Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $49,180
- Median hourly wage: $23.64
- Total employment: 330 people (6.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Lewiston, Maine 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 Lewiston 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.
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in the Lewiston, Maine metro area
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $49,420
- Median hourly wage: $23.76
- Total employment: 100 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $49,690
- Median hourly wage: $23.89
- Total employment: 60 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
brizmaker // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Roofers
- Median annual wage: $50,560
- Median hourly wage: $24.31
- Total employment: 160 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Median annual wage: $50,650
- Median hourly wage: $24.35
- Total employment: 50 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated campgrounds in the Lewiston, Maine area by visitors
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $50,870
- Median hourly wage: $24.46
- Total employment: 100 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Glenn Highcove // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Median annual wage: $51,400
- Median hourly wage: $24.71
- Total employment: 440 people (9.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $51,510
- Median hourly wage: $24.77
- Total employment: 40 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $51,670
- Median hourly wage: $24.84
- Total employment: 80 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $52,510
- Median hourly wage: $25.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated barbecue restaurants in the Lewiston, Maine area by diners
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $52,790
- Median hourly wage: $25.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Financial clerks, all other
- Median annual wage: $52,920
- Median hourly wage: $25.44
- Total employment: Not available
Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Median annual wage: $53,040
- Median hourly wage: $25.50
- Total employment: 40 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Bus drivers, transit and intercity
- Median annual wage: $53,180
- Median hourly wage: $25.57
- Total employment: 70 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $53,620
- Median hourly wage: $25.78
- Total employment: 140 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated delis in Lewiston, Maine by diners
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Median annual wage: $53,870
- Median hourly wage: $25.90
- Total employment: 120 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $54,250
- Median hourly wage: $26.08
- Total employment: 40 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $54,700
- Median hourly wage: $26.30
- Total employment: 60 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $55,120
- Median hourly wage: $26.50
- Total employment: 240 people (5.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $55,840
- Median hourly wage: $26.84
- Total employment: 90 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying computer and engineering jobs in Lewiston, Maine
Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $56,070
- Median hourly wage: $26.96
- Total employment: 100 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $56,960
- Median hourly wage: $27.39
- Total employment: 50 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $57,840
- Median hourly wage: $27.81
- Total employment: 70 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 120 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $58,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.15
- Total employment: 130 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Lewiston, Maine that require a graduate degree
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Cargo and freight agents
- Median annual wage: $58,920
- Median hourly wage: $28.33
- Total employment: 30 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $58,930
- Median hourly wage: $28.33
- Total employment: 140 people (2.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $59,300
- Median hourly wage: $28.51
- Total employment: 50 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $59,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $60,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.01
- Total employment: 40 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated campgrounds in the Lewiston, Maine area by visitors
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $61,090
- Median hourly wage: $29.37
- Total employment: 150 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $61,910
- Median hourly wage: $29.76
- Total employment: 130 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $62,200
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 240 people (5.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $62,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.99
- Total employment: 150 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 70 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: The 30 most popular homes for sale in Lewiston, Maine
LuckView // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $62,760
- Median hourly wage: $30.17
- Total employment: 60 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $63,830
- Median hourly wage: $30.69
- Total employment: 370 people (7.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $65,630
- Median hourly wage: $31.55
- Total employment: 200 people (4.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $65,790
- Median hourly wage: $31.63
- Total employment: 410 people (8.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $66,250
- Median hourly wage: $31.85
- Total employment: 50 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Lewiston, Maine that require a graduate degree
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $67,500
- Median hourly wage: $32.45
- Total employment: 270 people (5.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $69,180
- Median hourly wage: $33.26
- Total employment: 140 people (2.87 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: $74,160
- Median hourly wage: $35.65
- Total employment: 100 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $75,990
- Median hourly wage: $36.54
- Total employment: 330 people (6.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $77,600
- Median hourly wage: $37.31
- Total employment: 190 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Lewiston, Maine in the last week
sculpies // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $78,580
- Median hourly wage: $37.78
- Total employment: 250 people (5.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $81,900
- Median hourly wage: $39.38
- Total employment: 60 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $87,530
- Median hourly wage: $42.08
- Total employment: 40 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $94,280
- Median hourly wage: $45.33
- Total employment: 40 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $103,030
- Median hourly wage: $49.54
- Total employment: 30 people (0.71 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.
You may also like: Highest-rated cheap eats in Lewiston, Maine by diners
