Highest-paying jobs in Trenton 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 Trenton 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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BearFotos // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $60,900
- Median hourly wage: $29.28
- Total employment: 200 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lucky Business // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors

- Median annual wage: $61,040
- Median hourly wage: $29.35
- Total employment: 490 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $61,570
- Median hourly wage: $29.60
- Total employment: 130 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LightField Studios // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Bus drivers, school

- Median annual wage: $62,250
- Median hourly wage: $29.93
- Total employment: 710 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $62,320
- Median hourly wage: $29.96
- Total employment: 340 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $62,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 520 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Glaziers

- Median annual wage: $62,850
- Median hourly wage: $30.22
- Total employment: 50 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Cargo and freight agents

- Median annual wage: $63,430
- Median hourly wage: $30.49
- Total employment: 40 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rido // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Opticians, dispensing

- Median annual wage: $63,830
- Median hourly wage: $30.69
- Total employment: 90 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $64,170
- Median hourly wage: $30.85
- Total employment: 140 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $64,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LStockStudio // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Brokerage clerks

- Median annual wage: $65,120
- Median hourly wage: $31.31
- Total employment: 260 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lucky Business // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Sales and related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $65,700
- Median hourly wage: $31.59
- Total employment: 130 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $65,770
- Median hourly wage: $31.62
- Total employment: 80 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $66,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.96
- Total employment: 840 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $67,200
- Median hourly wage: $32.31
- Total employment: 310 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,580
- Median hourly wage: $32.49
- Total employment: 900 people (3.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $70,770
- Median hourly wage: $34.02
- Total employment: 130 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $70,870
- Median hourly wage: $34.07
- Total employment: 100 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $71,790
- Median hourly wage: $34.51
- Total employment: 300 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Construction laborers

- Median annual wage: $72,800
- Median hourly wage: $35.00
- Total employment: 960 people (4.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,070
- Median hourly wage: $35.13
- Total employment: 370 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $73,290
- Median hourly wage: $35.24
- Total employment: 350 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $73,470
- Median hourly wage: $35.32
- Total employment: 260 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ramon Espelt Photography // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Home appliance repairers

- Median annual wage: $73,560
- Median hourly wage: $35.36
- Total employment: 60 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $74,710
- Median hourly wage: $35.92
- Total employment: 130 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,390
- Median hourly wage: $36.24
- Total employment: 2,690 people (11.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,790
- Median hourly wage: $36.44
- Total employment: 1,740 people (7.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $76,480
- Median hourly wage: $36.77
- Total employment: 770 people (3.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,160
- Median hourly wage: $37.10
- Total employment: 520 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $77,520
- Median hourly wage: $37.27
- Total employment: 210 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $77,540
- Median hourly wage: $37.28
- Total employment: 320 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $78,870
- Median hourly wage: $37.92
- Total employment: 1,250 people (5.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $79,570
- Median hourly wage: $38.26
- Total employment: 100 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $81,080
- Median hourly wage: $38.98
- Total employment: 920 people (3.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $81,220
- Median hourly wage: $39.05
- Total employment: 710 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kojala // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Artists and related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $83,510
- Median hourly wage: $40.15
- Total employment: 30 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $83,740
- Median hourly wage: $40.26
- Total employment: 1,030 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $83,940
- Median hourly wage: $40.35
- Total employment: 600 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $85,060
- Median hourly wage: $40.89
- Total employment: 650 people (2.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $85,220
- Median hourly wage: $40.97
- Total employment: 30 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

brizmaker // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Roofers

- Median annual wage: $91,920
- Median hourly wage: $44.19
- Total employment: 120 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $96,260
- Median hourly wage: $46.28
- Total employment: 30 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

- Median annual wage: $100,390
- Median hourly wage: $48.26
- Total employment: 480 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $101,010
- Median hourly wage: $48.56
- Total employment: 250 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $102,190
- Median hourly wage: $49.13
- Total employment: 680 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $107,290
- Median hourly wage: $51.58
- Total employment: 420 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $108,730
- Median hourly wage: $52.28
- Total employment: 70 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $128,570
- Median hourly wage: $61.81
- Total employment: 390 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $148,270
- Median hourly wage: $71.29
- Total employment: 250 people (1.03 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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