
Highest paying jobs in Florence, South Carolina for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Florence, South Carolina 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 Florence, SC 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. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Annual mean salary: $38,780
- #267 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,070
- Employment: 240,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,830)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($59,120)
--- Portsmouth, NH-ME ($58,380)
#49. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $39,180
- #327 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,140
- Employment: 137,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Midland, MI ($60,190)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($58,940)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($58,790)

#48. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $39,350
- #465 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 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)
#47. Opticians, dispensing
- Annual mean salary: $40,000
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,380
- Employment: 68,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,300)
--- New Haven, CT ($69,460)
--- Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area ($66,670)

#46. Riggers
- Annual mean salary: $40,510
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,020
- Employment: 21,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($89,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($73,310)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($73,160)
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#45. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $40,570
- #449 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#44. Security guards
- Annual mean salary: $41,120
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
National
- Annual mean salary: $34,360
- Employment: 1,054,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($70,350)
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($58,440)
--- Western Washington nonmetropolitan area ($57,480)

#43. Light truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $41,230
- #202 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,050
- Employment: 929,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($51,860)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($51,560)
--- Waterbury, CT ($50,100)

#42. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $41,290
- #394 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#41. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $41,480
- #439 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,430
- Employment: 137,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($71,350)
--- Ames, IA ($68,340)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,060)
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#40. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $41,590
- #263 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,300
- Employment: 149,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($70,030)
--- Waco, TX ($63,080)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($57,930)
#39. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $42,040
- #261 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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 (tie). Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $42,760
- #407 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,800
- Employment: 360,340
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($76,230)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($71,070)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($69,300)

#37 (tie). Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $42,760
- #379 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#36. Logging equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $43,060
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,570
- Employment: 25,560
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($64,000)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($62,910)
--- Longview, WA ($62,780)
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#35. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $43,110
- #185 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,330
- Employment: 93,060
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area ($91,300)
--- Billings, MT ($88,420)
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($76,050)

#34. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $43,220
- #467 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#33. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $43,350
- #204 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,080
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,790
- Employment: 1,357,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,230)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,870)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($56,650)

#32. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $43,690
- #491 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#31. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $43,700
- #353 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,690
- Employment: 397,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($72,500)
--- Anchorage, AK ($71,840)
--- West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($71,250)
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#30. Cargo and freight agents
- Annual mean salary: $43,960
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,170
- Employment: 96,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($80,300)
--- Yakima, WA ($68,030)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($64,030)

#29. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $44,590
- #348 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#28. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $46,670
- #291 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#27. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $47,520
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,290
- Employment: 133,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,600)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,240)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($60,930)

#26. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $47,590
- #420 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
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#25. Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $48,700
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,850
- Employment: 47,930
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($92,800)
--- Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area ($83,130)
--- Napa, CA ($68,470)

#24. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $49,050
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,930
- Employment: 222,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,350)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($66,650)
--- Utica-Rome, NY ($63,470)

#23. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $50,230
- #216 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#22. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $50,790
- #373 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#21. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $52,220
- #349 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)
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#20. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $52,990
- #364 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#19. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $53,710
- #361 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)
#18. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $54,070
- #362 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#17. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $54,240
- #379 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $55,750
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,480
- Employment: 99,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Longview, WA ($65,210)
--- Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL ($58,070)
--- Western Washington nonmetropolitan area ($57,790)
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#15. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $56,370
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#14. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $56,740
- #264 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)

#13. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $57,160
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
#12. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $58,090
- #226 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,310
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)

#11. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $58,670
- #389 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
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#10. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $59,150
- #303 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $59,360
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#7 (tie). First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,050
- #391 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)

#7 (tie). Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $63,050
- #370 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 730
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. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $63,200
- #217 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)
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#5. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $66,860
- #347 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)

#4. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $72,240
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
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)

#3. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $73,810
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,790
- #278 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $113,510
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
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