Highest-paying jobs in Elizabethtown 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 Elizabethtown 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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1 / 50

#50. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $43,870
- Median hourly wage: $21.09
- Total employment: 180 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rido // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Opticians, dispensing

- Median annual wage: $44,100
- Median hourly wage: $21.20
- Total employment: 30 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

- Median annual wage: $44,390
- Median hourly wage: $21.34
- Total employment: 100 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $45,030
- Median hourly wage: $21.65
- Total employment: 160 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Loan interviewers and clerks

- Median annual wage: $45,720
- Median hourly wage: $21.98
- Total employment: 160 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Maintenance and repair workers, general

- Median annual wage: $45,850
- Median hourly wage: $22.04
- Total employment: 590 people (11.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $46,110
- Median hourly wage: $22.17
- Total employment: 80 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $46,240
- Median hourly wage: $22.23
- Total employment: 90 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LightField Studios // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Bus drivers, school

- Median annual wage: $46,820
- Median hourly wage: $22.51
- Total employment: 260 people (4.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

- Median annual wage: $47,080
- Median hourly wage: $22.64
- Total employment: 70 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators

- Median annual wage: $47,990
- Median hourly wage: $23.07
- Total employment: 2,300 people (44.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

12 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $48,440
- Median hourly wage: $23.29
- Total employment: 250 people (4.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $48,470
- Median hourly wage: $23.30
- Total employment: 30 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DC Studio // Shutterstock

14 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $48,530
- Median hourly wage: $23.33
- Total employment: 60 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $49,000
- Median hourly wage: $23.56
- Total employment: 50 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Procurement clerks

- Median annual wage: $49,570
- Median hourly wage: $23.83
- Total employment: 70 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $49,620
- Median hourly wage: $23.85
- Total employment: 100 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $49,920
- Median hourly wage: $24.00
- Total employment: 60 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Office and administrative support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $49,980
- Median hourly wage: $24.03
- Total employment: 50 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $50,170
- Median hourly wage: $24.12
- Total employment: 500 people (9.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $50,470
- Median hourly wage: $24.27
- Total employment: 110 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stokkete // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Information and record clerks, all other

- Median annual wage: $50,650
- Median hourly wage: $24.35
- Total employment: 100 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $50,660
- Median hourly wage: $24.36
- Total employment: 120 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $51,970
- Median hourly wage: $24.98
- Total employment: 40 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $53,020
- Median hourly wage: $25.49
- Total employment: 420 people (8.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Healthcare support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $53,910
- Median hourly wage: $25.92
- Total employment: 40 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $55,240
- Median hourly wage: $26.56
- Total employment: 90 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $55,650
- Median hourly wage: $26.75
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,160
- Median hourly wage: $27.00
- Total employment: 420 people (8.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,220
- Median hourly wage: $27.03
- Total employment: 130 people (2.57 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: $56,420
- Median hourly wage: $27.13
- Total employment: 110 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $56,450
- Median hourly wage: $27.14
- Total employment: 140 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $57,290
- Median hourly wage: $27.55
- Total employment: 80 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $57,950
- Median hourly wage: $27.86
- Total employment: 50 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $59,300
- Median hourly wage: $28.51
- Total employment: 220 people (4.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#14. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $60,780
- Median hourly wage: $29.22
- Total employment: 50 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines (tie)

- Median annual wage: $60,780
- Median hourly wage: $29.22
- Total employment: 70 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,170
- Median hourly wage: $29.41
- Total employment: 450 people (8.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $62,170
- Median hourly wage: $29.89
- Total employment: 180 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $64,360
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 30 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

#10. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $65,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.64
- Total employment: 50 people (1.02 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: $65,870
- Median hourly wage: $31.67
- Total employment: 300 people (5.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,310
- Median hourly wage: $32.36
- Total employment: 60 people (1.09 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: $67,530
- Median hourly wage: $32.46
- Total employment: 230 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $72,630
- Median hourly wage: $34.92
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,970
- Median hourly wage: $35.08
- Total employment: 180 people (3.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $75,960
- Median hourly wage: $36.52
- Total employment: 70 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $77,380
- Median hourly wage: $37.20
- Total employment: 60 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $86,900
- Median hourly wage: $41.78
- Total employment: 60 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $92,240
- Median hourly wage: $44.34
- Total employment: 40 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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