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1 / 50#50. Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $46,840
- Median hourly wage: $22.52
- Total employment: 50 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Niles 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 Niles 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. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $46,870
- Median hourly wage: $22.53
- Total employment: 90 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Construction laborers
- Median annual wage: $46,960
- Median hourly wage: $22.58
- Total employment: 310 people (5.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $47,530
- Median hourly wage: $22.85
- Total employment: 80 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $47,570
- Median hourly wage: $22.87
- Total employment: 50 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $48,120
- Median hourly wage: $23.14
- Total employment: 100 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $48,140
- Median hourly wage: $23.14
- Total employment: 40 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $48,160
- Median hourly wage: $23.15
- Total employment: 520 people (8.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Umomos // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $48,770
- Median hourly wage: $23.45
- Total employment: 140 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorgev // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $49,390
- Median hourly wage: $23.75
- Total employment: 80 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $49,450
- Median hourly wage: $23.77
- Total employment: 60 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $50,230
- Median hourly wage: $24.15
- Total employment: 260 people (4.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $50,310
- Median hourly wage: $24.19
- Total employment: 60 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $52,370
- Median hourly wage: $25.18
- Total employment: 200 people (3.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
flywish // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Median annual wage: $52,530
- Median hourly wage: $25.25
- Total employment: 130 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $53,980
- Median hourly wage: $25.95
- Total employment: 150 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $54,170
- Median hourly wage: $26.04
- Total employment: 170 people (2.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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18 / 50#33. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $54,390
- Median hourly wage: $26.15
- Total employment: 100 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $56,980
- Median hourly wage: $27.40
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $57,270
- Median hourly wage: $27.53
- Total employment: 30 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $57,430
- Median hourly wage: $27.61
- Total employment: 70 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 70 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $57,550
- Median hourly wage: $27.67
- Total employment: 90 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $57,710
- Median hourly wage: $27.74
- Total employment: 210 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $57,770
- Median hourly wage: $27.77
- Total employment: 100 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $58,120
- Median hourly wage: $27.94
- Total employment: 60 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $58,570
- Median hourly wage: $28.16
- Total employment: 180 people (2.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $59,140
- Median hourly wage: $28.43
- Total employment: 90 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $59,290
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 80 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $59,680
- Median hourly wage: $28.69
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 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: $59,730
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: 80 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $59,740
- Median hourly wage: $28.72
- Total employment: 210 people (3.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $60,140
- Median hourly wage: $28.91
- Total employment: 90 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $60,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.02
- Total employment: 60 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $61,370
- Median hourly wage: $29.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $61,560
- Median hourly wage: $29.60
- Total employment: 420 people (7.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $61,720
- Median hourly wage: $29.67
- Total employment: 310 people (5.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $62,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.98
- Total employment: 90 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $62,620
- Median hourly wage: $30.11
- Total employment: 450 people (7.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $64,130
- Median hourly wage: $30.83
- Total employment: 130 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $66,850
- Median hourly wage: $32.14
- Total employment: 50 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $66,910
- Median hourly wage: $32.17
- Total employment: 530 people (8.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $69,890
- Median hourly wage: $33.60
- Total employment: 340 people (5.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $71,450
- Median hourly wage: $34.35
- Total employment: 210 people (3.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $72,550
- Median hourly wage: $34.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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sculpies // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $75,550
- Median hourly wage: $36.32
- Total employment: 170 people (2.82 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: $75,940
- Median hourly wage: $36.51
- Total employment: 290 people (4.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $96,690
- Median hourly wage: $46.49
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $97,050
- Median hourly wage: $46.66
- Total employment: 70 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $133,360
- Median hourly wage: $64.11
- Total employment: 130 people (2.19 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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