Highest-paying jobs in Cedar Rapids 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 Cedar Rapids 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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DC Studio // Shutterstock

1 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,290
- Median hourly wage: $27.06
- Total employment: 170 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,310
- Median hourly wage: $27.56
- Total employment: 150 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

3 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 120 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $57,510
- Median hourly wage: $27.65
- Total employment: 510 people (3.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,730
- Median hourly wage: $27.76
- Total employment: 330 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 320 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining

- Median annual wage: $59,030
- Median hourly wage: $28.38
- Total employment: 50 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,240
- Median hourly wage: $28.96
- Total employment: 60 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $60,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 330 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,770
- Median hourly wage: $29.22
- Total employment: 630 people (4.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $60,790
- Median hourly wage: $29.22
- Total employment: 120 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $60,830
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 480 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $60,870
- Median hourly wage: $29.27
- Total employment: 480 people (3.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $61,010
- Median hourly wage: $29.33
- Total employment: 320 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,440
- Median hourly wage: $29.54
- Total employment: 90 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $61,530
- Median hourly wage: $29.58
- Total employment: 70 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chay_Tee // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Tax preparers

- Median annual wage: $61,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Total employment: Not available

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $62,240
- Median hourly wage: $29.92
- Total employment: 120 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitreel // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Food batchmakers

- Median annual wage: $62,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.98
- Total employment: 510 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,620
- Median hourly wage: $30.11
- Total employment: 770 people (5.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#28. Crane and tower operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $62,640
- Median hourly wage: $30.12
- Total employment: 30 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nikita M production // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders (tie)

- Median annual wage: $62,640
- Median hourly wage: $30.12
- Total employment: Not available

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $63,000
- Median hourly wage: $30.29
- Total employment: 140 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.49
- Total employment: 930 people (6.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

- Median annual wage: $63,710
- Median hourly wage: $30.63
- Total employment: 30 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $64,050
- Median hourly wage: $30.79
- Total employment: 60 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $64,220
- Median hourly wage: $30.88
- Total employment: 130 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,240
- Median hourly wage: $30.89
- Total employment: 1,540 people (11.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Steve Hamann // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners

- Median annual wage: $64,320
- Median hourly wage: $30.92
- Total employment: 60 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $64,730
- Median hourly wage: $31.12
- Total employment: 80 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DuxX // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $65,570
- Median hourly wage: $31.53
- Total employment: 1,080 people (7.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $66,760
- Median hourly wage: $32.09
- Total employment: 80 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $66,820
- Median hourly wage: $32.12
- Total employment: 30 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $66,850
- Median hourly wage: $32.14
- Total employment: 290 people (2.1 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: $69,630
- Median hourly wage: $33.48
- Total employment: 830 people (5.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $73,610
- Median hourly wage: $35.39
- Total employment: 490 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $74,250
- Median hourly wage: $35.70
- Total employment: 450 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $74,540
- Median hourly wage: $35.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $75,140
- Median hourly wage: $36.13
- Total employment: 190 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $76,150
- Median hourly wage: $36.61
- Total employment: 510 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,460
- Median hourly wage: $37.72
- Total employment: 220 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $78,680
- Median hourly wage: $37.83
- Total employment: 870 people (6.24 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: $79,570
- Median hourly wage: $38.26
- Total employment: 510 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,760
- Median hourly wage: $38.83
- Total employment: 1,230 people (8.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

RossHelen // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $80,910
- Median hourly wage: $38.90
- Total employment: 280 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $98,870
- Median hourly wage: $47.54
- Total employment: 200 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $99,340
- Median hourly wage: $47.76
- Total employment: 110 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $101,520
- Median hourly wage: $48.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $109,910
- Median hourly wage: $52.84
- Total employment: 120 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.