Highest-paying jobs in Grand Rapids 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 Grand Rapids 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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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $58,640
- Median hourly wage: $28.19
- Total employment: 950 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Property, real estate, and community association managers

- Median annual wage: $58,910
- Median hourly wage: $28.32
- Total employment: 670 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Bailiffs

- Median annual wage: $58,940
- Median hourly wage: $28.34
- Total employment: 30 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $59,170
- Median hourly wage: $28.45
- Total employment: 3,240 people (5.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $59,430
- Median hourly wage: $28.57
- Total employment: 1,890 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vadim Ratnikov // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Earth drillers, except oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $59,600
- Median hourly wage: $28.66
- Total employment: 80 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $59,630
- Median hourly wage: $28.67
- Total employment: 1,200 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

8 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.78
- Total employment: 2,060 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Photostriker // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other

- Median annual wage: $59,910
- Median hourly wage: $28.80
- Total employment: Not available

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 100 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

- Median annual wage: $60,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.01
- Total employment: 70 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $60,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 580 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,510
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 1,610 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $60,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.15
- Total employment: 1,090 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,370
- Median hourly wage: $29.51
- Total employment: 210 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $62,220
- Median hourly wage: $29.91
- Total employment: 3,350 people (5.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $62,300
- Median hourly wage: $29.95
- Total employment: 1,090 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $62,340
- Median hourly wage: $29.97
- Total employment: 2,980 people (5.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $63,010
- Median hourly wage: $30.29
- Total employment: 440 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $63,200
- Median hourly wage: $30.39
- Total employment: 300 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Radovan1 / Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Plasterers and stucco masons

- Median annual wage: $63,270
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,550
- Median hourly wage: $30.55
- Total employment: 70 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $63,580
- Median hourly wage: $30.57
- Total employment: 300 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $63,610
- Median hourly wage: $30.58
- Total employment: 470 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,830
- Median hourly wage: $30.69
- Total employment: 3,720 people (6.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,010
- Median hourly wage: $30.77
- Total employment: 3,090 people (5.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $64,330
- Median hourly wage: $30.93
- Total employment: 330 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Insulation workers, mechanical

- Median annual wage: $64,590
- Median hourly wage: $31.05
- Total employment: 90 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $65,150
- Median hourly wage: $31.32
- Total employment: 980 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $65,250
- Median hourly wage: $31.37
- Total employment: 1,110 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $65,330
- Median hourly wage: $31.41
- Total employment: 140 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $67,240
- Median hourly wage: $32.33
- Total employment: 280 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,900
- Median hourly wage: $32.65
- Total employment: 5,100 people (9.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

- Median annual wage: $69,410
- Median hourly wage: $33.37
- Total employment: 7,050 people (12.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $71,490
- Median hourly wage: $34.37
- Total employment: 230 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $72,120
- Median hourly wage: $34.67
- Total employment: 1,790 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,130
- Median hourly wage: $36.12
- Total employment: 2,340 people (4.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $75,460
- Median hourly wage: $36.28
- Total employment: 150 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,300
- Median hourly wage: $36.68
- Total employment: 480 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $76,970
- Median hourly wage: $37.01
- Total employment: 600 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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pio3 // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $77,470
- Median hourly wage: $37.24
- Total employment: 1,470 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

- Median annual wage: $78,060
- Median hourly wage: $37.53
- Total employment: 2,320 people (4.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $81,890
- Median hourly wage: $39.37
- Total employment: 230 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $96,740
- Median hourly wage: $46.51
- Total employment: 120 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Gas plant operators

- Median annual wage: $96,900
- Median hourly wage: $46.59
- Total employment: 50 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $96,910
- Median hourly wage: $46.59
- Total employment: 1,030 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $97,770
- Median hourly wage: $47.00
- Total employment: 240 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $100,860
- Median hourly wage: $48.49
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $100,990
- Median hourly wage: $48.55
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $101,550
- Median hourly wage: $48.82
- Total employment: 230 people (0.41 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.