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1 / 50#50. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $62,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.96
- Total employment: 430 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Kansas City 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 Kansas City 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#48. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel (tie)
- Median annual wage: $62,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.01
- Total employment: 8,950 people (8.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $62,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.01
- Total employment: 3,770 people (3.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,680
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 2,830 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $62,830
- Median hourly wage: $30.21
- Total employment: 4,730 people (4.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nikita M production // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $62,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.27
- Total employment: 190 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Guiderom // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Rail car repairers
- Median annual wage: $62,990
- Median hourly wage: $30.28
- Total employment: 80 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $63,050
- Median hourly wage: $30.31
- Total employment: 4,560 people (4.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Bus drivers, transit and intercity
- Median annual wage: $63,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.45
- Total employment: 650 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $63,480
- Median hourly wage: $30.52
- Total employment: 3,430 people (3.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $63,570
- Median hourly wage: $30.56
- Total employment: 760 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $63,720
- Median hourly wage: $30.64
- Total employment: 1,500 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Fortish // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters
- Median annual wage: $63,970
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $64,210
- Median hourly wage: $30.87
- Total employment: 1,110 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $65,190
- Median hourly wage: $31.34
- Total employment: 2,140 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $65,320
- Median hourly wage: $31.40
- Total employment: 9,460 people (8.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorgev // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $66,140
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 390 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $68,290
- Median hourly wage: $32.83
- Total employment: 11,250 people (10.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Personal service managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $69,790
- Median hourly wage: $33.55
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
M2020 // Shutterstock
20 / 50#30. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $70,520
- Median hourly wage: $33.91
- Total employment: 610 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Brickmasons and blockmasons (tie)
- Median annual wage: $70,520
- Median hourly wage: $33.91
- Total employment: 600 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $70,870
- Median hourly wage: $34.07
- Total employment: 270 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SGr // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Machine feeders and offbearers
- Median annual wage: $71,910
- Median hourly wage: $34.57
- Total employment: 410 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $72,260
- Median hourly wage: $34.74
- Total employment: 170 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Hearing aid specialists
- Median annual wage: $72,590
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 140 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $72,600
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 3,300 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Washburn HM // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $73,180
- Median hourly wage: $35.18
- Total employment: 80 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $73,550
- Median hourly wage: $35.36
- Total employment: 4,510 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $74,100
- Median hourly wage: $35.62
- Total employment: 5,260 people (4.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $74,560
- Median hourly wage: $35.85
- Total employment: 4,920 people (4.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jat306 // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $75,870
- Median hourly wage: $36.48
- Total employment: 920 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $76,130
- Median hourly wage: $36.60
- Total employment: 140 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Airfield operations specialists
- Median annual wage: $76,190
- Median hourly wage: $36.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $77,690
- Median hourly wage: $37.35
- Total employment: 3,850 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $78,410
- Median hourly wage: $37.70
- Total employment: 3,190 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $79,550
- Median hourly wage: $38.25
- Total employment: 850 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $79,800
- Median hourly wage: $38.37
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $81,500
- Median hourly wage: $39.19
- Total employment: 1,310 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $81,810
- Median hourly wage: $39.33
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
HannaTor // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Gambling managers
- Median annual wage: $81,830
- Median hourly wage: $39.34
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DenisKlimov // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $82,800
- Median hourly wage: $39.81
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $83,580
- Median hourly wage: $40.18
- Total employment: 5,200 people (4.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Said M // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Service unit operators, oil and gas
- Median annual wage: $88,880
- Median hourly wage: $42.73
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $90,180
- Median hourly wage: $43.36
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $91,620
- Median hourly wage: $44.05
- Total employment: 820 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $91,810
- Median hourly wage: $44.14
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $97,880
- Median hourly wage: $47.06
- Total employment: 1,360 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $100,130
- Median hourly wage: $48.14
- Total employment: 920 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $101,480
- Median hourly wage: $48.79
- Total employment: 1,230 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $121,960
- Median hourly wage: $58.64
- Total employment: 240 people (0.22 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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