Fusionstudio // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Median annual wage: $44,560
- Median hourly wage: $21.43
- Total employment: 200 people (3.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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. Information and record clerks, all other
- Median annual wage: $44,800
- Median hourly wage: $21.54
- Total employment: 80 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $45,050
- Median hourly wage: $21.66
- Total employment: 390 people (7.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $45,120
- Median hourly wage: $21.69
- Total employment: 150 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $45,760
- Median hourly wage: $22.00
- Total employment: 60 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $45,930
- Median hourly wage: $22.08
- Total employment: 380 people (7.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Construction laborers
- Median annual wage: $46,110
- Median hourly wage: $22.17
- Total employment: 290 people (5.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $46,190
- Median hourly wage: $22.21
- Total employment: 50 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $46,540
- Median hourly wage: $22.38
- Total employment: 120 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $46,780
- Median hourly wage: $22.49
- Total employment: 460 people (8.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $46,900
- Median hourly wage: $22.55
- Total employment: 70 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $47,120
- Median hourly wage: $22.65
- Total employment: 30 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $47,140
- Median hourly wage: $22.66
- Total employment: 50 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $48,200
- Median hourly wage: $23.17
- Total employment: 160 people (3.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Glenn Highcove // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Median annual wage: $48,210
- Median hourly wage: $23.18
- Total employment: 170 people (3.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $48,300
- Median hourly wage: $23.22
- Total employment: 70 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $48,850
- Median hourly wage: $23.48
- Total employment: 200 people (3.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Median annual wage: $48,950
- Median hourly wage: $23.53
- Total employment: 70 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Median annual wage: $49,060
- Median hourly wage: $23.59
- Total employment: 80 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $50,420
- Median hourly wage: $24.24
- Total employment: 100 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $50,820
- Median hourly wage: $24.43
- Total employment: 60 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $50,890
- Median hourly wage: $24.47
- Total employment: 70 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $51,890
- Median hourly wage: $24.95
- Total employment: 70 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $53,430
- Median hourly wage: $25.69
- Total employment: 220 people (4.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $55,570
- Median hourly wage: $26.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $55,680
- Median hourly wage: $26.77
- Total employment: 90 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $56,060
- Median hourly wage: $26.95
- Total employment: 40 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $56,780
- Median hourly wage: $27.30
- Total employment: 140 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $57,600
- Median hourly wage: $27.69
- Total employment: 150 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $58,980
- Median hourly wage: $28.36
- Total employment: 60 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $59,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 120 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $59,470
- Median hourly wage: $28.59
- Total employment: 50 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $60,100
- Median hourly wage: $28.90
- Total employment: 110 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.47
- Total employment: 100 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $61,640
- Median hourly wage: $29.64
- Total employment: 400 people (7.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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pio3 // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $62,090
- Median hourly wage: $29.85
- Total employment: 190 people (3.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $62,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 160 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $64,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.98
- Total employment: 130 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $64,500
- Median hourly wage: $31.01
- Total employment: 100 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $65,190
- Median hourly wage: $31.34
- Total employment: 120 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $69,420
- Median hourly wage: $33.37
- Total employment: 30 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $71,430
- Median hourly wage: $34.34
- Total employment: 330 people (6.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $72,820
- Median hourly wage: $35.01
- Total employment: 180 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $73,620
- Median hourly wage: $35.40
- Total employment: 300 people (5.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $76,130
- Median hourly wage: $36.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $76,210
- Median hourly wage: $36.64
- Total employment: 230 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $77,630
- Median hourly wage: $37.32
- Total employment: 220 people (4.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $96,470
- Median hourly wage: $46.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $100,480
- Median hourly wage: $48.31
- Total employment: 80 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $105,350
- Median hourly wage: $50.65
- Total employment: 30 people (0.6 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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