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1 / 50#50. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $46,020
- Median hourly wage: $22.12
- Total employment: 300 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Houma 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 Houma 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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manine99 // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $46,280
- Median hourly wage: $22.25
- Total employment: 50 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Painters, construction and maintenance
- Median annual wage: $46,800
- Median hourly wage: $22.50
- Total employment: 470 people (5.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $47,010
- Median hourly wage: $22.60
- Total employment: 70 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $47,470
- Median hourly wage: $22.82
- Total employment: 180 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $48,030
- Median hourly wage: $23.09
- Total employment: 360 people (4.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $48,040
- Median hourly wage: $23.10
- Total employment: 310 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
flywish // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Median annual wage: $48,180
- Median hourly wage: $23.16
- Total employment: 410 people (5.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $48,340
- Median hourly wage: $23.24
- Total employment: 150 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $48,710
- Median hourly wage: $23.42
- Total employment: 230 people (2.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $49,500
- Median hourly wage: $23.80
- Total employment: 470 people (5.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kardasov Films // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Sailors and marine oilers
- Median annual wage: $49,510
- Median hourly wage: $23.80
- Total employment: 2,330 people (28.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $49,920
- Median hourly wage: $24.00
- Total employment: 90 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $50,000
- Median hourly wage: $24.04
- Total employment: 410 people (5.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $50,280
- Median hourly wage: $24.17
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $52,430
- Median hourly wage: $25.21
- Total employment: 60 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $52,460
- Median hourly wage: $25.22
- Total employment: Not available
adriaticfoto // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Miscellaneous construction and related workers
- Median annual wage: $52,660
- Median hourly wage: $25.32
- Total employment: 140 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $52,920
- Median hourly wage: $25.44
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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welcomia // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $52,950
- Median hourly wage: $25.46
- Total employment: 420 people (5.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $52,960
- Median hourly wage: $25.46
- Total employment: 60 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $53,930
- Median hourly wage: $25.93
- Total employment: 280 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $53,940
- Median hourly wage: $25.93
- Total employment: 530 people (6.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $54,060
- Median hourly wage: $25.99
- Total employment: 200 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $54,080
- Median hourly wage: $26.00
- Total employment: 820 people (9.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $54,890
- Median hourly wage: $26.39
- Total employment: 640 people (7.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $54,950
- Median hourly wage: $26.42
- Total employment: 510 people (6.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $55,380
- Median hourly wage: $26.63
- Total employment: 170 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $55,580
- Median hourly wage: $26.72
- Total employment: 1,440 people (17.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $57,560
- Median hourly wage: $27.67
- Total employment: 550 people (6.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $57,680
- Median hourly wage: $27.73
- Total employment: 160 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
33 / 50#17. Sheet metal workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $57,810
- Median hourly wage: $27.79
- Total employment: 40 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Tank car, truck, and ship loaders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $57,810
- Median hourly wage: $27.79
- Total employment: 80 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $58,570
- Median hourly wage: $28.16
- Total employment: 60 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $59,190
- Median hourly wage: $28.46
- Total employment: 150 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $59,490
- Median hourly wage: $28.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rezoff // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Plant and system operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $60,200
- Median hourly wage: $28.94
- Total employment: 50 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Said M // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Service unit operators, oil and gas
- Median annual wage: $60,700
- Median hourly wage: $29.19
- Total employment: 1,030 people (12.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $62,510
- Median hourly wage: $30.05
- Total employment: 310 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $62,700
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 30 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $62,710
- Median hourly wage: $30.15
- Total employment: 420 people (5.12 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: $64,680
- Median hourly wage: $31.10
- Total employment: 730 people (8.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $65,560
- Median hourly wage: $31.52
- Total employment: 680 people (8.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $70,940
- Median hourly wage: $34.10
- Total employment: 490 people (5.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $72,500
- Median hourly wage: $34.86
- Total employment: 50 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $74,500
- Median hourly wage: $35.82
- Total employment: 550 people (6.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $75,680
- Median hourly wage: $36.38
- Total employment: 60 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers
- Median annual wage: $76,460
- Median hourly wage: $36.76
- Total employment: 60 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $105,540
- Median hourly wage: $50.74
- Total employment: 110 people (1.3 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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