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1 / 50#50. Tree trimmers and pruners
- Median annual wage: $61,700
- Median hourly wage: $29.66
- Total employment: 190 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Santa Maria 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 Santa Maria 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. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $61,980
- Median hourly wage: $29.80
- Total employment: 30 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Radovan1 / Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Plasterers and stucco masons
- Median annual wage: $62,060
- Median hourly wage: $29.84
- Total employment: 170 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $62,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 130 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $62,480
- Median hourly wage: $30.04
- Total employment: 200 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $63,010
- Median hourly wage: $30.29
- Total employment: 570 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $63,040
- Median hourly wage: $30.31
- Total employment: 990 people (4.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Glaziers
- Median annual wage: $63,370
- Median hourly wage: $30.47
- Total employment: 70 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $63,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.48
- Total employment: 410 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $63,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.62
- Total employment: 180 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $63,810
- Median hourly wage: $30.68
- Total employment: 200 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $63,890
- Median hourly wage: $30.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dagmara_K // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Median annual wage: $64,000
- Median hourly wage: $30.77
- Total employment: 480 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $64,060
- Median hourly wage: $30.80
- Total employment: 410 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $64,390
- Median hourly wage: $30.96
- Total employment: 130 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $64,730
- Median hourly wage: $31.12
- Total employment: 70 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $64,880
- Median hourly wage: $31.19
- Total employment: 90 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GolF2532 // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $65,560
- Median hourly wage: $31.52
- Total employment: 60 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $67,150
- Median hourly wage: $32.28
- Total employment: 1,340 people (6.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $68,110
- Median hourly wage: $32.75
- Total employment: 170 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $69,220
- Median hourly wage: $33.28
- Total employment: 240 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $70,420
- Median hourly wage: $33.86
- Total employment: 1,720 people (8.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $71,610
- Median hourly wage: $34.43
- Total employment: 50 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $71,860
- Median hourly wage: $34.55
- Total employment: 550 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $72,050
- Median hourly wage: $34.64
- Total employment: 1,120 people (5.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $72,220
- Median hourly wage: $34.72
- Total employment: 390 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Median annual wage: $75,400
- Median hourly wage: $36.25
- Total employment: 50 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $75,490
- Median hourly wage: $36.29
- Total employment: 120 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $75,780
- Median hourly wage: $36.43
- Total employment: 560 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $76,670
- Median hourly wage: $36.86
- Total employment: 450 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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welcomia // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $77,520
- Median hourly wage: $37.27
- Total employment: 190 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $78,930
- Median hourly wage: $37.95
- Total employment: 90 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $79,410
- Median hourly wage: $38.18
- Total employment: 420 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $80,430
- Median hourly wage: $38.67
- Total employment: 30 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $80,810
- Median hourly wage: $38.85
- Total employment: 100 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $82,220
- Median hourly wage: $39.53
- Total employment: 510 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
mariakray // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Traffic technicians
- Median annual wage: $82,990
- Median hourly wage: $39.90
- Total employment: 90 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $83,260
- Median hourly wage: $40.03
- Total employment: 260 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $83,980
- Median hourly wage: $40.37
- Total employment: 550 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $89,030
- Median hourly wage: $42.81
- Total employment: 350 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $90,050
- Median hourly wage: $43.30
- Total employment: 750 people (3.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
socrates471 // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Media and communication equipment workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $90,690
- Median hourly wage: $43.60
- Total employment: 90 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $95,930
- Median hourly wage: $46.12
- Total employment: 90 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $100,750
- Median hourly wage: $48.44
- Total employment: 220 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $109,070
- Median hourly wage: $52.44
- Total employment: 220 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $119,580
- Median hourly wage: $57.49
- Total employment: 720 people (3.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Median annual wage: $123,380
- Median hourly wage: $59.32
- Total employment: 50 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $129,370
- Median hourly wage: $62.20
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $136,850
- Median hourly wage: $65.79
- Total employment: 70 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $157,520
- Median hourly wage: $75.73
- Total employment: 110 people (0.57 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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