A high school diploma gives graduates a leg up in the workforce, even if they don't pursue any further education.
The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that workers over age of 25 with a high school diploma or equivalent earned about 25% more than those without one—$853 a week compared to $682. Diploma holders also faced lower unemployment rates, at 4% in 2022, compared to 5.5% for those who never completed high school.
There are many reasons high-school graduates may choose to not continue on to college—for instance, the cost. Average tuition costs continue to rise, increasing by 1% to 4% last year, depending on the institution type. While higher degrees of education typically pave the way for higher earnings, a college degree isn't necessary for many high-paying jobs. And for many careers, it doesn't make sense to pay to study for years when there are paid apprenticeship or learn-on-the-job programs.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Honolulu for those with a high school diploma or equivalent. Jobs are ranked by their annual median salaries as of May 2022. Jobs without available data for annual pay were excluded from this analysis.
Keep reading to see which jobs in your city pay high school graduates the most.
This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.
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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
1 / 50- Median annual wage: $64,760
- Median hourly wage: $31.14
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
2 / 50- Median annual wage: $65,760
- Median hourly wage: $31.62
- Total employment: 70 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Kot500 // Shutterstock
3 / 50- Median annual wage: $66,310
- Median hourly wage: $31.88
- Total employment: 750 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
4 / 50- Median annual wage: $66,410
- Median hourly wage: $31.93
- Total employment: 280 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Canva
5 / 50- Median annual wage: $66,430
- Median hourly wage: $31.94
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
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manine99 // Shutterstock
6 / 50- Median annual wage: $68,050
- Median hourly wage: $32.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Canva
7 / 50- Median annual wage: $68,290
- Median hourly wage: $32.83
- Total employment: 1,440 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
rlat // Shutterstock
8 / 50- Median annual wage: $68,310
- Median hourly wage: $32.84
- Total employment: 200 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
9 / 50- Median annual wage: $69,990
- Median hourly wage: $33.65
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
John Leung // Shutterstock
10 / 50- Median annual wage: $70,240
- Median hourly wage: $33.77
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
11 / 50- Median annual wage: $70,890
- Median hourly wage: $34.08
- Total employment: 710 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Canva
12 / 50- Median annual wage: $71,450
- Median hourly wage: $34.35
- Total employment: 530 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Canva
13 / 50- Median annual wage: $71,450
- Median hourly wage: $34.35
- Total employment: 220 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Roman023_photography // Shutterstock
14 / 50- Median annual wage: $71,450
- Median hourly wage: $34.35
- Total employment: 170 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
O.PASH // Shutterstock
15 / 50- Median annual wage: $72,650
- Median hourly wage: $34.93
- Total employment: 150 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
16 / 50- Median annual wage: $73,820
- Median hourly wage: $35.49
- Total employment: 740 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
17 / 50- Median annual wage: $74,360
- Median hourly wage: $35.75
- Total employment: 600 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock
18 / 50- Median annual wage: $74,360
- Median hourly wage: $35.75
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
19 / 50- Median annual wage: $75,210
- Median hourly wage: $36.16
- Total employment: 700 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
20 / 50- Median annual wage: $75,460
- Median hourly wage: $36.28
- Total employment: 30 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
21 / 50- Median annual wage: $75,930
- Median hourly wage: $36.51
- Total employment: 1,540 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
Canva
22 / 50- Median annual wage: $77,850
- Median hourly wage: $37.43
- Total employment: Not available
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
Canva
23 / 50- Median annual wage: $79,210
- Median hourly wage: $38.08
- Total employment: 3,400 people (8.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
Canva
24 / 50- Median annual wage: $79,540
- Median hourly wage: $38.24
- Total employment: 560 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
welcomia // Shutterstock
25 / 50- Median annual wage: $80,390
- Median hourly wage: $38.65
- Total employment: 430 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
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Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
26 / 50- Median annual wage: $80,400
- Median hourly wage: $38.66
- Total employment: 650 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
SritanaN // Shutterstock
27 / 50- Median annual wage: $81,000
- Median hourly wage: $38.94
- Total employment: 430 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
28 / 50- Median annual wage: $81,060
- Median hourly wage: $38.97
- Total employment: 240 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
29 / 50- Median annual wage: $81,710
- Median hourly wage: $39.28
- Total employment: 460 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
pio3 // Shutterstock
30 / 50- Median annual wage: $86,080
- Median hourly wage: $41.39
- Total employment: 1,620 people (3.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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Canva
31 / 50- Median annual wage: $86,320
- Median hourly wage: $41.50
- Total employment: 260 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
32 / 50- Median annual wage: $87,070
- Median hourly wage: $41.86
- Total employment: 210 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Canva
33 / 50- Median annual wage: $87,710
- Median hourly wage: $42.17
- Total employment: 140 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
34 / 50- Median annual wage: $87,730
- Median hourly wage: $42.18
- Total employment: 660 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
35 / 50- Median annual wage: $90,000
- Median hourly wage: $43.27
- Total employment: Not available
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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socrates471 // Shutterstock
36 / 50- Median annual wage: $90,420
- Median hourly wage: $43.47
- Total employment: 310 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
37 / 50- Median annual wage: $92,000
- Median hourly wage: $44.23
- Total employment: 200 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
4 PM production // Shutterstock
38 / 50- Median annual wage: $92,020
- Median hourly wage: $44.24
- Total employment: 2,040 people (4.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
39 / 50- Median annual wage: $93,780
- Median hourly wage: $45.09
- Total employment: 130 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
sculpies // Shutterstock
40 / 50- Median annual wage: $94,550
- Median hourly wage: $45.46
- Total employment: 2,220 people (5.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
41 / 50- Median annual wage: $97,960
- Median hourly wage: $47.10
- Total employment: 90 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Canva
42 / 50- Median annual wage: $98,730
- Median hourly wage: $47.47
- Total employment: 2,740 people (6.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
Canva
43 / 50- Median annual wage: $102,750
- Median hourly wage: $49.40
- Total employment: 1,040 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
goodluz // Shutterstock
44 / 50- Median annual wage: $103,280
- Median hourly wage: $49.65
- Total employment: 300 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
michaeljung // Shutterstock
45 / 50- Median annual wage: $104,740
- Median hourly wage: $50.36
- Total employment: 340 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
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Prath // Shutterstock
46 / 50- Median annual wage: $107,740
- Median hourly wage: $51.80
- Total employment: 350 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Canva
47 / 50- Median annual wage: $113,040
- Median hourly wage: $54.34
- Total employment: 200 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50- Median annual wage: $117,180
- Median hourly wage: $56.34
- Total employment: 350 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Canva
49 / 50- Median annual wage: $137,810
- Median hourly wage: $66.25
- Total employment: 250 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
Canva
50 / 50- Median annual wage: $142,010
- Median hourly wage: $68.27
- Total employment: 440 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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