
Highest paying jobs in Hickory for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Hickory 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 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.
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Hickory in the last week

#50. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $41,490
- #332 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#49. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Annual mean salary: $41,950
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,300
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,750
- Employment: 283,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- California-Lexington Park, MD ($57,040)
--- Lima, OH ($56,660)
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($50,510)
#48. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $42,140
- #356 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#47. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $42,290
- #367 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)

#46. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $42,320
- #296 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Hickory that don't require a college degree

#45. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $42,370
- #253 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,730
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,790
- Employment: 1,357,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,230)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,870)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($56,650)

#44. Printing press operators
- Annual mean salary: $42,510
- #86 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,200
- Employment: 160,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($56,850)
--- Dover-Durham, NH-ME ($51,730)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($50,370)

#43. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $43,180
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#42. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $43,340
- #195 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $43,490
- #495 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)
You may also like: How Hickory feels about climate change
#40. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $43,510
- #398 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#39. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $44,150
- #458 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560
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)
#38. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Annual mean salary: $44,860
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#37. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $45,270
- #419 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
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)

#36. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $45,320
- #202 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,330
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)
You may also like: Cities with the fastest growing home prices in Hickory metro area
#35. Upholsterers
- Annual mean salary: $45,340
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,850
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,870
- Employment: 26,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($61,810)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($54,790)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($51,300)

#34. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $45,590
- #484 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)

#33. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $45,800
- #281 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
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)
#32. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $46,030
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,490
- Employment: 20,440
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($66,390)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($59,690)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($57,930)

#31. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $46,690
- #247 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
You may also like: Zip codes with the most expensive homes in Hickory metro area

#30. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $47,100
- #420 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
#29. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $47,500
- #148 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#28. Opticians, dispensing
- Annual mean salary: $47,850
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#27. Fabric and apparel patternmakers
- Annual mean salary: $47,880
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,880
- Employment: 4,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($84,960)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($83,260)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($74,480)

#26. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $48,900
- #391 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
You may also like: Highest-earning zip codes in Hickory metro area

#25. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $49,070
- #485 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)

#24. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $49,880
- #178 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
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)

#23. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $50,800
- #195 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#22. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $51,280
- #223 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#21. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $52,280
- #334 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
You may also like: Metros where people in Hickory are getting new jobs
#20. Cargo and freight agents
- Annual mean salary: $53,110
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,170
- Employment: 96,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($80,300)
--- Yakima, WA ($68,030)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($64,030)

#19. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $53,230
- #402 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#18. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $54,880
- #319 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,340
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)

#17. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $55,610
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)

#16. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $55,840
- #128 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
You may also like: Closest national parks to Hickory

#14 (tie). Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $57,100
- #261 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#14 (tie). First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $57,100
- #486 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,680
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)
#13. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $57,460
- #241 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#12. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $57,470
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,180
- #453 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620
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)
You may also like: Metros sending the most people to Hickory

#10. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $60,460
- #290 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680
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)

#9. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $61,720
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#8. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $63,510
- #150 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#7. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $65,280
- #277 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $65,450
- #396 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Hickory

#5. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $66,060
- #275 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,580
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)

#4. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $68,970
- #284 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530
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)

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $69,430
- #287 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $92,480
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $97,520
- #186 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
You may also like: People from these metros are finding new jobs in Hickory