Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Glaziers
- Median annual wage: $61,770
- Median hourly wage: $29.70
- Total employment: 60 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in San Luis Obispo 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 San Luis Obispo 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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2 / 50#49. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $61,990
- Median hourly wage: $29.81
- Total employment: 350 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 80 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $62,290
- Median hourly wage: $29.95
- Total employment: 160 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
brizmaker // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Roofers
- Median annual wage: $62,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.03
- Total employment: 200 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $62,640
- Median hourly wage: $30.12
- Total employment: 140 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Efired // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Bill and account collectors
- Median annual wage: $62,810
- Median hourly wage: $30.20
- Total employment: 110 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Susan Law Cain // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Tree trimmers and pruners
- Median annual wage: $63,200
- Median hourly wage: $30.38
- Total employment: 110 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $63,410
- Median hourly wage: $30.49
- Total employment: 140 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $63,430
- Median hourly wage: $30.49
- Total employment: 110 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $63,540
- Median hourly wage: $30.55
- Total employment: 90 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $64,120
- Median hourly wage: $30.83
- Total employment: 280 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $64,240
- Median hourly wage: $30.88
- Total employment: 380 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $64,590
- Median hourly wage: $31.05
- Total employment: 270 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Medical equipment preparers
- Median annual wage: $64,850
- Median hourly wage: $31.18
- Total employment: 50 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $65,280
- Median hourly wage: $31.38
- Total employment: 620 people (5.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Recreational vehicle service technicians
- Median annual wage: $66,280
- Median hourly wage: $31.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $66,720
- Median hourly wage: $32.08
- Total employment: 150 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $67,000
- Median hourly wage: $32.21
- Total employment: 110 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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20 / 50#31. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $69,630
- Median hourly wage: $33.48
- Total employment: 70 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Transportation security screeners
- Median annual wage: $69,720
- Median hourly wage: $33.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $72,060
- Median hourly wage: $34.64
- Total employment: 360 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $72,440
- Median hourly wage: $34.83
- Total employment: 860 people (7.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $73,710
- Median hourly wage: $35.44
- Total employment: 120 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $73,910
- Median hourly wage: $35.54
- Total employment: 1,080 people (8.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $74,320
- Median hourly wage: $35.73
- Total employment: 110 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
M2020 // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $75,230
- Median hourly wage: $36.17
- Total employment: 30 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $75,500
- Median hourly wage: $36.30
- Total employment: 670 people (5.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Median annual wage: $75,870
- Median hourly wage: $36.48
- Total employment: 70 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dagmara_K // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Median annual wage: $76,360
- Median hourly wage: $36.71
- Total employment: 140 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $76,960
- Median hourly wage: $37.00
- Total employment: 300 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $78,630
- Median hourly wage: $37.80
- Total employment: 360 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $80,070
- Median hourly wage: $38.50
- Total employment: 540 people (4.44 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: $80,480
- Median hourly wage: $38.69
- Total employment: 180 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $80,830
- Median hourly wage: $38.86
- Total employment: 140 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $83,540
- Median hourly wage: $40.17
- Total employment: 90 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $83,780
- Median hourly wage: $40.28
- Total employment: 530 people (4.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $84,360
- Median hourly wage: $40.56
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $87,870
- Median hourly wage: $42.24
- Total employment: 70 people (0.61 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: $88,960
- Median hourly wage: $42.77
- Total employment: 500 people (4.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $89,960
- Median hourly wage: $43.25
- Total employment: 30 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $92,830
- Median hourly wage: $44.63
- Total employment: 620 people (5.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $97,690
- Median hourly wage: $46.96
- Total employment: 90 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $101,690
- Median hourly wage: $48.89
- Total employment: 470 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Median annual wage: $103,280
- Median hourly wage: $49.66
- Total employment: 40 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $104,090
- Median hourly wage: $50.04
- Total employment: 700 people (5.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $112,600
- Median hourly wage: $54.14
- Total employment: 140 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $120,680
- Median hourly wage: $58.02
- Total employment: 290 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $127,850
- Median hourly wage: $61.47
- Total employment: 110 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $142,060
- Median hourly wage: $68.30
- Total employment: 110 people (0.87 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.
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