rezoff // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Plant and system operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $61,130
- Median hourly wage: $29.39
- Total employment: 70 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Cincinnati 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 Cincinnati 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.
You may also like: Best public high schools in the Cincinnati metro area
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $61,180
- Median hourly wage: $29.42
- Total employment: 1,030 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $61,600
- Median hourly wage: $29.61
- Total employment: 180 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vadim Ratnikov // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Earth drillers, except oil and gas
- Median annual wage: $61,610
- Median hourly wage: $29.62
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $61,680
- Median hourly wage: $29.66
- Total employment: 2,240 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Coat drives near Cincinnati
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $61,910
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 2,340 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $62,060
- Median hourly wage: $29.84
- Total employment: 5,450 people (4.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $62,140
- Median hourly wage: $29.87
- Total employment: 5,050 people (4.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $62,240
- Median hourly wage: $29.93
- Total employment: 2,970 people (2.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LStockStudio // Shutterstock
10 / 50#40. Brokerage clerks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $62,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.97
- Total employment: 250 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants with outdoor seating in Cincinnati by diners
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $62,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.97
- Total employment: 2,000 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 3,230 people (2.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $62,650
- Median hourly wage: $30.12
- Total employment: 1,490 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Steve Hamann // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners
- Median annual wage: $62,670
- Median hourly wage: $30.13
- Total employment: 230 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
M2020 // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $63,410
- Median hourly wage: $30.49
- Total employment: 570 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated breakfast restaurants in the Cincinnati area by diners
Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $63,430
- Median hourly wage: $30.49
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $63,490
- Median hourly wage: $30.52
- Total employment: 9,920 people (9.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $63,610
- Median hourly wage: $30.58
- Total employment: 490 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $63,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 1,080 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $64,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.98
- Total employment: 450 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated chicken wings in Cincinnati by diners
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Hearing aid specialists
- Median annual wage: $64,490
- Median hourly wage: $31.01
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $65,140
- Median hourly wage: $31.32
- Total employment: 2,660 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $65,430
- Median hourly wage: $31.46
- Total employment: 310 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $66,150
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 1,960 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $66,210
- Median hourly wage: $31.83
- Total employment: 4,410 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Car insurance rates in Cincinnati October 2025
Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Median annual wage: $70,320
- Median hourly wage: $33.81
- Total employment: 260 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $71,390
- Median hourly wage: $34.32
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $72,030
- Median hourly wage: $34.63
- Total employment: 510 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $72,240
- Median hourly wage: $34.73
- Total employment: 160 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photostriker // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other
- Median annual wage: $72,320
- Median hourly wage: $34.77
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Cincinnati
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $72,470
- Median hourly wage: $34.84
- Total employment: 330 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $72,540
- Median hourly wage: $34.88
- Total employment: 5,890 people (5.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Median annual wage: $74,080
- Median hourly wage: $35.62
- Total employment: 240 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $75,980
- Median hourly wage: $36.53
- Total employment: 12,550 people (11.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jat306 // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $76,700
- Median hourly wage: $36.88
- Total employment: 290 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Asian restaurants in Cincinnati by diners
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $77,720
- Median hourly wage: $37.36
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $78,080
- Median hourly wage: $37.54
- Total employment: 100 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $78,260
- Median hourly wage: $37.62
- Total employment: 4,450 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $78,820
- Median hourly wage: $37.89
- Total employment: 3,780 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $80,410
- Median hourly wage: $38.66
- Total employment: 3,990 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: The 30 most popular homes for sale in Cincinnati
Prath // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $81,410
- Median hourly wage: $39.14
- Total employment: 380 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $82,050
- Median hourly wage: $39.45
- Total employment: 1,110 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $84,290
- Median hourly wage: $40.52
- Total employment: 860 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PR Image Factory // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers
- Median annual wage: $84,650
- Median hourly wage: $40.70
- Total employment: Not available
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $93,600
- Median hourly wage: $45.00
- Total employment: 70 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Most common languages spoken at home in Greater Cincinnati and surrounding regions
goodluz // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $99,010
- Median hourly wage: $47.60
- Total employment: 1,760 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $100,990
- Median hourly wage: $48.55
- Total employment: 820 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $102,950
- Median hourly wage: $49.49
- Total employment: 200 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lovely Bird // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $103,960
- Median hourly wage: $49.98
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Washburn HM // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $122,920
- Median hourly wage: $59.10
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 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.
You may also like: How much house does $500,000 buy you in Cincinnati?
