Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall
- Median annual wage: $46,560
- Median hourly wage: $22.39
- Total employment: 50 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Tallahassee 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 Tallahassee 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: $47,100
- Median hourly wage: $22.64
- Total employment: 370 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $47,130
- Median hourly wage: $22.66
- Total employment: 140 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Glenn Highcove // Shutterstock
4 / 50#46. Industrial truck and tractor operators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $47,320
- Median hourly wage: $22.75
- Total employment: 470 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Machinists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $47,320
- Median hourly wage: $22.75
- Total employment: 60 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $47,820
- Median hourly wage: $22.99
- Total employment: 750 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vadim Ratnikov // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Earth drillers, except oil and gas
- Median annual wage: $48,080
- Median hourly wage: $23.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $48,260
- Median hourly wage: $23.20
- Total employment: 1,290 people (6.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $48,330
- Median hourly wage: $23.23
- Total employment: 90 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $48,640
- Median hourly wage: $23.39
- Total employment: 180 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $48,880
- Median hourly wage: $23.50
- Total employment: 90 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorgev // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $49,490
- Median hourly wage: $23.79
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Advertising sales agents
- Median annual wage: $50,540
- Median hourly wage: $24.30
- Total employment: 90 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GolF2532 // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $50,910
- Median hourly wage: $24.48
- Total employment: 150 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $51,830
- Median hourly wage: $24.92
- Total employment: 620 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Mechanical door repairers
- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $54,140
- Median hourly wage: $26.03
- Total employment: 400 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $54,480
- Median hourly wage: $26.19
- Total employment: 460 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $54,810
- Median hourly wage: $26.35
- Total employment: 340 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ITisha // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Bailiffs
- Median annual wage: $55,330
- Median hourly wage: $26.60
- Total employment: 80 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $55,880
- Median hourly wage: $26.86
- Total employment: 130 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Median annual wage: $55,970
- Median hourly wage: $26.91
- Total employment: 300 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 400 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $56,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.20
- Total employment: 200 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $56,600
- Median hourly wage: $27.21
- Total employment: 700 people (3.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $56,960
- Median hourly wage: $27.39
- Total employment: 180 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $57,720
- Median hourly wage: $27.75
- Total employment: 90 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $57,740
- Median hourly wage: $27.76
- Total employment: 200 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $57,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 240 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $57,900
- Median hourly wage: $27.84
- Total employment: 530 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $58,020
- Median hourly wage: $27.89
- Total employment: 460 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $58,140
- Median hourly wage: $27.95
- Total employment: 490 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $58,150
- Median hourly wage: $27.96
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $58,220
- Median hourly wage: $27.99
- Total employment: 1,710 people (9.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $58,420
- Median hourly wage: $28.09
- Total employment: 920 people (4.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $59,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 310 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $59,300
- Median hourly wage: $28.51
- Total employment: 160 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $59,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 1,690 people (9.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Transportation security screeners
- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 50 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Media and communication workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $59,980
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: Not available
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4 PM production // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $60,060
- Median hourly wage: $28.88
- Total employment: 660 people (3.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $63,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.62
- Total employment: 70 people (0.38 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: $63,940
- Median hourly wage: $30.74
- Total employment: 970 people (5.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $64,980
- Median hourly wage: $31.24
- Total employment: 280 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $65,060
- Median hourly wage: $31.28
- Total employment: 140 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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pio3 // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $65,500
- Median hourly wage: $31.49
- Total employment: 910 people (4.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $80,760
- Median hourly wage: $38.83
- Total employment: 270 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $91,620
- Median hourly wage: $44.05
- Total employment: 140 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $93,520
- Median hourly wage: $44.96
- Total employment: 350 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $93,810
- Median hourly wage: $45.10
- Total employment: 110 people (0.59 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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