
Highest paying jobs in Kingston for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Kingston 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 Kingston, NY 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. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $44,800
- #156 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,150
- Employment: 68,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Eugene, OR ($70,940)
--- Salem, OR ($68,640)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($68,520)

#49. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Annual mean salary: $44,820
- #99 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,750
- Employment: 69,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($59,130)
--- Anchorage, AK ($57,900)
--- Longview, WA ($57,410)
#48. Social and human service assistants
- Annual mean salary: $45,040
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $46,010
- #124 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)
#46. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,350
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
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#45. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $47,050
- #134 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,800
- Employment: 93,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($97,380)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,790)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($76,950)

#44. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $47,130
- #231 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#43. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Annual mean salary: $47,350
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#42. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $47,430
- #116 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#41. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $48,260
- #325 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
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#40. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Annual mean salary: $48,550
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,650
- Employment: 248,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($69,160)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($68,140)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($64,980)

#39. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $49,040
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
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. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $49,170
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#37. Highway maintenance workers
- Annual mean salary: $49,410
- #100 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,200
- Employment: 149,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($70,690)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($67,370)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($67,340)

#36. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $50,520
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
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#35. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $51,010
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#34. Tree trimmers and pruners
- Annual mean salary: $51,550
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,040
- Employment: 52,040
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($66,120)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,000)
--- Anchorage, AK ($64,280)

#33. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $52,360
- #24 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)
#32. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,380
- #59 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)

#31. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $52,940
- #134 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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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#30. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $53,050
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#29. Opticians, dispensing
- Annual mean salary: $54,150
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,380
- Employment: 68,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,300)
--- New Haven, CT ($69,460)
--- Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area ($66,670)
#28. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $54,350
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#27. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,610
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#26. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,900
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
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#25. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $54,950
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#24. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,380
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#23. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $57,310
- #256 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#22. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $57,750
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#21. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $59,280
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#20. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $61,280
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#19. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $62,400
- #168 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#18. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $62,700
- #97 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#17. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,320
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
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)

#16. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $64,830
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,170
- Employment: 29,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,300)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,930)
--- South Illinois nonmetropolitan area ($101,630)
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#15. Bailiffs
- Annual mean salary: $65,290
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,730
- Employment: 18,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN ($69,600)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,050)
--- Glens Falls, NY ($66,980)

#14. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $66,090
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#13. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $67,070
- #123 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)

#12. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $67,440
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#11. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $67,810
- #84 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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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#10. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $68,340
- #143 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#9. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $71,030
- #139 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)

#8. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $71,210
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,270
- Employment: 31,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area ($122,290)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($121,090)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($111,410)
#7. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $71,720
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#6. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $75,540
- #123 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
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#5. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $78,730
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)

#4. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $81,840
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $85,560
- #150 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)

#2. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $89,350
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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: $96,920
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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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