Highest-paying jobs in Oxnard 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 Oxnard 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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1 / 50

#50. Court, municipal, and license clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.52
- Total employment: 170 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $61,660
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 920 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Susan Law Cain // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Tree trimmers and pruners

- Median annual wage: $61,790
- Median hourly wage: $29.71
- Total employment: 180 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

4 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,820
- Median hourly wage: $29.72
- Total employment: 1,950 people (6.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $62,280
- Median hourly wage: $29.94
- Total employment: 130 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

brizmaker // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Roofers

- Median annual wage: $62,520
- Median hourly wage: $30.06
- Total employment: 460 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $62,660
- Median hourly wage: $30.12
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $63,230
- Median hourly wage: $30.40
- Total employment: 260 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dagmara_K // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Drywall and ceiling tile installers

- Median annual wage: $63,840
- Median hourly wage: $30.69
- Total employment: 530 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $63,970
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 400 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

- Median annual wage: $64,180
- Median hourly wage: $30.85
- Total employment: 60 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,210
- Median hourly wage: $30.87
- Total employment: 610 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LStockStudio // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Brokerage clerks

- Median annual wage: $64,470
- Median hourly wage: $30.99
- Total employment: 60 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $64,490
- Median hourly wage: $31.00
- Total employment: 760 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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16 / 50

#35. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $64,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.03
- Total employment: 660 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#33. Industrial machinery mechanics (tie)

- Median annual wage: $66,020
- Median hourly wage: $31.74
- Total employment: 400 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman023_photography // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Riggers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $66,020
- Median hourly wage: $31.74
- Total employment: 80 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $66,570
- Median hourly wage: $32.00
- Total employment: 530 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

#31. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $66,580
- Median hourly wage: $32.01
- Total employment: 130 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Recreational vehicle service technicians

- Median annual wage: $67,490
- Median hourly wage: $32.45
- Total employment: 60 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $69,500
- Median hourly wage: $33.42
- Total employment: 510 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,620
- Median hourly wage: $33.47
- Total employment: 90 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,860
- Median hourly wage: $33.59
- Total employment: 3,140 people (9.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

#26. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $69,870
- Median hourly wage: $33.59
- Total employment: 2,050 people (6.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $70,790
- Median hourly wage: $34.03
- Total employment: 390 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $71,690
- Median hourly wage: $34.47
- Total employment: 340 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $72,210
- Median hourly wage: $34.72
- Total employment: 1,200 people (3.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $72,350
- Median hourly wage: $34.78
- Total employment: 130 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,470
- Median hourly wage: $35.32
- Total employment: 1,090 people (3.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,740
- Median hourly wage: $35.94
- Total employment: 2,750 people (8.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,440
- Median hourly wage: $36.27
- Total employment: 280 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $75,870
- Median hourly wage: $36.48
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $76,240
- Median hourly wage: $36.66
- Total employment: 300 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $80,700
- Median hourly wage: $38.80
- Total employment: 790 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $80,960
- Median hourly wage: $38.92
- Total employment: 800 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $81,110
- Median hourly wage: $39.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $81,420
- Median hourly wage: $39.14
- Total employment: 160 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $82,130
- Median hourly wage: $39.48
- Total employment: 350 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $83,940
- Median hourly wage: $40.36
- Total employment: 910 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $84,480
- Median hourly wage: $40.62
- Total employment: 330 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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42 / 50

#9. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $85,550
- Median hourly wage: $41.13
- Total employment: 90 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $85,570
- Median hourly wage: $41.14
- Total employment: 340 people (1.06 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: $91,090
- Median hourly wage: $43.79
- Total employment: 1,310 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

- Median annual wage: $101,150
- Median hourly wage: $48.63
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $104,420
- Median hourly wage: $50.20
- Total employment: 390 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $121,050
- Median hourly wage: $58.20
- Total employment: 1,320 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $127,000
- Median hourly wage: $61.06
- Total employment: 280 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $143,250
- Median hourly wage: $68.87
- Total employment: 70 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $151,230
- Median hourly wage: $72.71
- Total employment: 260 people (0.82 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.