Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
1 / 50#49. Chemical equipment operators and tenders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $63,140
- Median hourly wage: $30.36
- Total employment: 410 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Albany 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 Albany 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. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $63,140
- Median hourly wage: $30.36
- Total employment: 850 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $63,170
- Median hourly wage: $30.37
- Total employment: 1,570 people (3.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Media and communication workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $63,700
- Median hourly wage: $30.63
- Total employment: 60 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
5 / 50#45. Machinists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $64,080
- Median hourly wage: $30.81
- Total employment: 560 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Surveying and mapping technicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: $64,080
- Median hourly wage: $30.81
- Total employment: 100 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
brizmaker // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Roofers
- Median annual wage: $64,290
- Median hourly wage: $30.91
- Total employment: 390 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Median annual wage: $64,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.96
- Total employment: 80 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $64,680
- Median hourly wage: $31.10
- Total employment: 340 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $65,300
- Median hourly wage: $31.40
- Total employment: 2,900 people (6.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $65,640
- Median hourly wage: $31.56
- Total employment: 260 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
mariakray // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Traffic technicians
- Median annual wage: $66,030
- Median hourly wage: $31.75
- Total employment: 110 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nikita M production // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $66,640
- Median hourly wage: $32.04
- Total employment: 80 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $67,310
- Median hourly wage: $32.36
- Total employment: 370 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $68,110
- Median hourly wage: $32.74
- Total employment: 2,790 people (6.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $68,660
- Median hourly wage: $33.01
- Total employment: 170 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Advertising sales agents
- Median annual wage: $69,910
- Median hourly wage: $33.61
- Total employment: 300 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $70,060
- Median hourly wage: $33.68
- Total employment: 500 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $70,070
- Median hourly wage: $33.69
- Total employment: 4,260 people (9.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $70,310
- Median hourly wage: $33.80
- Total employment: 870 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $71,450
- Median hourly wage: $34.35
- Total employment: 1,030 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $72,420
- Median hourly wage: $34.82
- Total employment: 3,220 people (7.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $72,820
- Median hourly wage: $35.01
- Total employment: 1,660 people (3.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $74,980
- Median hourly wage: $36.05
- Total employment: 70 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $75,060
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 140 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $75,400
- Median hourly wage: $36.25
- Total employment: 1,420 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Washburn HM // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $75,690
- Median hourly wage: $36.39
- Total employment: 70 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $75,830
- Median hourly wage: $36.46
- Total employment: 1,040 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $76,020
- Median hourly wage: $36.55
- Total employment: 450 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $76,900
- Median hourly wage: $36.97
- Total employment: 400 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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pio3 // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $77,380
- Median hourly wage: $37.20
- Total employment: 2,100 people (4.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ITisha // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Bailiffs
- Median annual wage: $78,010
- Median hourly wage: $37.51
- Total employment: 170 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $78,810
- Median hourly wage: $37.89
- Total employment: 290 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jat306 // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $79,890
- Median hourly wage: $38.41
- Total employment: 50 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $80,340
- Median hourly wage: $38.63
- Total employment: 1,570 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $82,030
- Median hourly wage: $39.44
- Total employment: 1,330 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $82,190
- Median hourly wage: $39.51
- Total employment: 1,360 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
muratart // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Pipelayers
- Median annual wage: $82,280
- Median hourly wage: $39.56
- Total employment: 30 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $82,800
- Median hourly wage: $39.81
- Total employment: 1,930 people (4.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $82,850
- Median hourly wage: $39.83
- Total employment: 150 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BearFotos // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $84,640
- Median hourly wage: $40.69
- Total employment: 80 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $87,500
- Median hourly wage: $42.07
- Total employment: 600 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $93,060
- Median hourly wage: $44.74
- Total employment: 60 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: $94,330
- Median hourly wage: $45.35
- Total employment: 690 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $101,090
- Median hourly wage: $48.60
- Total employment: 200 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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goodluz // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $104,270
- Median hourly wage: $50.13
- Total employment: 420 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $104,330
- Median hourly wage: $50.16
- Total employment: 360 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $106,110
- Median hourly wage: $51.01
- Total employment: 880 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $106,320
- Median hourly wage: $51.12
- Total employment: 190 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $118,150
- Median hourly wage: $56.80
- Total employment: 650 people (1.47 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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