Highest-paying jobs in Little Rock 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 Little Rock 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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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $49,370
- Median hourly wage: $23.74
- Total employment: 920 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $49,500
- Median hourly wage: $23.80
- Total employment: 180 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $49,510
- Median hourly wage: $23.80
- Total employment: 140 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $49,880
- Median hourly wage: $23.98
- Total employment: 80 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $50,170
- Median hourly wage: $24.12
- Total employment: 760 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $50,260
- Median hourly wage: $24.16
- Total employment: 400 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $50,790
- Median hourly wage: $24.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#42. Production, planning, and expediting clerks (tie)

- Median annual wage: $51,230
- Median hourly wage: $24.63
- Total employment: 380 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Structural iron and steel workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $51,230
- Median hourly wage: $24.63
- Total employment: 200 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 360 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#39. First-line supervisors of correctional officers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $52,160
- Median hourly wage: $25.08
- Total employment: 810 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products (tie)

- Median annual wage: $52,160
- Median hourly wage: $25.08
- Total employment: 3,380 people (9.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $52,640
- Median hourly wage: $25.31
- Total employment: 80 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Bailiffs

- Median annual wage: $52,680
- Median hourly wage: $25.33
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $53,640
- Median hourly wage: $25.79
- Total employment: 2,100 people (5.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Photostriker // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other

- Median annual wage: $54,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.96
- Total employment: 60 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $54,720
- Median hourly wage: $26.31
- Total employment: 80 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $55,130
- Median hourly wage: $26.50
- Total employment: 200 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $55,320
- Median hourly wage: $26.60
- Total employment: 320 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,040
- Median hourly wage: $26.94
- Total employment: 4,720 people (13.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $56,060
- Median hourly wage: $26.95
- Total employment: 1,430 people (4.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,380
- Median hourly wage: $27.11
- Total employment: 1,110 people (3.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $56,780
- Median hourly wage: $27.30
- Total employment: 210 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zhanna Kavaliova // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Logging equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $56,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.38
- Total employment: 60 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $57,070
- Median hourly wage: $27.44
- Total employment: 520 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,250
- Median hourly wage: $27.52
- Total employment: 1,560 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 460 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $57,610
- Median hourly wage: $27.70
- Total employment: 1,780 people (5.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $57,720
- Median hourly wage: $27.75
- Total employment: 110 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman023_photography // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Riggers

- Median annual wage: $57,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Recreational vehicle service technicians

- Median annual wage: $59,000
- Median hourly wage: $28.37
- Total employment: 80 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $59,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.37
- Total employment: 800 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,030
- Median hourly wage: $28.86
- Total employment: 160 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $60,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 1,090 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 90 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $60,860
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 170 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#13. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.48
- Total employment: 1,840 people (5.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.48
- Total employment: 60 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,740
- Median hourly wage: $29.68
- Total employment: 1,670 people (4.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,830
- Median hourly wage: $30.21
- Total employment: 420 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,740
- Median hourly wage: $32.09
- Total employment: 1,950 people (5.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $68,220
- Median hourly wage: $32.80
- Total employment: 1,030 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,610
- Median hourly wage: $33.95
- Total employment: 90 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,970
- Median hourly wage: $34.60
- Total employment: 560 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $77,290
- Median hourly wage: $37.16
- Total employment: 550 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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michaeljung // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $82,940
- Median hourly wage: $39.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $90,820
- Median hourly wage: $43.66
- Total employment: 280 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $95,400
- Median hourly wage: $45.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $103,680
- Median hourly wage: $49.84
- Total employment: 390 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $129,590
- Median hourly wage: $62.30
- Total employment: 170 people (0.47 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.