Highest-paying jobs in Sacramento 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 Sacramento 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.

You may also like: How much house $1 million buys you in Sacramento

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

1 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,700
- Median hourly wage: $35.91
- Total employment: 9,970 people (9.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Glaziers

- Median annual wage: $74,800
- Median hourly wage: $35.96
- Total employment: 620 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $75,150
- Median hourly wage: $36.13
- Total employment: 140 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

- Median annual wage: $75,270
- Median hourly wage: $36.19
- Total employment: 340 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $75,300
- Median hourly wage: $36.20
- Total employment: 1,110 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,400
- Median hourly wage: $36.25
- Total employment: 2,070 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $75,700
- Median hourly wage: $36.39
- Total employment: 410 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $75,780
- Median hourly wage: $36.44
- Total employment: 5,850 people (5.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisKlimov // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $76,240
- Median hourly wage: $36.65
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Meter readers, utilities

- Median annual wage: $76,380
- Median hourly wage: $36.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Medical equipment preparers

- Median annual wage: $76,570
- Median hourly wage: $36.81
- Total employment: 720 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

- Median annual wage: $76,850
- Median hourly wage: $36.95
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $77,020
- Median hourly wage: $37.03
- Total employment: 590 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $77,100
- Median hourly wage: $37.07
- Total employment: 9,670 people (9.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kojala // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Artists and related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $77,600
- Median hourly wage: $37.31
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Best restaurants for 9 cuisines in Sacramento

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles

- Median annual wage: $77,760
- Median hourly wage: $37.39
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

muratart // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $78,440
- Median hourly wage: $37.71
- Total employment: 130 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $78,610
- Median hourly wage: $37.80
- Total employment: 670 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rezoff // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Plant and system operators, all other

- Median annual wage: $78,770
- Median hourly wage: $37.87
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,070
- Median hourly wage: $38.01
- Total employment: 890 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Car insurance rates in Sacramento October 2025

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $79,900
- Median hourly wage: $38.41
- Total employment: 3,400 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Media and communication workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $81,210
- Median hourly wage: $39.04
- Total employment: 190 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $81,330
- Median hourly wage: $39.10
- Total employment: 2,940 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $81,340
- Median hourly wage: $39.11
- Total employment: 230 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $83,070
- Median hourly wage: $39.94
- Total employment: 690 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Sacramento

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $84,960
- Median hourly wage: $40.85
- Total employment: 890 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $85,360
- Median hourly wage: $41.04
- Total employment: 2,420 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $86,930
- Median hourly wage: $41.79
- Total employment: 1,970 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $87,280
- Median hourly wage: $41.96
- Total employment: 3,090 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $90,900
- Median hourly wage: $43.70
- Total employment: 140 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $91,800
- Median hourly wage: $44.14
- Total employment: 610 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $95,010
- Median hourly wage: $45.68
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

- Median annual wage: $98,800
- Median hourly wage: $47.50
- Total employment: 6,070 people (5.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $102,380
- Median hourly wage: $49.22
- Total employment: 1,060 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

HannaTor // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Gambling managers

- Median annual wage: $102,810
- Median hourly wage: $49.43
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $104,720
- Median hourly wage: $50.35
- Total employment: 1,480 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $108,340
- Median hourly wage: $52.09
- Total employment: 920 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NancyS // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists

- Median annual wage: $108,400
- Median hourly wage: $52.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Insulation workers, mechanical

- Median annual wage: $108,490
- Median hourly wage: $52.16
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $109,830
- Median hourly wage: $52.80
- Total employment: 1,540 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Best high schools in the Sacramento metro area

pio3 // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $112,630
- Median hourly wage: $54.15
- Total employment: 5,590 people (5.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Parilov // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Pile driver operators

- Median annual wage: $114,470
- Median hourly wage: $55.03
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 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: $115,960
- Median hourly wage: $55.75
- Total employment: 250 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

- Median annual wage: $119,700
- Median hourly wage: $57.55
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $130,830
- Median hourly wage: $62.90
- Total employment: 580 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Movies and TV shows casting in Sacramento

Kzenon // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining

- Median annual wage: $139,310
- Median hourly wage: $66.98
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $139,690
- Median hourly wage: $67.16
- Total employment: 180 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $156,260
- Median hourly wage: $75.13
- Total employment: 180 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $158,230
- Median hourly wage: $76.07
- Total employment: 900 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $160,630
- Median hourly wage: $77.23
- Total employment: 70 people (0.07 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.

You may also like: Lowest-paying jobs in Sacramento