
Highest paying jobs in Wilmington for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Wilmington 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 Wilmington, 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.
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#50. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $42,720
- #314 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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. Fiberglass laminators and fabricators
- Annual mean salary: $42,770
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,280
- Employment: 18,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Elkhart-Goshen, IN ($54,520)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($54,330)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($52,260)

#48. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Annual mean salary: $43,550
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
#47. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $43,650
- #391 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $43,660
- #294 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
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#45. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $43,690
- #356 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#44. Opticians, dispensing
- Annual mean salary: $43,920
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#43. Cargo and freight agents
- Annual mean salary: $43,940
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#42. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $44,390
- #383 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#41. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $45,130
- #492 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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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#40. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $45,430
- #294 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#39. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $45,790
- #417 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $45,910
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)

#37. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $45,990
- #254 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#36. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $46,560
- #158 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,410
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)
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#35. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $46,690
- #426 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)
#34. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,850
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#33. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $47,740
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#32. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $47,840
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $49,230
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
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#30. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $49,330
- #252 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#29. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $50,070
- #223 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#28. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $50,330
- #243 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#27. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Annual mean salary: $50,400
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#26. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $51,530
- #321 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
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#25. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $52,960
- #367 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)

#24. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $53,170
- #189 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#23. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $53,460
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)
#22. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $54,550
- #331 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,240
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)

#21. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $56,810
- #261 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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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#20. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $57,360
- #249 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $57,870
- #298 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)

#18. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $58,140
- #269 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#17. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $58,620
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#16. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $58,710
- #100 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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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#15. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $59,090
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#14. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,770
- #381 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,380
- #385 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,280
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)

#12. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $65,110
- #311 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,140
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)

#11. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $65,640
- #379 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590
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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#10. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $67,800
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#9. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $67,900
- #106 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840
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)

#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $68,340
- #296 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#7. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $68,820
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $69,400
- #187 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
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#5. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $76,820
- #190 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $83,380
- #247 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)

#3. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $95,500
- #21 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)

#2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $98,080
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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: $106,570
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
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