Highest-paying jobs in Chico 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 Chico 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.

DC Studio // Shutterstock

1 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $51,680
- Median hourly wage: $24.85
- Total employment: 80 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Construction laborers

- Median annual wage: $51,770
- Median hourly wage: $24.89
- Total employment: 550 people (7.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $51,810
- Median hourly wage: $24.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $52,690
- Median hourly wage: $25.33
- Total employment: 80 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lee Charlie // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Court, municipal, and license clerks

- Median annual wage: $52,830
- Median hourly wage: $25.40
- Total employment: 130 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Efired // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Bill and account collectors

- Median annual wage: $53,210
- Median hourly wage: $25.58
- Total employment: 60 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $55,020
- Median hourly wage: $26.45
- Total employment: 190 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $56,000
- Median hourly wage: $26.92
- Total employment: 80 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anatoliy_gleb // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Solar photovoltaic installers

- Median annual wage: $56,230
- Median hourly wage: $27.03
- Total employment: 50 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rido // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Opticians, dispensing

- Median annual wage: $56,340
- Median hourly wage: $27.09
- Total employment: 30 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Joey Chung // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.20
- Total employment: 360 people (4.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $57,010
- Median hourly wage: $27.41
- Total employment: 50 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $57,090
- Median hourly wage: $27.45
- Total employment: Not available

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14 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,400
- Median hourly wage: $27.60
- Total employment: 230 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,680
- Median hourly wage: $27.73
- Total employment: 80 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $57,920
- Median hourly wage: $27.85
- Total employment: 220 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,240
- Median hourly wage: $28.00
- Total employment: 210 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $58,680
- Median hourly wage: $28.21
- Total employment: 190 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,220
- Median hourly wage: $28.47
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Susan Law Cain // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Tree trimmers and pruners

- Median annual wage: $59,340
- Median hourly wage: $28.53
- Total employment: 40 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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LightField Studios // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Bus drivers, school

- Median annual wage: $59,430
- Median hourly wage: $28.57
- Total employment: 50 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $60,620
- Median hourly wage: $29.14
- Total employment: 90 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $60,850
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 60 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $61,570
- Median hourly wage: $29.60
- Total employment: 160 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

brizmaker // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Roofers

- Median annual wage: $61,950
- Median hourly wage: $29.78
- Total employment: 100 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,230
- Median hourly wage: $29.92
- Total employment: 60 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dagmara_K // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Drywall and ceiling tile installers

- Median annual wage: $62,260
- Median hourly wage: $29.94
- Total employment: 80 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#22. Public safety telecommunicators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $63,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.62
- Total employment: 80 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Postal service clerks (tie)

- Median annual wage: $63,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.62
- Total employment: 50 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $63,820
- Median hourly wage: $30.68
- Total employment: 70 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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GaudiLab // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,260
- Median hourly wage: $30.90
- Total employment: 780 people (9.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.90
- Total employment: 390 people (5.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $66,100
- Median hourly wage: $31.78
- Total employment: 400 people (5.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

- Median annual wage: $67,600
- Median hourly wage: $32.50
- Total employment: 70 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $68,870
- Median hourly wage: $33.11
- Total employment: 170 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $71,480
- Median hourly wage: $34.37
- Total employment: 170 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $71,850
- Median hourly wage: $34.54
- Total employment: 90 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $72,620
- Median hourly wage: $34.91
- Total employment: 330 people (4.2 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: $74,880
- Median hourly wage: $36.00
- Total employment: 220 people (2.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $75,280
- Median hourly wage: $36.19
- Total employment: 110 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $76,980
- Median hourly wage: $37.01
- Total employment: 240 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $79,360
- Median hourly wage: $38.15
- Total employment: 70 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $82,110
- Median hourly wage: $39.47
- Total employment: 270 people (3.45 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: $84,050
- Median hourly wage: $40.41
- Total employment: 290 people (3.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $85,860
- Median hourly wage: $41.28
- Total employment: 60 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $95,890
- Median hourly wage: $46.10
- Total employment: 230 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $96,510
- Median hourly wage: $46.40
- Total employment: 50 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $98,920
- Median hourly wage: $47.56
- Total employment: 30 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)