branislavpudar // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Hazardous materials removal workers
- Median annual wage: $38,970
- Median hourly wage: $18.74
- Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Hattiesburg 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 Hattiesburg 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. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $39,840
- Median hourly wage: $19.15
- Total employment: 170 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alba_alioth // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $40,020
- Median hourly wage: $19.24
- Total employment: 60 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $40,570
- Median hourly wage: $19.51
- Total employment: 50 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $41,190
- Median hourly wage: $19.80
- Total employment: 180 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $41,640
- Median hourly wage: $20.02
- Total employment: 60 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $41,800
- Median hourly wage: $20.09
- Total employment: 210 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $42,540
- Median hourly wage: $20.45
- Total employment: 100 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $42,660
- Median hourly wage: $20.51
- Total employment: 30 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $42,690
- Median hourly wage: $20.53
- Total employment: 480 people (7.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $42,850
- Median hourly wage: $20.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zhanna Kavaliova // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Logging equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $43,870
- Median hourly wage: $21.09
- Total employment: 60 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $44,010
- Median hourly wage: $21.16
- Total employment: 40 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $44,080
- Median hourly wage: $21.19
- Total employment: 40 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $44,910
- Median hourly wage: $21.59
- Total employment: 860 people (13.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $45,650
- Median hourly wage: $21.95
- Total employment: 150 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $46,090
- Median hourly wage: $22.16
- Total employment: 30 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $46,810
- Median hourly wage: $22.51
- Total employment: 170 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $47,110
- Median hourly wage: $22.65
- Total employment: 30 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $47,120
- Median hourly wage: $22.65
- Total employment: 90 people (1.4 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: $47,210
- Median hourly wage: $22.70
- Total employment: 140 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $47,330
- Median hourly wage: $22.76
- Total employment: 220 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $47,850
- Median hourly wage: $23.00
- Total employment: 170 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $47,950
- Median hourly wage: $23.05
- Total employment: 170 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $48,900
- Median hourly wage: $23.51
- Total employment: 90 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $49,200
- Median hourly wage: $23.65
- Total employment: 450 people (7.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $49,600
- Median hourly wage: $23.85
- Total employment: 80 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $49,990
- Median hourly wage: $24.03
- Total employment: 40 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $51,800
- Median hourly wage: $24.91
- Total employment: 240 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $52,050
- Median hourly wage: $25.02
- Total employment: 660 people (10.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $52,210
- Median hourly wage: $25.10
- Total employment: 200 people (3.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $52,750
- Median hourly wage: $25.36
- Total employment: 110 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $55,050
- Median hourly wage: $26.47
- Total employment: 150 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $55,560
- Median hourly wage: $26.71
- Total employment: 130 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $56,080
- Median hourly wage: $26.96
- Total employment: 40 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $56,790
- Median hourly wage: $27.30
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $59,290
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 80 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $59,620
- Median hourly wage: $28.66
- Total employment: 130 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $61,260
- Median hourly wage: $29.45
- Total employment: 100 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $63,250
- Median hourly wage: $30.41
- Total employment: 380 people (6.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $63,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: 380 people (6.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $63,640
- Median hourly wage: $30.60
- Total employment: 50 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $64,990
- Median hourly wage: $31.25
- Total employment: 400 people (6.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $66,150
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 50 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $66,660
- Median hourly wage: $32.05
- Total employment: 30 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $66,880
- Median hourly wage: $32.16
- Total employment: 100 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $69,040
- Median hourly wage: $33.19
- Total employment: 180 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $72,430
- Median hourly wage: $34.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $82,220
- Median hourly wage: $39.53
- Total employment: 30 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $85,900
- Median hourly wage: $41.30
- Total employment: 70 people (1.06 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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