Total employment: 40 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $59,130
- Median hourly wage: $28.43
- Total employment: 30 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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12 / 50#39. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $59,450
- Median hourly wage: $28.58
- Total employment: 50 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $59,620
- Median hourly wage: $28.67
- Total employment: 80 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $59,760
- Median hourly wage: $28.73
- Total employment: 150 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $59,820
- Median hourly wage: $28.76
- Total employment: 110 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $59,890
- Median hourly wage: $28.79
- Total employment: 350 people (7.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $59,930
- Median hourly wage: $28.81
- Total employment: 110 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $60,140
- Median hourly wage: $28.91
- Total employment: 60 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 70 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $60,770
- Median hourly wage: $29.22
- Total employment: 40 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.47
- Total employment: 100 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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22 / 50#29. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $61,470
- Median hourly wage: $29.55
- Total employment: 40 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $61,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.61
- Total employment: 240 people (4.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $62,560
- Median hourly wage: $30.08
- Total employment: 50 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#25. Chefs and head cooks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $62,750
- Median hourly wage: $30.17
- Total employment: 80 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Food service managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $62,750
- Median hourly wage: $30.17
- Total employment: 70 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $63,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.43
- Total employment: 40 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $63,810
- Median hourly wage: $30.68
- Total employment: 90 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Median annual wage: $63,900
- Median hourly wage: $30.72
- Total employment: 50 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $64,110
- Median hourly wage: $30.82
- Total employment: 380 people (7.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $64,170
- Median hourly wage: $30.85
- Total employment: 170 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $64,230
- Median hourly wage: $30.88
- Total employment: 420 people (8.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $66,360
- Median hourly wage: $31.91
- Total employment: 110 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $66,610
- Median hourly wage: $32.03
- Total employment: 830 people (16.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $69,930
- Median hourly wage: $33.62
- Total employment: 230 people (4.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $70,090
- Median hourly wage: $33.70
- Total employment: 200 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $71,920
- Median hourly wage: $34.58
- Total employment: 190 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $73,650
- Median hourly wage: $35.41
- Total employment: 240 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $76,080
- Median hourly wage: $36.58
- Total employment: 220 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ITisha // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Bailiffs
- Median annual wage: $77,000
- Median hourly wage: $37.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $77,460
- Median hourly wage: $37.24
- Total employment: 290 people (5.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $79,490
- Median hourly wage: $38.22
- Total employment: 40 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $79,680
- Median hourly wage: $38.31
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $81,220
- Median hourly wage: $39.05
- Total employment: 90 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $82,930
- Median hourly wage: $39.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $85,590
- Median hourly wage: $41.15
- Total employment: 90 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $94,120
- Median hourly wage: $45.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $96,610
- Median hourly wage: $46.45
- Total employment: 60 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $100,120
- Median hourly wage: $48.14
- Total employment: 50 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $121,740
- Median hourly wage: $58.53
- Total employment: 50 people (1.05 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.
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