Highest-paying jobs in Cape Girardeau 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 Cape Girardeau 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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1 / 50

#50. Bus drivers, school

- Median annual wage: $41,130
- Median hourly wage: $19.77
- Total employment: 60 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Fusionstudio // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks

- Median annual wage: $41,180
- Median hourly wage: $19.80
- Total employment: 130 people (2.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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3 / 50

#48. Security guards

- Median annual wage: $41,500
- Median hourly wage: $19.95
- Total employment: 160 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Efired // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Bill and account collectors

- Median annual wage: $42,420
- Median hourly wage: $20.39
- Total employment: 50 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $42,700
- Median hourly wage: $20.53
- Total employment: 60 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

- Median annual wage: $43,760
- Median hourly wage: $21.04
- Total employment: 350 people (7.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $44,030
- Median hourly wage: $21.17
- Total employment: 40 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Mirnes // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $44,370
- Median hourly wage: $21.33
- Total employment: 120 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

9 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $45,000
- Median hourly wage: $21.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $46,020
- Median hourly wage: $22.13
- Total employment: 90 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $46,110
- Median hourly wage: $22.17
- Total employment: 50 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $47,320
- Median hourly wage: $22.75
- Total employment: 100 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Maintenance and repair workers, general

- Median annual wage: $47,580
- Median hourly wage: $22.88
- Total employment: 470 people (10.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $48,220
- Median hourly wage: $23.18
- Total employment: 50 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $48,440
- Median hourly wage: $23.29
- Total employment: 110 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $48,450
- Median hourly wage: $23.29
- Total employment: 60 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DC Studio // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

- Median annual wage: $48,600
- Median hourly wage: $23.36
- Total employment: 70 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $48,620
- Median hourly wage: $23.37
- Total employment: 30 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $49,070
- Median hourly wage: $23.59
- Total employment: 140 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $51,280
- Median hourly wage: $24.65
- Total employment: 400 people (9.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $51,670
- Median hourly wage: $24.84
- Total employment: 180 people (3.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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22 / 50

#29. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $51,680
- Median hourly wage: $24.85
- Total employment: 70 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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23 / 50

#28. Construction laborers

- Median annual wage: $55,430
- Median hourly wage: $26.65
- Total employment: 210 people (4.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $56,120
- Median hourly wage: $26.98
- Total employment: 60 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

#26. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining

- Median annual wage: $56,200
- Median hourly wage: $27.02
- Total employment: 70 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $56,270
- Median hourly wage: $27.05
- Total employment: 150 people (3.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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27 / 50

#24. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $56,320
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 60 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $56,440
- Median hourly wage: $27.14
- Total employment: 50 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $57,590
- Median hourly wage: $27.69
- Total employment: 110 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,750
- Median hourly wage: $27.76
- Total employment: 120 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $57,820
- Median hourly wage: $27.80
- Total employment: Not available

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32 / 50

#19. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $58,160
- Median hourly wage: $27.96
- Total employment: 140 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Painters, construction and maintenance

- Median annual wage: $58,210
- Median hourly wage: $27.99
- Total employment: 90 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,030
- Median hourly wage: $28.38
- Total employment: 340 people (7.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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35 / 50

#16. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $60,020
- Median hourly wage: $28.86
- Total employment: 70 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 170 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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37 / 50

#14. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $62,100
- Median hourly wage: $29.86
- Total employment: 210 people (4.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $62,180
- Median hourly wage: $29.89
- Total employment: 50 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $62,500
- Median hourly wage: $30.05
- Total employment: 130 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,550
- Median hourly wage: $30.55
- Total employment: 240 people (5.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

#10. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $63,740
- Median hourly wage: $30.65
- Total employment: 110 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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42 / 50

#9. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $64,960
- Median hourly wage: $31.23
- Total employment: 50 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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43 / 50

#8. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $65,360
- Median hourly wage: $31.43
- Total employment: 130 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $66,680
- Median hourly wage: $32.06
- Total employment: 70 people (1.46 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: $71,300
- Median hourly wage: $34.28
- Total employment: 40 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,160
- Median hourly wage: $34.69
- Total employment: 170 people (3.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $75,800
- Median hourly wage: $36.44
- Total employment: 50 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,400
- Median hourly wage: $38.65
- Total employment: 150 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $97,140
- Median hourly wage: $46.70
- Total employment: 50 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $101,000
- Median hourly wage: $48.56
- Total employment: 40 people (0.87 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.