
Highest paying jobs in Columbus for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Columbus 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 Columbus, OH 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: Highest-rated Chinese restaurants in Columbus, according to Tripadvisor
#50. Glaziers
- Annual mean salary: $53,500
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,970
- Employment: 52,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($78,840)
--- Salem, OR ($78,000)
--- Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area ($76,680)

#49. Bailiffs
- Annual mean salary: $53,550
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)
#48. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
- Annual mean salary: $53,800
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,710
- Employment: 110,020
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tulsa, OK ($58,060)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($55,720)
--- Columbus, OH ($53,800)

#47. Brokerage clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,010
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
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)

#46. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $54,620
- #90 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)
You may also like: Highest-rated things to do in Columbus, according to Tripadvisor

#45. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,740
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,910
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. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $56,780
- #253 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,110
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)

#43. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $56,920
- #251 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,880
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)

#42. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $57,090
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660
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. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $57,580
- #117 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Columbus

#40. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $57,620
- #104 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
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)

#39. Traffic technicians
- Annual mean salary: $58,320
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,140
- Employment: 7,430
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($85,160)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($77,500)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($76,460)

#38. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $59,370
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)

#37. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,070
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,650
- Employment: 71,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($95,020)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($88,250)
--- Western Washington nonmetropolitan area ($84,570)

#36. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $60,400
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,690
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)
You may also like: Closest national parks to Columbus

#35. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $61,200
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,420
- Employment: 59,940
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($95,980)
--- Decatur, IL ($92,670)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($89,340)

#34. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Annual mean salary: $61,590
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,470
- Employment: 27,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($109,380)
--- Syracuse, NY ($97,670)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($93,740)

#33. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $62,350
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#32. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $62,600
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,450
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)
#31. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $62,920
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 10,490
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)
You may also like: Highest-rated cheap eats in Columbus, according to Tripadvisor

#30. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $62,960
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,410
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. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $63,560
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650
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)

#28. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $64,680
- #285 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,110
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)

#27. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $65,140
- #93 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#26. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,150
- #259 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,790
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)
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in Columbus metro area

#25. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $65,240
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#24. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $65,300
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840
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)

#23. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $65,830
- #148 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,300
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)
#22. Flight attendants
- Annual mean salary: $66,080
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)

#21. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,160
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,420
- Employment: 22,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area ($85,480)
--- Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area ($77,330)
--- Longview, WA ($74,500)
You may also like: Most common jobs in Columbus
#20. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $66,920
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,290
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. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $67,650
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)

#18. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $70,110
- #97 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#17. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $71,670
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,110
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)

#16. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $73,080
- #164 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,530
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)
You may also like: Highest and lowest paying health care jobs in Columbus

#15. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $73,230
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,460
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)

#14. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $73,370
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 10,370
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)

#13. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $75,470
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,990
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)
#12. Gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigators
- Annual mean salary: $75,880
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,910
- Employment: 8,340
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Columbus, OH ($75,880)
--- Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN ($56,500)
--- Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area ($50,370)

#11. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $76,590
- #205 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 920
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)
You may also like: Lowest-paying jobs in Columbus

#10. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $76,840
- #60 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)

#9. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $79,060
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#8. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $79,290
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,610
- Employment: 40,480
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($105,090)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($101,900)
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($97,860)

#7. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $83,120
- #142 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)

#6. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $84,090
- #42 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)
You may also like: Highest-rated Asian restaurants in Columbus, according to Tripadvisor

#5. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $87,860
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $88,710
- #105 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,690
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. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $96,850
- #128 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 960
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)
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $102,290
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,620
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: $137,300
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,180
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)
You may also like: Highest-rated pizza restaurants in Columbus