Highest paying jobs in Portland, Oregon for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Portland, Oregon for high school graduates
A high school diploma gives graduates a leg up in the workforce, even if they don't pursue any further education.
The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that workers over age of 25 with a high school diploma or equivalent earned about 25% more than those without one—$853 a week compared to $682. Diploma holders also faced lower unemployment rates, at 4% in 2022, compared to 5.5% for those who never completed high school.
There are many reasons high-school graduates may choose to not continue on to college—for instance, the cost. Average tuition costs continue to rise, increasing by 1% to 4% last year, depending on the institution type. While higher degrees of education typically pave the way for higher earnings, a college degree isn't necessary for many high-paying jobs. And for many careers, it doesn't make sense to pay to study for years when there are paid apprenticeship or learn-on-the-job programs.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Portland, Oregon for those with a high school diploma or equivalent. Jobs are ranked by their annual median salaries as of May 2022. Jobs without available data for annual pay were excluded from this analysis.
Keep reading to see which jobs in your city pay high school graduates the most.
This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.
#50. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $63,830
- Median hourly wage: $30.69
- Total employment: 9,090 people (7.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#49. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,650
- Median hourly wage: $31.08
- Total employment: 110 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#48. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $64,750
- Median hourly wage: $31.13
- Total employment: 710 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#47. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $65,420
- Median hourly wage: $31.45
- Total employment: 420 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#46. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $65,580
- Median hourly wage: $31.53
- Total employment: 1,280 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#45. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $65,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.54
- Total employment: 3,110 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#44. Hearing aid specialists
- Median annual wage: $66,320
- Median hourly wage: $31.88
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#43. Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $66,890
- Median hourly wage: $32.16
- Total employment: 140 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#42. Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $67,330
- Median hourly wage: $32.37
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#41. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Median annual wage: $67,520
- Median hourly wage: $32.46
- Total employment: 400 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#40. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $67,570
- Median hourly wage: $32.49
- Total employment: 270 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#39. Advertising sales agents
- Median annual wage: $67,620
- Median hourly wage: $32.51
- Total employment: 1,020 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#38. Plant and system operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $68,100
- Median hourly wage: $32.74
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#37. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $68,210
- Median hourly wage: $32.79
- Total employment: 7,000 people (5.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#36. Private detectives and investigators
- Median annual wage: $68,700
- Median hourly wage: $33.03
- Total employment: 220 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#35. Riggers
- Median annual wage: $69,700
- Median hourly wage: $33.51
- Total employment: 130 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#34. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $71,930
- Median hourly wage: $34.58
- Total employment: 1,840 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#33. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $72,390
- Median hourly wage: $34.80
- Total employment: 260 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#32. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $72,960
- Median hourly wage: $35.08
- Total employment: 130 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#31. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $76,360
- Median hourly wage: $36.71
- Total employment: 1,820 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#30. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $78,060
- Median hourly wage: $37.53
- Total employment: 3,680 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#29. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $79,310
- Median hourly wage: $38.13
- Total employment: 1,250 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#28. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $80,950
- Median hourly wage: $38.92
- Total employment: 1,560 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#27. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $81,420
- Median hourly wage: $39.15
- Total employment: 230 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#26. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Median annual wage: $81,590
- Median hourly wage: $39.23
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#25. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $81,960
- Median hourly wage: $39.40
- Total employment: 100 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#23. Postmasters and mail superintendents (tie)
- Median annual wage: $82,680
- Median hourly wage: $39.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#23. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (tie)
- Median annual wage: $82,680
- Median hourly wage: $39.75
- Total employment: 4,260 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#22. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $83,260
- Median hourly wage: $40.03
- Total employment: 840 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#21. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers
- Median annual wage: $84,540
- Median hourly wage: $40.64
- Total employment: Not available
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#20. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $85,030
- Median hourly wage: $40.88
- Total employment: 220 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#19. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $85,050
- Median hourly wage: $40.89
- Total employment: 2,160 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#18. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $86,480
- Median hourly wage: $41.58
- Total employment: Not available
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#17. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $86,560
- Median hourly wage: $41.62
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#16. Fallers
- Median annual wage: $87,400
- Median hourly wage: $42.02
- Total employment: Not available
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#15. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $88,730
- Median hourly wage: $42.66
- Total employment: 100 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#14. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $88,860
- Median hourly wage: $42.72
- Total employment: 570 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#13. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $89,950
- Median hourly wage: $43.25
- Total employment: 1,520 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#12. Pile driver operators
- Median annual wage: $90,690
- Median hourly wage: $43.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#11. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $92,530
- Median hourly wage: $44.48
- Total employment: 6,700 people (5.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $98,040
- Median hourly wage: $47.13
- Total employment: 6,800 people (5.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#9. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $98,740
- Median hourly wage: $47.47
- Total employment: 340 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#8. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $99,140
- Median hourly wage: $47.66
- Total employment: 260 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#7. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $100,470
- Median hourly wage: $48.30
- Total employment: 430 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#6. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Median annual wage: $105,910
- Median hourly wage: $50.92
- Total employment: 230 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#5. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $111,710
- Median hourly wage: $53.71
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $114,590
- Median hourly wage: $55.09
- Total employment: 690 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $117,480
- Median hourly wage: $56.48
- Total employment: 590 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#2. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $124,300
- Median hourly wage: $59.76
- Total employment: 190 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#1. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $142,860
- Median hourly wage: $68.68
- Total employment: 150 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
