Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $62,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.97
- Total employment: 330 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Portland, 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 Portland 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. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $62,620
- Median hourly wage: $30.11
- Total employment: 70 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GolF2532 // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $62,660
- Median hourly wage: $30.13
- Total employment: 120 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $62,830
- Median hourly wage: $30.21
- Total employment: 740 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $62,860
- Median hourly wage: $30.22
- Total employment: 520 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $62,940
- Median hourly wage: $30.26
- Total employment: 1,000 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $63,150
- Median hourly wage: $30.36
- Total employment: 1,030 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman023_photography // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Riggers
- Median annual wage: $63,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.45
- Total employment: 280 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $63,470
- Median hourly wage: $30.52
- Total employment: 710 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PHILIPIMAGE // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $63,530
- Median hourly wage: $30.54
- Total employment: 110 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Syda Productions // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $63,700
- Median hourly wage: $30.63
- Total employment: 1,340 people (4.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $63,870
- Median hourly wage: $30.71
- Total employment: 590 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $64,330
- Median hourly wage: $30.93
- Total employment: 1,070 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $64,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.98
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $64,500
- Median hourly wage: $31.01
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Tree trimmers and pruners
- Median annual wage: $64,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.06
- Total employment: Not available
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $65,040
- Median hourly wage: $31.27
- Total employment: 650 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $65,160
- Median hourly wage: $31.33
- Total employment: 360 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Bus drivers, transit and intercity
- Median annual wage: $65,310
- Median hourly wage: $31.40
- Total employment: 140 people (0.51 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: $65,350
- Median hourly wage: $31.42
- Total employment: 400 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $65,640
- Median hourly wage: $31.56
- Total employment: 1,730 people (6.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $65,990
- Median hourly wage: $31.73
- Total employment: 1,340 people (4.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $66,020
- Median hourly wage: $31.74
- Total employment: 460 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $67,230
- Median hourly wage: $32.32
- Total employment: 2,400 people (8.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Transportation security screeners
- Median annual wage: $67,720
- Median hourly wage: $32.56
- Total employment: 80 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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LStockStudio // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Brokerage clerks
- Median annual wage: $67,730
- Median hourly wage: $32.56
- Total employment: 60 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $69,550
- Median hourly wage: $33.44
- Total employment: 790 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $69,580
- Median hourly wage: $33.45
- Total employment: 320 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $69,860
- Median hourly wage: $33.59
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $69,950
- Median hourly wage: $33.63
- Total employment: 1,780 people (6.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SritanaN // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $70,940
- Median hourly wage: $34.10
- Total employment: 610 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $72,970
- Median hourly wage: $35.08
- Total employment: 80 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $73,310
- Median hourly wage: $35.24
- Total employment: 180 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
mahc // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Tile and stone setters
- Median annual wage: $73,640
- Median hourly wage: $35.40
- Total employment: Not available
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $75,080
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 270 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $76,680
- Median hourly wage: $36.87
- Total employment: 1,490 people (5.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $78,360
- Median hourly wage: $37.67
- Total employment: 180 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $78,570
- Median hourly wage: $37.78
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $79,520
- Median hourly wage: $38.23
- Total employment: 1,520 people (5.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $80,160
- Median hourly wage: $38.54
- Total employment: 820 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $80,330
- Median hourly wage: $38.62
- Total employment: 1,220 people (4.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $81,950
- Median hourly wage: $39.40
- Total employment: 40 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ITisha // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Bailiffs
- Median annual wage: $86,240
- Median hourly wage: $41.46
- Total employment: 100 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $91,330
- Median hourly wage: $43.91
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $91,450
- Median hourly wage: $43.97
- Total employment: 450 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $93,430
- Median hourly wage: $44.92
- Total employment: 190 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $99,480
- Median hourly wage: $47.83
- Total employment: 140 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $100,320
- Median hourly wage: $48.23
- Total employment: 170 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $103,820
- Median hourly wage: $49.92
- Total employment: 220 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $146,830
- Median hourly wage: $70.59
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 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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