Highest paying jobs in Dayton 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 Dayton, 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.
#50. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $48,920
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,400
- Employment: 44,560
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,510)
--- Nevada nonmetropolitan area ($81,690)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($78,180)
#49. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Annual mean salary: $49,950
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,950
- Employment: 54,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($81,390)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($80,460)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($73,070)
#48. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $50,340
- #212 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620
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)
#47. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $51,220
- #93 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#46. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $51,530
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,440
- Employment: 105,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Huntsville, AL ($55,830)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,260)
--- Wausau, WI ($55,060)
#45. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $51,700
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 980
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)
#44. Highway maintenance workers
- Annual mean salary: $51,720
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,200
- Employment: 149,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($70,690)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($67,370)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($67,340)
#42 (tie). Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $51,800
- #227 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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 (tie). Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $51,800
- #193 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)
#41. Bailiffs
- Annual mean salary: $52,240
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#40. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $52,320
- #347 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,350
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)
#39. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $52,330
- #150 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#38. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $52,520
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#37. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $52,530
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,800
- Employment: 93,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($97,380)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,790)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($76,950)
#36. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $53,010
- #270 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#35. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $53,030
- #200 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#34. Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks
- Annual mean salary: $53,280
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,580
- Employment: 24,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($56,580)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($56,370)
--- Madison, WI ($54,930)
#33. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners
- Annual mean salary: $54,680
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,930
- Employment: 29,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($72,260)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($65,320)
--- Joplin, MO ($65,210)
#32. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,990
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
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)
#31. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $55,890
- #291 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 870
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)
#30. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,330
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
#29. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $56,440
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $58,300
- #221 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650
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)
#27. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $58,480
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
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)
#26. Brokerage clerks
- Annual mean salary: $58,540
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#25. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,490
- #187 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,800
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)
#23 (tie). Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $59,750
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#23 (tie). Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $59,750
- #185 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040
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)
#22. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,270
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#21. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $60,380
- #204 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)
#20. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $60,810
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#18 (tie). Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $61,500
- #76 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)
#18 (tie). Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $61,500
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#17. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $61,740
- #170 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)
#16. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $64,630
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,970
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)
#15. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,390
- #244 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,030
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)
#14. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $67,620
- #226 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 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)
#13. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $68,780
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
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)
#12. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $69,040
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#11. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,280
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 950
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)
#10. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $69,770
- #100 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#9. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $71,330
- #262 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
#8. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $71,670
- #209 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040
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)
#7. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $73,070
- #99 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,620
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)
#6. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $78,470
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#5. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $80,830
- #171 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $85,290
- #154 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660
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. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $89,730
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $95,710
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $98,830
- #167 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)