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1 / 50#50. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $40,640
- Median hourly wage: $19.54
- Total employment: 210 people (3.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Florence 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 Florence 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.
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2 / 50#49. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $41,010
- Median hourly wage: $19.72
- Total employment: 70 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $41,600
- Median hourly wage: $20.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $42,950
- Median hourly wage: $20.65
- Total employment: 160 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $43,020
- Median hourly wage: $20.68
- Total employment: 830 people (14.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $43,240
- Median hourly wage: $20.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Median annual wage: $43,800
- Median hourly wage: $21.06
- Total employment: 60 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services
- Median annual wage: $44,310
- Median hourly wage: $21.30
- Total employment: 70 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $44,760
- Median hourly wage: $21.52
- Total employment: 240 people (4.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $45,070
- Median hourly wage: $21.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $45,630
- Median hourly wage: $21.94
- Total employment: 640 people (11.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $45,770
- Median hourly wage: $22.01
- Total employment: 80 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $46,230
- Median hourly wage: $22.23
- Total employment: 110 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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14 / 50#37. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $46,290
- Median hourly wage: $22.26
- Total employment: 80 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GolF2532 // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $46,600
- Median hourly wage: $22.40
- Total employment: 30 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $46,630
- Median hourly wage: $22.42
- Total employment: 240 people (4.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Painters, construction and maintenance
- Median annual wage: $46,990
- Median hourly wage: $22.59
- Total employment: 80 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $47,610
- Median hourly wage: $22.89
- Total employment: 90 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zhanna Kavaliova // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Logging equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $47,980
- Median hourly wage: $23.07
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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20 / 50#31. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Median annual wage: $48,400
- Median hourly wage: $23.27
- Total employment: 420 people (7.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $48,450
- Median hourly wage: $23.30
- Total employment: 330 people (6.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $48,620
- Median hourly wage: $23.37
- Total employment: 180 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $48,970
- Median hourly wage: $23.54
- Total employment: 140 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $49,270
- Median hourly wage: $23.69
- Total employment: 70 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Susan Law Cain // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Tree trimmers and pruners
- Median annual wage: $49,340
- Median hourly wage: $23.72
- Total employment: 60 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $49,640
- Median hourly wage: $23.87
- Total employment: 200 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $51,030
- Median hourly wage: $24.53
- Total employment: 100 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $51,860
- Median hourly wage: $24.93
- Total employment: 300 people (5.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $52,980
- Median hourly wage: $25.47
- Total employment: 60 people (1.02 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: $54,130
- Median hourly wage: $26.02
- Total employment: 460 people (8.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $54,290
- Median hourly wage: $26.10
- Total employment: 80 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $55,010
- Median hourly wage: $26.45
- Total employment: 640 people (11.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $55,570
- Median hourly wage: $26.72
- Total employment: 300 people (5.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 200 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $56,650
- Median hourly wage: $27.23
- Total employment: 490 people (8.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $57,700
- Median hourly wage: $27.74
- Total employment: 90 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $58,200
- Median hourly wage: $27.98
- Total employment: 370 people (6.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $58,750
- Median hourly wage: $28.25
- Total employment: 60 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $58,890
- Median hourly wage: $28.31
- Total employment: 180 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $60,790
- Median hourly wage: $29.23
- Total employment: 680 people (12.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $61,440
- Median hourly wage: $29.54
- Total employment: 520 people (9.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $61,910
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 50 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $63,300
- Median hourly wage: $30.43
- Total employment: 60 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $66,140
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 500 people (8.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $67,200
- Median hourly wage: $32.31
- Total employment: 30 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $69,740
- Median hourly wage: $33.53
- Total employment: 60 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $70,390
- Median hourly wage: $33.84
- Total employment: 370 people (6.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $79,960
- Median hourly wage: $38.44
- Total employment: 40 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $80,150
- Median hourly wage: $38.54
- Total employment: 150 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $87,820
- Median hourly wage: $42.22
- Total employment: 120 people (2.23 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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