Highest-paying jobs in Visalia 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 Visalia 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.

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $53,400
- Median hourly wage: $25.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Efired // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Bill and account collectors

- Median annual wage: $53,550
- Median hourly wage: $25.74
- Total employment: 130 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $53,980
- Median hourly wage: $25.95
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

- Median annual wage: $54,650
- Median hourly wage: $26.27
- Total employment: 140 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LightField Studios // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Bus drivers, school

- Median annual wage: $54,850
- Median hourly wage: $26.37
- Total employment: 170 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SGr // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Machine feeders and offbearers

- Median annual wage: $55,680
- Median hourly wage: $26.77
- Total employment: 160 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $55,870
- Median hourly wage: $26.86
- Total employment: 50 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

- Median annual wage: $56,630
- Median hourly wage: $27.22
- Total employment: 80 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Fusionstudio // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles

- Median annual wage: $57,080
- Median hourly wage: $27.44
- Total employment: 60 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,110
- Median hourly wage: $27.46
- Total employment: 510 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $57,700
- Median hourly wage: $27.74
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $58,140
- Median hourly wage: $27.95
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $58,190
- Median hourly wage: $27.98
- Total employment: 560 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $58,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.02
- Total employment: 110 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chok Chokchai // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $58,420
- Median hourly wage: $28.09
- Total employment: 370 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $58,820
- Median hourly wage: $28.28
- Total employment: 690 people (4.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $59,240
- Median hourly wage: $28.48
- Total employment: 270 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $59,300
- Median hourly wage: $28.51
- Total employment: 120 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Susan Law Cain // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Tree trimmers and pruners

- Median annual wage: $59,530
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 100 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $59,730
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: 260 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Community health workers

- Median annual wage: $59,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 90 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $61,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.50
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $62,170
- Median hourly wage: $29.89
- Total employment: 90 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $62,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 250 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $62,520
- Median hourly wage: $30.06
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $62,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 430 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,820
- Median hourly wage: $30.20
- Total employment: 220 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $63,020
- Median hourly wage: $30.30
- Total employment: 560 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $63,540
- Median hourly wage: $30.55
- Total employment: 260 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $64,210
- Median hourly wage: $30.87
- Total employment: 180 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $64,710
- Median hourly wage: $31.11
- Total employment: 190 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $64,730
- Median hourly wage: $31.12
- Total employment: 80 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,060
- Median hourly wage: $32.72
- Total employment: 100 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,130
- Median hourly wage: $32.76
- Total employment: 1,250 people (7.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $68,150
- Median hourly wage: $32.76
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $71,390
- Median hourly wage: $34.32
- Total employment: 530 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,760
- Median hourly wage: $34.50
- Total employment: 670 people (3.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,580
- Median hourly wage: $35.85
- Total employment: 850 people (4.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $74,930
- Median hourly wage: $36.02
- Total employment: 100 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $77,800
- Median hourly wage: $37.40
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $77,980
- Median hourly wage: $37.49
- Total employment: 250 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $79,370
- Median hourly wage: $38.16
- Total employment: 240 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,510
- Median hourly wage: $38.23
- Total employment: 440 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,750
- Median hourly wage: $38.34
- Total employment: 540 people (3.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $88,030
- Median hourly wage: $42.32
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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goodluz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $89,300
- Median hourly wage: $42.93
- Total employment: 260 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $91,990
- Median hourly wage: $44.22
- Total employment: 550 people (3.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $94,580
- Median hourly wage: $45.47
- Total employment: 60 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

49 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $96,170
- Median hourly wage: $46.24
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $128,500
- Median hourly wage: $61.78
- Total employment: 110 people (0.65 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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