Highest-paying jobs in Waterloo 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 Waterloo 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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Virrage Images // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

- Median annual wage: $51,010
- Median hourly wage: $24.52
- Total employment: 160 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Maintenance and repair workers, general

- Median annual wage: $51,200
- Median hourly wage: $24.62
- Total employment: 920 people (10.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Umomos // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $51,460
- Median hourly wage: $24.74
- Total employment: 80 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $51,560
- Median hourly wage: $24.79
- Total employment: 160 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

encierro // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals

- Median annual wage: $51,840
- Median hourly wage: $24.92
- Total employment: 40 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ibnu alias // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $51,950
- Median hourly wage: $24.97
- Total employment: 40 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

mahc // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Tile and stone setters

- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $53,130
- Median hourly wage: $25.55
- Total employment: 310 people (3.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

9 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $53,980
- Median hourly wage: $25.95
- Total employment: 70 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Painters, construction and maintenance

- Median annual wage: $54,150
- Median hourly wage: $26.03
- Total employment: 100 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $54,280
- Median hourly wage: $26.10
- Total employment: 190 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $54,730
- Median hourly wage: $26.31
- Total employment: 70 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $55,990
- Median hourly wage: $26.92
- Total employment: 120 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $56,500
- Median hourly wage: $27.16
- Total employment: 200 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $56,730
- Median hourly wage: $27.27
- Total employment: 190 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,790
- Median hourly wage: $27.30
- Total employment: 180 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,820
- Median hourly wage: $27.32
- Total employment: 330 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#32. Cement masons and concrete finishers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $56,890
- Median hourly wage: $27.35
- Total employment: 80 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Highway maintenance workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $56,890
- Median hourly wage: $27.35
- Total employment: 150 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $57,710
- Median hourly wage: $27.75
- Total employment: 210 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $57,750
- Median hourly wage: $27.77
- Total employment: 200 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,830
- Median hourly wage: $27.81
- Total employment: 500 people (5.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.86
- Total employment: 270 people (3.21 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: $58,000
- Median hourly wage: $27.89
- Total employment: 70 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $58,890
- Median hourly wage: $28.31
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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welcomia // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $59,400
- Median hourly wage: $28.56
- Total employment: 80 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Steve Hamann // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners

- Median annual wage: $59,420
- Median hourly wage: $28.57
- Total employment: 80 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $59,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $60,420
- Median hourly wage: $29.05
- Total employment: 240 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 50 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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fizkes // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $60,750
- Median hourly wage: $29.21
- Total employment: 40 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $61,620
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 70 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $62,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.98
- Total employment: 90 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#16. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $62,860
- Median hourly wage: $30.22
- Total employment: 110 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products (tie)

- Median annual wage: $62,860
- Median hourly wage: $30.22
- Total employment: 730 people (8.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $63,460
- Median hourly wage: $30.51
- Total employment: 180 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $63,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 310 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $64,040
- Median hourly wage: $30.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $64,700
- Median hourly wage: $31.11
- Total employment: 370 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $68,440
- Median hourly wage: $32.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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michaeljung // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $70,080
- Median hourly wage: $33.69
- Total employment: 30 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,420
- Median hourly wage: $36.26
- Total employment: 580 people (6.76 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: $76,010
- Median hourly wage: $36.55
- Total employment: 440 people (5.14 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: $83,500
- Median hourly wage: $40.14
- Total employment: 330 people (3.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $84,130
- Median hourly wage: $40.45
- Total employment: 420 people (4.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $84,660
- Median hourly wage: $40.70
- Total employment: 100 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $84,730
- Median hourly wage: $40.74
- Total employment: 300 people (3.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $91,100
- Median hourly wage: $43.80
- Total employment: 140 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $93,600
- Median hourly wage: $45.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $112,310
- Median hourly wage: $53.99
- Total employment: 90 people (1.08 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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