Highest-paying jobs in Auburn for high school graduates

For decades, common wisdom held that earning a bachelor's degree would guarantee a high-paying career. Higher education does still seem to be an advantage: A college graduate's average annual salary of $60,000 in 2024 is roughly $20,000 more than that of a high school graduate, and those with bachelor's degrees can typically expect to earn between $630,000 and $900,000 more over the course of a lifetime. However, recent shifts in higher education and the job market have people wondering—with good reason—whether or not a bachelor's degree will really pay off.

According to a 2024 study from the Pew Research Center, 29% of Americans believe obtaining a college degree isn't worthwhile, a trend reflected in shrinking attendance at universities across the nation. Meanwhile, annual college costs have skyrocketed to an average of $38,270 per student in 2025, often necessitating student loans with steep interest rates.

With these factors in mind, it's natural for recent high school graduates to consider vocational opportunities outside of college. Those who do may be pleasantly surprised—many companies have stopped requiring bachelor's degrees for entry-, mid-, and even senior-level positions. And while college graduates' average earnings may be higher, a 2024 report from Launchpad Jobs found that around 1 in 5 nondegree holders out-earn the $70,000 median wages of someone with a bachelor's degree.

Of course, salaries for high school grads vary widely based on job, industry, and location. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Auburn for high school graduates. The analysis included jobs that listed a high school diploma or had no formal education requirement. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.

fizkes // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. First-line supervisors of personal service workers

- Median annual wage: $42,860
- Median hourly wage: $20.60
- Total employment: 80 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $43,140
- Median hourly wage: $20.74
- Total employment: 150 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $43,540
- Median hourly wage: $20.93
- Total employment: 40 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $43,810
- Median hourly wage: $21.06
- Total employment: 120 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

New Africa // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers

- Median annual wage: $43,870
- Median hourly wage: $21.09
- Total employment: 120 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $44,350
- Median hourly wage: $21.32
- Total employment: 220 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services

- Median annual wage: $44,950
- Median hourly wage: $21.61
- Total employment: 90 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DC Studio // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

- Median annual wage: $45,350
- Median hourly wage: $21.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $45,700
- Median hourly wage: $21.97
- Total employment: 80 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $46,250
- Median hourly wage: $22.24
- Total employment: 180 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $46,440
- Median hourly wage: $22.33
- Total employment: 110 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $46,570
- Median hourly wage: $22.39
- Total employment: 70 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $46,870
- Median hourly wage: $22.53
- Total employment: 50 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $47,800
- Median hourly wage: $22.98
- Total employment: 110 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $48,040
- Median hourly wage: $23.10
- Total employment: 60 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Irene Miller // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $48,140
- Median hourly wage: $23.15
- Total employment: 340 people (4.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Painters, construction and maintenance

- Median annual wage: $48,190
- Median hourly wage: $23.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $48,200
- Median hourly wage: $23.17
- Total employment: 200 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

- Median annual wage: $48,290
- Median hourly wage: $23.22
- Total employment: 80 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

O.PASH // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Animal trainers

- Median annual wage: $48,430
- Median hourly wage: $23.29
- Total employment: 30 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Loan interviewers and clerks

- Median annual wage: $49,030
- Median hourly wage: $23.57
- Total employment: 80 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $49,890
- Median hourly wage: $23.99
- Total employment: 240 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $49,930
- Median hourly wage: $24.01
- Total employment: 120 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping

- Median annual wage: $50,330
- Median hourly wage: $24.20
- Total employment: 30 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

- Median annual wage: $51,490
- Median hourly wage: $24.76
- Total employment: 300 people (4.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $52,180
- Median hourly wage: $25.09
- Total employment: 350 people (4.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $52,210
- Median hourly wage: $25.10
- Total employment: 200 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $53,020
- Median hourly wage: $25.49
- Total employment: 70 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $54,740
- Median hourly wage: $26.32
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $55,720
- Median hourly wage: $26.79
- Total employment: 640 people (8.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,930
- Median hourly wage: $27.37
- Total employment: 110 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $57,910
- Median hourly wage: $27.84
- Total employment: 360 people (4.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $57,930
- Median hourly wage: $27.85
- Total employment: 400 people (5.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $59,140
- Median hourly wage: $28.43
- Total employment: 230 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $59,270
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 50 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,420
- Median hourly wage: $28.57
- Total employment: 410 people (5.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,070
- Median hourly wage: $28.88
- Total employment: 30 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $60,650
- Median hourly wage: $29.16
- Total employment: 450 people (6.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $60,820
- Median hourly wage: $29.24
- Total employment: 120 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,830
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Total employment: 460 people (6.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $63,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.50
- Total employment: 40 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $63,530
- Median hourly wage: $30.54
- Total employment: 50 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

- Median annual wage: $64,170
- Median hourly wage: $30.85
- Total employment: 630 people (8.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $66,550
- Median hourly wage: $31.99
- Total employment: 70 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,440
- Median hourly wage: $32.91
- Total employment: 370 people (5.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Prath // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $69,320
- Median hourly wage: $33.33
- Total employment: 40 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,700
- Median hourly wage: $34.47
- Total employment: 60 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $77,100
- Median hourly wage: $37.07
- Total employment: 70 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $77,220
- Median hourly wage: $37.12
- Total employment: 110 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $101,150
- Median hourly wage: $48.63
- Total employment: 30 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.

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