Highest paying jobs in Providence for high school graduates

Written by:
July 20, 2022
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Highest paying jobs in Providence 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 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 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. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $56,780
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,600

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)

#49. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $57,220
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420

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)

#48. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $57,240
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820

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)

#47. Meter readers, utilities

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $57,290
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $46,160
- Employment: 26,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($74,040)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($69,530)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($67,510)

#46. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $57,370
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650

National
- Annual mean salary: $47,990
- Employment: 138,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,570)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,900)
--- New Haven, CT ($63,790)

#45. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $57,750
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#44. Crane and tower operators

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $58,620
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#43. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $59,460
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360

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)

#42. Glaziers

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $59,590
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,970
- Employment: 52,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($78,840)
--- Salem, OR ($78,000)
--- Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area ($76,680)

#41. Carpenters

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $59,840
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,040

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)

#40. Sheet metal workers

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $60,740
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410

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)

#39. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $61,110
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720

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. Electricians

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $61,240
- #183 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,500

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)

#37. Model makers, metal and plastic

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $62,310
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,180
- Employment: 3,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($81,140)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($76,210)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($74,210)

#36. Advertising sales agents

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $62,910
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320

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)

#35. Transportation inspectors

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $63,480
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#34. Private detectives and investigators

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $63,600
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,100
- Employment: 32,200
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Jackson, MI ($93,360)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($91,080)
--- Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($87,760)

#33. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $63,660
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $48,500
- Employment: 40,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($87,740)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($86,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($83,090)

#32. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $64,320
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $51,160
- Employment: 19,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,710)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($65,990)
--- Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY ($65,510)

#31. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $64,680
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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)

#30. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $65,010
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 830

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)

#29. Riggers

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $65,940
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

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)

#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $67,370
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,600

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. Construction and building inspectors

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $67,720
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370

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)

#26. Brickmasons and blockmasons

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $68,010
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300

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)

#25. Surveying and mapping technicians

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $68,040
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#24. Occupational health and safety technicians

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $68,770
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#23. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $68,810
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,030

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)

#22. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $69,520
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,730

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)

#21. Chefs and head cooks

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $70,190
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

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)

#20. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $73,690
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

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. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $73,940
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,680

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)

#18. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $74,990
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,060

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)

#17. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $75,050
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,910

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)

#16. Structural iron and steel workers

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $76,300
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300

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)

#15. Millwrights

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $76,490
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

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. Insurance sales agents

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $77,010
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,620

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)

#13. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $78,410
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,160

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)

#12. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $80,980
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,260

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)

#11. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $84,150
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,470

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)

#10. Property, real estate, and community association managers

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $85,890
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750

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)

#9. Power plant operators

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $86,370
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#8. Detectives and criminal investigators

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $86,790
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350

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)

#7. Postmasters and mail superintendents

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $87,650
- #21 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)

#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $92,120
- #164 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 810

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)

#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $94,300
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

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)

#4. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $107,010
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,200
- Employment: 24,730
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($130,290)
--- Kansas City, MO-KS ($113,590)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($113,480)

#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $109,890
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 810

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. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $113,920
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360

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

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Annual mean salary: $127,980
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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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