A high school diploma gives graduates a leg up in the workforce, even if they don't pursue any further education.
The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that workers over age of 25 with a high school diploma or equivalent earned about 25% more than those without one—$853 a week compared to $682. Diploma holders also faced lower unemployment rates, at 4% in 2022, compared to 5.5% for those who never completed high school.
There are many reasons high-school graduates may choose to not continue on to college—for instance, the cost. Average tuition costs continue to rise, increasing by 1% to 4% last year, depending on the institution type. While higher degrees of education typically pave the way for higher earnings, a college degree isn't necessary for many high-paying jobs. And for many careers, it doesn't make sense to pay to study for years when there are paid apprenticeship or learn-on-the-job programs.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Ocean City for those with a high school diploma or equivalent. Jobs are ranked by their annual median salaries as of May 2022. Jobs without available data for annual pay were excluded from this analysis.
Keep reading to see which jobs in your city pay high school graduates the most.
This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
1 / 50- Median annual wage: $40,880
- Median hourly wage: $19.66
- Total employment: 110 people (2.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
2 / 50- Median annual wage: $43,680
- Median hourly wage: $21.00
- Total employment: 480 people (12.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
3 / 50- Median annual wage: $44,520
- Median hourly wage: $21.40
- Total employment: 640 people (16.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
4 / 50- Median annual wage: $44,770
- Median hourly wage: $21.53
- Total employment: 100 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
New Africa // Shutterstock
5 / 50- Median annual wage: $45,090
- Median hourly wage: $21.68
- Total employment: 100 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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Chok Chokchai // Shutterstock
6 / 50- Median annual wage: $45,920
- Median hourly wage: $22.08
- Total employment: 30 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
DGLimages // Shutterstock
7 / 50- Median annual wage: $46,830
- Median hourly wage: $22.51
- Total employment: 80 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
8 / 50- Median annual wage: $46,910
- Median hourly wage: $22.55
- Total employment: 30 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
9 / 50- Median annual wage: $46,930
- Median hourly wage: $22.56
- Total employment: 70 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Kzenon // Shutterstock
10 / 50- Median annual wage: $46,930
- Median hourly wage: $22.56
- Total employment: 50 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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fizkes // Shutterstock
11 / 50- Median annual wage: $47,500
- Median hourly wage: $22.84
- Total employment: 70 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50- Median annual wage: $48,810
- Median hourly wage: $23.47
- Total employment: 450 people (11.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Canva
13 / 50- Median annual wage: $48,940
- Median hourly wage: $23.53
- Total employment: 40 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
PHILIPIMAGE // Shutterstock
14 / 50- Median annual wage: $49,110
- Median hourly wage: $23.61
- Total employment: 50 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
15 / 50- Median annual wage: $49,920
- Median hourly wage: $24.00
- Total employment: 170 people (4.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
16 / 50- Median annual wage: $50,600
- Median hourly wage: $24.33
- Total employment: 200 people (4.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
17 / 50- Median annual wage: $50,630
- Median hourly wage: $24.34
- Total employment: 30 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock
18 / 50- Median annual wage: $51,310
- Median hourly wage: $24.67
- Total employment: 170 people (4.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
19 / 50- Median annual wage: $51,990
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
20 / 50- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 90 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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rlat // Shutterstock
21 / 50- Median annual wage: $52,800
- Median hourly wage: $25.39
- Total employment: 50 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
22 / 50- Median annual wage: $53,400
- Median hourly wage: $25.67
- Total employment: 90 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
23 / 50- Median annual wage: $55,500
- Median hourly wage: $26.69
- Total employment: 70 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Canva
24 / 50- Median annual wage: $56,560
- Median hourly wage: $27.19
- Total employment: 330 people (8.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
Canva
25 / 50- Median annual wage: $57,260
- Median hourly wage: $27.53
- Total employment: 50 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
26 / 50- Median annual wage: $57,280
- Median hourly wage: $27.54
- Total employment: 410 people (10.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Kot500 // Shutterstock
27 / 50- Median annual wage: $58,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.29
- Total employment: 70 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Canva
28 / 50- Median annual wage: $59,070
- Median hourly wage: $28.40
- Total employment: 40 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
29 / 50- Median annual wage: $59,560
- Median hourly wage: $28.64
- Total employment: 100 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Canva
30 / 50- Median annual wage: $59,560
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 130 people (3.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
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Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
31 / 50- Median annual wage: $60,210
- Median hourly wage: $28.95
- Total employment: 60 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
32 / 50- Median annual wage: $60,290
- Median hourly wage: $28.99
- Total employment: 80 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Canva
33 / 50- Median annual wage: $60,760
- Median hourly wage: $29.21
- Total employment: 260 people (6.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50- Median annual wage: $61,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.42
- Total employment: 80 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
35 / 50- Median annual wage: $61,680
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 140 people (3.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
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fizkes // Shutterstock
36 / 50- Median annual wage: $61,830
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Total employment: 140 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
SritanaN // Shutterstock
37 / 50- Median annual wage: $62,500
- Median hourly wage: $30.05
- Total employment: 50 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Canva
38 / 50- Median annual wage: $63,810
- Median hourly wage: $30.68
- Total employment: 110 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Canva
39 / 50- Median annual wage: $64,170
- Median hourly wage: $30.85
- Total employment: 60 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
4 PM production // Shutterstock
40 / 50- Median annual wage: $67,340
- Median hourly wage: $32.38
- Total employment: 170 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
41 / 50- Median annual wage: $71,740
- Median hourly wage: $34.49
- Total employment: 120 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
42 / 50- Median annual wage: $72,410
- Median hourly wage: $34.81
- Total employment: 60 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
pio3 // Shutterstock
43 / 50- Median annual wage: $72,610
- Median hourly wage: $34.91
- Total employment: 290 people (7.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
44 / 50- Median annual wage: $74,080
- Median hourly wage: $35.62
- Total employment: 130 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
sculpies // Shutterstock
45 / 50- Median annual wage: $74,860
- Median hourly wage: $35.99
- Total employment: 170 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
46 / 50- Median annual wage: $75,260
- Median hourly wage: $36.18
- Total employment: 190 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50- Median annual wage: $78,020
- Median hourly wage: $37.51
- Total employment: 110 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Prath // Shutterstock
48 / 50- Median annual wage: $83,190
- Median hourly wage: $39.99
- Total employment: 40 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
49 / 50- Median annual wage: $90,510
- Median hourly wage: $43.51
- Total employment: 30 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Canva
50 / 50- Median annual wage: $117,070
- Median hourly wage: $56.28
- Total employment: 60 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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