A high school diploma gives graduates a leg up in the workforce, even if they don't pursue any further education.
The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that workers over age of 25 with a high school diploma or equivalent earned about 25% more than those without one—$853 a week compared to $682. Diploma holders also faced lower unemployment rates, at 4% in 2022, compared to 5.5% for those who never completed high school.
There are many reasons high-school graduates may choose to not continue on to college—for instance, the cost. Average tuition costs continue to rise, increasing by 1% to 4% last year, depending on the institution type. While higher degrees of education typically pave the way for higher earnings, a college degree isn't necessary for many high-paying jobs. And for many careers, it doesn't make sense to pay to study for years when there are paid apprenticeship or learn-on-the-job programs.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Madera for those with a high school diploma or equivalent. Jobs are ranked by their annual median salaries as of May 2022. Jobs without available data for annual pay were excluded from this analysis.
Keep reading to see which jobs in your city pay high school graduates the most.
This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.
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G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
1 / 50- Median annual wage: $44,690
- Median hourly wage: $21.49
- Total employment: 410 people (8.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
2 / 50- Median annual wage: $44,910
- Median hourly wage: $21.59
- Total employment: 140 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
3 / 50- Median annual wage: $45,720
- Median hourly wage: $21.98
- Total employment: 90 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Canva
4 / 50- Median annual wage: $46,370
- Median hourly wage: $22.30
- Total employment: 60 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Canva
5 / 50- Median annual wage: $46,500
- Median hourly wage: $22.35
- Total employment: 110 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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Efired // Shutterstock
6 / 50- Median annual wage: $46,550
- Median hourly wage: $22.38
- Total employment: 50 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Nikita M production // Shutterstock
7 / 50- Median annual wage: $46,600
- Median hourly wage: $22.40
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50- Median annual wage: $46,750
- Median hourly wage: $22.48
- Total employment: 50 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Canva
9 / 50- Median annual wage: $46,830
- Median hourly wage: $22.51
- Total employment: 460 people (9.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
10 / 50- Median annual wage: $47,070
- Median hourly wage: $22.63
- Total employment: 110 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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Africa Studio // Shutterstock
11 / 50- Median annual wage: $47,170
- Median hourly wage: $22.68
- Total employment: 40 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
12 / 50- Median annual wage: $47,300
- Median hourly wage: $22.74
- Total employment: 30 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
13 / 50- Median annual wage: $47,510
- Median hourly wage: $22.84
- Total employment: 70 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
14 / 50- Median annual wage: $47,610
- Median hourly wage: $22.89
- Total employment: 160 people (3.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock
15 / 50- Median annual wage: $47,760
- Median hourly wage: $22.96
- Total employment: 300 people (5.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
16 / 50- Median annual wage: $47,940
- Median hourly wage: $23.05
- Total employment: 60 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Stokkete // Shutterstock
17 / 50- Median annual wage: $48,020
- Median hourly wage: $23.09
- Total employment: 70 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock
18 / 50- Median annual wage: $48,420
- Median hourly wage: $23.28
- Total employment: 130 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
19 / 50- Median annual wage: $49,180
- Median hourly wage: $23.64
- Total employment: 90 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
20 / 50- Median annual wage: $49,340
- Median hourly wage: $23.72
- Total employment: 60 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
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New Africa // Shutterstock
21 / 50- Median annual wage: $49,340
- Median hourly wage: $23.72
- Total employment: 60 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
22 / 50- Median annual wage: $49,810
- Median hourly wage: $23.95
- Total employment: 170 people (3.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Chok Chokchai // Shutterstock
23 / 50- Median annual wage: $50,110
- Median hourly wage: $24.09
- Total employment: 50 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
fizkes // Shutterstock
24 / 50- Median annual wage: $50,490
- Median hourly wage: $24.27
- Total employment: 50 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
25 / 50- Median annual wage: $50,830
- Median hourly wage: $24.44
- Total employment: 60 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
26 / 50- Median annual wage: $52,850
- Median hourly wage: $25.41
- Total employment: 90 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
27 / 50- Median annual wage: $56,640
- Median hourly wage: $27.23
- Total employment: 80 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Canva
28 / 50- Median annual wage: $57,560
- Median hourly wage: $27.67
- Total employment: 180 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
rlat // Shutterstock
29 / 50- Median annual wage: $57,960
- Median hourly wage: $27.87
- Total employment: 30 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50- Median annual wage: $58,520
- Median hourly wage: $28.14
- Total employment: 30 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
31 / 50- Median annual wage: $59,700
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 350 people (6.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
32 / 50- Median annual wage: $60,240
- Median hourly wage: $28.96
- Total employment: 110 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
Kot500 // Shutterstock
33 / 50- Median annual wage: $60,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 70 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Canva
34 / 50- Median annual wage: $61,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.50
- Total employment: 230 people (4.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
Canva
35 / 50- Median annual wage: $64,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.03
- Total employment: 130 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
36 / 50- Median annual wage: $65,120
- Median hourly wage: $31.31
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
welcomia // Shutterstock
37 / 50- Median annual wage: $65,270
- Median hourly wage: $31.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
38 / 50- Median annual wage: $65,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
39 / 50- Median annual wage: $65,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.64
- Total employment: 230 people (4.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
40 / 50- Median annual wage: $65,820
- Median hourly wage: $31.65
- Total employment: 190 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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SritanaN // Shutterstock
41 / 50- Median annual wage: $66,950
- Median hourly wage: $32.19
- Total employment: 120 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
42 / 50- Median annual wage: $70,130
- Median hourly wage: $33.72
- Total employment: 60 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
43 / 50- Median annual wage: $73,960
- Median hourly wage: $35.56
- Total employment: 100 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Canva
44 / 50- Median annual wage: $75,110
- Median hourly wage: $36.11
- Total employment: 130 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
goodluz // Shutterstock
45 / 50- Median annual wage: $79,830
- Median hourly wage: $38.38
- Total employment: 50 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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pio3 // Shutterstock
46 / 50- Median annual wage: $80,630
- Median hourly wage: $38.77
- Total employment: 260 people (5.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
sculpies // Shutterstock
47 / 50- Median annual wage: $80,700
- Median hourly wage: $38.80
- Total employment: 140 people (2.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
4 PM production // Shutterstock
48 / 50- Median annual wage: $82,070
- Median hourly wage: $39.46
- Total employment: 150 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Canva
49 / 50- Median annual wage: $89,330
- Median hourly wage: $42.95
- Total employment: 50 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
50 / 50- Median annual wage: $94,550
- Median hourly wage: $45.46
- Total employment: 40 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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