
Highest paying jobs in Oklahoma City for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Oklahoma City 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 Oklahoma City, OK 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. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $49,440
- #249 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,260
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)

#49. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $49,560
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,970
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)

#48. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $49,730
- #216 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)

#47. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $49,880
- #199 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#46. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Annual mean salary: $51,070
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
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#45. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $51,440
- #236 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)

#44. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $51,510
- #323 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,290
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)

#43. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $51,810
- #173 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,440
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)

#42. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $51,970
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
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)

#41. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,010
- #276 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
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#40. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $52,480
- #289 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770
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)
#39. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers
- Annual mean salary: $52,670
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,830
- Employment: 10,580
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($75,030)
--- Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($69,840)
--- West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($68,890)

#38. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $52,910
- #110 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 790
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. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $52,920
- #179 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)

#36. Wellhead pumpers
- Annual mean salary: $53,970
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,500
- Employment: 12,050
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($77,750)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($75,610)
--- Midland, TX ($74,690)
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#35. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $54,340
- #375 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,110
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)

#33 (tie). Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $54,650
- #339 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,160
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)
#33 (tie). Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Annual mean salary: $54,650
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560
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)

#32. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $54,700
- #151 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,420
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)

#31. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $55,260
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,350
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)
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#30. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $55,300
- #285 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,920
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)

#29. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $55,620
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)
#28. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,900
- #260 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,480
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)

#27. Brokerage clerks
- Annual mean salary: $57,020
- #31 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)

#26. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $57,610
- #249 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
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)
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#25. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $58,220
- #472 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,480
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)

#24. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $58,550
- #288 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,890
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)

#23. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $58,600
- #341 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,630
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. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $61,580
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)

#21. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $62,770
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
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#20. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $63,910
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
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)

#19. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Annual mean salary: $64,420
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $76,810
- Employment: 5,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($104,810)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($101,650)
--- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($101,610)

#18. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $65,500
- #339 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650
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)

#17. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,530
- #206 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,310
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)

#16. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,910
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#15. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $68,270
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,290
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)

#14. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $69,790
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,580
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)

#13. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $70,360
- #209 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,950
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)

#12. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $72,840
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,220
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)

#11. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $72,860
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,450
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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#10. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $73,200
- #214 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560
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)

#9. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $74,480
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
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)

#8. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $77,100
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $78,110
- #256 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,410
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)

#6. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $83,580
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#5. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $91,680
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#4. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $91,990
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $93,730
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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: $95,220
- #215 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
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: $104,290
- #83 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)
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