
Highest paying jobs in Charlotte for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Charlotte 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 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. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $52,320
- #204 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,090
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)

#49. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $52,980
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,960
- Employment: 65,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area ($77,890)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($77,690)
--- Savannah, GA ($76,260)

#48. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $53,300
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,270
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)
#47. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $53,510
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,960
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)

#46. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $53,600
- #148 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
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)
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#45. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,540
- #120 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,780
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)

#44. Rail car repairers
- Annual mean salary: $54,670
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,250
- Employment: 22,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($86,690)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($76,530)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($74,740)

#43. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $54,920
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,010
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)

#42. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $55,210
- #189 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,510
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)

#41. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $55,900
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 860
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)
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#40. Hearing aid specialists
- Annual mean salary: $56,090
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,630
- Employment: 7,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($75,130)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($73,180)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($72,300)

#39. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $56,300
- #179 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,400
- Employment: 50,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($98,380)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($94,070)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($92,800)

#38. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $56,360
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)

#37. Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $57,820
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,000
- Employment: 15,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Charleston-North Charleston, SC ($73,990)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($61,150)
--- Duluth, MN-WI ($58,790)

#36. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $57,950
- #210 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,350
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)
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#35. Pourers and casters, metal
- Annual mean salary: $58,040
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,440
- Employment: 7,200
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC ($58,040)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($55,770)
--- North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) ($51,720)

#34. Brokerage clerks
- Annual mean salary: $58,090
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,460
- Employment: 44,720
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,310)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,330)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,970)
#33. Flight attendants
- Annual mean salary: $58,180
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,150
- Employment: 116,260
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kansas City, MO-KS ($94,320)
--- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($72,130)
--- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL ($67,620)

#32. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $58,360
- #264 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,290
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)

#31. Choreographers
- Annual mean salary: $59,460
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,000
- Employment: 3,580
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($94,910)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($79,760)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($63,250)
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#30. Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $60,020
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,430
- Employment: 17,590
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($76,120)
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($75,470)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($68,110)

#29. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $61,150
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,080
- Employment: 44,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($91,590)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,580)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($80,780)
#28. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,580
- #125 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 11,880
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)

#27. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $62,510
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,640
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. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $62,640
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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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#25. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $64,840
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,870
- Employment: 20,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Evansville, IN-KY ($77,880)
--- Anchorage, AK ($77,690)
--- Oklahoma City, OK ($77,100)

#24. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,510
- #238 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,520
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)

#23. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,640
- #332 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 8,610
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)

#22. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $67,460
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,630
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)

#21. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $67,570
- #137 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,660
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)
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#20. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $67,960
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,950
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)

#19. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $71,470
- #261 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770
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)

#18. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $71,790
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,280
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)

#17. Gas plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $73,380
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,290
- Employment: 14,990
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($98,750)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($97,080)

#16. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $74,920
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,550
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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#15. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $75,380
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,020
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)

#14. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $75,750
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#13. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $76,180
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 13,950
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)

#12. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $77,290
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,100
- Employment: 32,200
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Jackson, MI ($93,360)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($91,080)
--- Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($87,760)

#11. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $77,490
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,320
- Employment: 27,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($112,260)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($111,930)
--- Anchorage, AK ($108,140)
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#10. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $78,160
- #182 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
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)

#9. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $78,860
- #99 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,890
- Employment: 32,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($129,650)
--- Wenatchee, WA ($123,180)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($114,660)

#8. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $86,490
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $79,660
- Employment: 13,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($97,930)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($96,450)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($94,460)

#7. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $90,920
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,570
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)
#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $92,540
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840
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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#5. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $107,700
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,630
- Employment: 44,610
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($152,460)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($133,810)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($132,320)

#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $108,160
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,300
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. Nuclear power reactor operators
- Annual mean salary: $110,750
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $104,470
- Employment: 5,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area ($121,770)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($111,440)
--- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC ($110,750)
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $112,630
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,180
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)

#1. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $112,640
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
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