fizkes // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $61,230
- Median hourly wage: $29.44
- Total employment: 460 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Rochester 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 Rochester 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. Advertising sales agents
- Median annual wage: $61,610
- Median hourly wage: $29.62
- Total employment: 260 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $61,620
- Median hourly wage: $29.62
- Total employment: 460 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Carpet installers
- Median annual wage: $61,670
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 70 people (0.14 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: $61,740
- Median hourly wage: $29.68
- Total employment: 1,570 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $61,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Total employment: 250 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
brizmaker // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Roofers
- Median annual wage: $61,920
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 480 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $62,670
- Median hourly wage: $30.13
- Total employment: 280 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vadim Ratnikov // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Earth drillers, except oil and gas
- Median annual wage: $63,040
- Median hourly wage: $30.31
- Total employment: 70 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorgev // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $63,610
- Median hourly wage: $30.58
- Total employment: 190 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SritanaN // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $63,820
- Median hourly wage: $30.68
- Total employment: 1,270 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
M2020 // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $63,860
- Median hourly wage: $30.70
- Total employment: 210 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $63,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 440 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $64,200
- Median hourly wage: $30.86
- Total employment: 530 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $64,660
- Median hourly wage: $31.09
- Total employment: 1,320 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Bus drivers, transit and intercity
- Median annual wage: $64,680
- Median hourly wage: $31.10
- Total employment: 540 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $66,250
- Median hourly wage: $31.85
- Total employment: 1,360 people (2.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
18 / 50#32. Stationary engineers and boiler operators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $66,260
- Median hourly wage: $31.86
- Total employment: 180 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Brickmasons and blockmasons (tie)
- Median annual wage: $66,260
- Median hourly wage: $31.85
- Total employment: 80 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $66,520
- Median hourly wage: $31.98
- Total employment: 110 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Irene Miller // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $67,290
- Median hourly wage: $32.35
- Total employment: 940 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jat306 // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $68,720
- Median hourly wage: $33.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $68,850
- Median hourly wage: $33.10
- Total employment: 610 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $70,290
- Median hourly wage: $33.79
- Total employment: 3,060 people (6.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Model makers, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $70,980
- Median hourly wage: $34.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $71,520
- Median hourly wage: $34.39
- Total employment: 4,030 people (8.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $71,650
- Median hourly wage: $34.45
- Total employment: 2,710 people (5.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $72,410
- Median hourly wage: $34.81
- Total employment: 1,530 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $72,660
- Median hourly wage: $34.93
- Total employment: 3,980 people (8.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $74,730
- Median hourly wage: $35.93
- Total employment: 2,560 people (5.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $74,910
- Median hourly wage: $36.01
- Total employment: 100 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $75,020
- Median hourly wage: $36.07
- Total employment: 2,250 people (4.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ITisha // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Bailiffs
- Median annual wage: $76,820
- Median hourly wage: $36.93
- Total employment: 120 people (0.24 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: $76,860
- Median hourly wage: $36.95
- Total employment: 1,780 people (3.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $77,740
- Median hourly wage: $37.37
- Total employment: 580 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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michaeljung // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $78,290
- Median hourly wage: $37.64
- Total employment: Not available
sculpies // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $79,410
- Median hourly wage: $38.18
- Total employment: 1,870 people (3.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $85,560
- Median hourly wage: $41.14
- Total employment: 160 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $86,730
- Median hourly wage: $41.70
- Total employment: 130 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman023_photography // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Riggers
- Median annual wage: $91,480
- Median hourly wage: $43.98
- Total employment: 30 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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pio3 // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $91,590
- Median hourly wage: $44.03
- Total employment: 1,860 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $91,930
- Median hourly wage: $44.20
- Total employment: 170 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $94,120
- Median hourly wage: $45.25
- Total employment: 50 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $94,240
- Median hourly wage: $45.31
- Total employment: 400 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $100,560
- Median hourly wage: $48.35
- Total employment: 770 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Washburn HM // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $103,880
- Median hourly wage: $49.94
- Total employment: 40 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $106,370
- Median hourly wage: $51.14
- Total employment: 390 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $107,810
- Median hourly wage: $51.83
- Total employment: 460 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $110,650
- Median hourly wage: $53.20
- Total employment: 440 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $111,480
- Median hourly wage: $53.60
- Total employment: 190 people (0.39 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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