
Highest paying jobs in Spartanburg for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Spartanburg 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 Spartanburg, 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. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $42,130
- #259 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,530
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)

#49. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $42,510
- #416 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 920
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)

#48. Procurement clerks
- Annual mean salary: $42,980
- #170 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,400
- Employment: 61,000
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area ($58,310)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,800)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($56,330)
#47. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $43,010
- #413 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#46. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $43,090
- #345 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
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)
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#45. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $43,260
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 640
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)

#44. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $43,990
- #293 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#43. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $44,410
- #212 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#42. Opticians, dispensing
- Annual mean salary: $45,760
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#41. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $45,890
- #227 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
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#40. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $46,160
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,960
- Employment: 116,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area ($69,070)
--- South Illinois nonmetropolitan area ($61,970)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($60,690)

#39. Print binding and finishing workers
- Annual mean salary: $46,850
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,430
- Employment: 42,450
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS ($68,840)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($50,000)
--- Spartanburg, SC ($46,850)
#37 (tie). Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $47,030
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#37 (tie). Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Annual mean salary: $47,030
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,800
- Employment: 69,570
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Charleston-North Charleston, SC ($59,780)
--- Syracuse, NY ($51,600)
--- Albany, OR ($50,470)

#36. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $47,350
- #199 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 890
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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#35. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $47,690
- #186 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#34. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $47,960
- #360 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#33. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $48,240
- #283 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#32. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $48,300
- #265 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#31. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $49,360
- #272 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
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#30. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $49,790
- #423 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)

#29. Chemical plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $49,850
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,460
- Employment: 29,710
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Lima, OH ($92,450)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($91,210)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($90,170)

#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $50,020
- #353 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)

#27. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $51,070
- #373 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620
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)
#26. Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Annual mean salary: $51,910
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,990
- Employment: 69,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Charleston-North Charleston, SC ($54,200)
--- Spartanburg, SC ($51,910)
--- Albany, OR ($50,620)
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#25. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $52,590
- #283 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)

#24. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $53,300
- #337 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,790
- #234 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 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)

#22. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,050
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#21. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $54,090
- #100 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
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#20. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $54,610
- #349 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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: $55,110
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $56,300
- #327 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#17. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,770
- #263 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,590
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)

#16. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $56,800
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
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#15. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $57,620
- #223 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 930
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)

#14. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $58,740
- #388 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#13. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $61,200
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#12. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $62,880
- #227 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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)

#11. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $63,710
- #41 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)
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#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,210
- #371 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590
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)

#9. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $65,190
- #143 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#8. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $65,260
- #86 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#7. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $65,580
- #299 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,730
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. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $65,660
- #377 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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)
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#5. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $68,590
- #136 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,470
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)

#4. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $73,520
- #100 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,580
- #281 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $77,900
- #290 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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: $103,390
- #110 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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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