Highest-paying jobs in Champaign 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 Champaign 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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Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Maintenance and repair workers, general

- Median annual wage: $51,980
- Median hourly wage: $24.99
- Total employment: 1,400 people (13.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DC Studio // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

- Median annual wage: $52,050
- Median hourly wage: $25.02
- Total employment: 100 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

3 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $52,920
- Median hourly wage: $25.44
- Total employment: 50 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. First-line supervisors of personal service workers

- Median annual wage: $53,460
- Median hourly wage: $25.70
- Total employment: 40 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $53,890
- Median hourly wage: $25.91
- Total employment: 80 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $54,120
- Median hourly wage: $26.02
- Total employment: 70 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Construction laborers

- Median annual wage: $55,740
- Median hourly wage: $26.80
- Total employment: 460 people (4.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $56,690
- Median hourly wage: $27.26
- Total employment: 130 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 240 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

brizmaker // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Roofers

- Median annual wage: $58,460
- Median hourly wage: $28.11
- Total employment: 80 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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fizkes // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $58,470
- Median hourly wage: $28.11
- Total employment: 90 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $58,640
- Median hourly wage: $28.19
- Total employment: 270 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $59,030
- Median hourly wage: $28.38
- Total employment: 190 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

14 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,110
- Median hourly wage: $28.42
- Total employment: 350 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $59,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 70 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

- Median annual wage: $60,430
- Median hourly wage: $29.05
- Total employment: 520 people (4.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,530
- Median hourly wage: $29.10
- Total employment: 90 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $61,210
- Median hourly wage: $29.43
- Total employment: 80 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $62,160
- Median hourly wage: $29.88
- Total employment: 330 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,220
- Median hourly wage: $29.91
- Total employment: 510 people (4.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $63,370
- Median hourly wage: $30.47
- Total employment: 180 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $64,630
- Median hourly wage: $31.07
- Total employment: 110 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,760
- Median hourly wage: $31.14
- Total employment: 700 people (6.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Bus drivers, transit and intercity

- Median annual wage: $65,160
- Median hourly wage: $31.33
- Total employment: 260 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $65,270
- Median hourly wage: $31.38
- Total employment: 380 people (3.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.96
- Total employment: 220 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $66,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.99
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $67,210
- Median hourly wage: $32.31
- Total employment: 70 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,660
- Median hourly wage: $33.01
- Total employment: 520 people (4.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,360
- Median hourly wage: $33.35
- Total employment: 50 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $70,890
- Median hourly wage: $34.08
- Total employment: 230 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $71,400
- Median hourly wage: $34.33
- Total employment: 60 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $73,480
- Median hourly wage: $35.33
- Total employment: 50 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,730
- Median hourly wage: $36.41
- Total employment: 330 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $77,100
- Median hourly wage: $37.07
- Total employment: 380 people (3.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $78,520
- Median hourly wage: $37.75
- Total employment: 140 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $78,830
- Median hourly wage: $37.90
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Fusionstudio // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,830
- Median hourly wage: $38.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Painters, construction and maintenance

- Median annual wage: $79,960
- Median hourly wage: $38.44
- Total employment: 190 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $80,290
- Median hourly wage: $38.60
- Total employment: 30 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $87,670
- Median hourly wage: $42.15
- Total employment: 350 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $91,390
- Median hourly wage: $43.94
- Total employment: 450 people (4.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $92,410
- Median hourly wage: $44.43
- Total employment: 160 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $92,470
- Median hourly wage: $44.46
- Total employment: 390 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $92,540
- Median hourly wage: $44.49
- Total employment: 90 people (0.9 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: $95,180
- Median hourly wage: $45.76
- Total employment: 120 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

M2020 // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $98,730
- Median hourly wage: $47.47
- Total employment: 40 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $103,520
- Median hourly wage: $49.77
- Total employment: 60 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $104,200
- Median hourly wage: $50.10
- Total employment: 60 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $108,550
- Median hourly wage: $52.19
- Total employment: 90 people (0.86 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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