David Pereiras // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Psychiatric aides
- Median annual wage: $52,250
- Median hourly wage: $25.12
- Total employment: 80 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Binghamton 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 Binghamton 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. Construction laborers
- Median annual wage: $52,460
- Median hourly wage: $25.22
- Total employment: 640 people (6.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $52,830
- Median hourly wage: $25.40
- Total employment: 110 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $53,130
- Median hourly wage: $25.54
- Total employment: 160 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $54,070
- Median hourly wage: $25.99
- Total employment: 140 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $54,240
- Median hourly wage: $26.08
- Total employment: 100 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Median annual wage: $55,120
- Median hourly wage: $26.50
- Total employment: 110 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $55,390
- Median hourly wage: $26.63
- Total employment: 290 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $55,410
- Median hourly wage: $26.64
- Total employment: 440 people (4.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $57,430
- Median hourly wage: $27.61
- Total employment: 380 people (3.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $57,600
- Median hourly wage: $27.69
- Total employment: 250 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $57,980
- Median hourly wage: $27.88
- Total employment: 50 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitreel // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $58,650
- Median hourly wage: $28.20
- Total employment: 70 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
14 / 50#36. Cement masons and concrete finishers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $58,710
- Median hourly wage: $28.23
- Total employment: 80 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Insurance sales agents (tie)
- Median annual wage: $58,710
- Median hourly wage: $28.23
- Total employment: 130 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $59,160
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 60 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $59,330
- Median hourly wage: $28.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $59,530
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 90 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $60,910
- Median hourly wage: $29.29
- Total employment: 80 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
brizmaker // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Roofers
- Median annual wage: $61,240
- Median hourly wage: $29.44
- Total employment: 70 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $61,790
- Median hourly wage: $29.71
- Total employment: 100 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $62,010
- Median hourly wage: $29.81
- Total employment: 70 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 70 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Advertising sales agents
- Median annual wage: $62,810
- Median hourly wage: $30.20
- Total employment: 50 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $62,830
- Median hourly wage: $30.21
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $62,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.27
- Total employment: 400 people (4.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $63,040
- Median hourly wage: $30.31
- Total employment: 40 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $65,930
- Median hourly wage: $31.70
- Total employment: 120 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $66,890
- Median hourly wage: $32.16
- Total employment: 110 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $67,130
- Median hourly wage: $32.28
- Total employment: 250 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $67,630
- Median hourly wage: $32.52
- Total employment: 60 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $67,980
- Median hourly wage: $32.68
- Total employment: 260 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $68,150
- Median hourly wage: $32.77
- Total employment: 790 people (8.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $68,200
- Median hourly wage: $32.79
- Total employment: 590 people (6.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $69,010
- Median hourly wage: $33.18
- Total employment: 730 people (7.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $71,930
- Median hourly wage: $34.58
- Total employment: 340 people (3.57 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: $73,090
- Median hourly wage: $35.14
- Total employment: 320 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $73,740
- Median hourly wage: $35.45
- Total employment: 270 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ITisha // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Bailiffs
- Median annual wage: $74,870
- Median hourly wage: $35.99
- Total employment: 40 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $75,280
- Median hourly wage: $36.19
- Total employment: 40 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $78,470
- Median hourly wage: $37.73
- Total employment: 360 people (3.78 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: $78,580
- Median hourly wage: $37.78
- Total employment: 390 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $79,840
- Median hourly wage: $38.39
- Total employment: 450 people (4.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $82,220
- Median hourly wage: $39.53
- Total employment: 320 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $83,270
- Median hourly wage: $40.03
- Total employment: 90 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $85,170
- Median hourly wage: $40.95
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $92,680
- Median hourly wage: $44.56
- Total employment: 80 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $98,920
- Median hourly wage: $47.56
- Total employment: 90 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $112,140
- Median hourly wage: $53.91
- Total employment: 80 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $123,580
- Median hourly wage: $59.41
- Total employment: 90 people (0.91 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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