Highest-paying jobs in Syracuse 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 Syracuse 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.

manine99 // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $62,010
- Median hourly wage: $29.81
- Total employment: 170 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,150
- Median hourly wage: $29.88
- Total employment: 1,750 people (5.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $62,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.97
- Total employment: 680 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rido // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Opticians, dispensing

- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 170 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $62,680
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 280 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $62,750
- Median hourly wage: $30.17
- Total employment: 700 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vadim Ratnikov // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Earth drillers, except oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $62,910
- Median hourly wage: $30.25
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $63,020
- Median hourly wage: $30.30
- Total employment: 390 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $63,550
- Median hourly wage: $30.56
- Total employment: 260 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,640
- Median hourly wage: $30.60
- Total employment: 1,260 people (4.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $63,800
- Median hourly wage: $30.67
- Total employment: 140 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $63,900
- Median hourly wage: $30.72
- Total employment: 330 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $64,680
- Median hourly wage: $31.10
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $64,940
- Median hourly wage: $31.22
- Total employment: 330 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $65,060
- Median hourly wage: $31.28
- Total employment: 910 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $65,210
- Median hourly wage: $31.35
- Total employment: 70 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $67,190
- Median hourly wage: $32.30
- Total employment: 110 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Private detectives and investigators

- Median annual wage: $69,120
- Median hourly wage: $33.23
- Total employment: 60 people (0.19 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: $70,960
- Median hourly wage: $34.11
- Total employment: 2,600 people (8.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $71,650
- Median hourly wage: $34.45
- Total employment: 840 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $72,310
- Median hourly wage: $34.77
- Total employment: 1,040 people (3.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $72,490
- Median hourly wage: $34.85
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $72,910
- Median hourly wage: $35.06
- Total employment: 450 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

muratart // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $74,700
- Median hourly wage: $35.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,740
- Median hourly wage: $35.93
- Total employment: 2,260 people (7.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Insulation workers, mechanical

- Median annual wage: $75,170
- Median hourly wage: $36.14
- Total employment: 110 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $75,730
- Median hourly wage: $36.41
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,780
- Median hourly wage: $36.44
- Total employment: 260 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,840
- Median hourly wage: $36.94
- Total employment: 1,320 people (4.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,020
- Median hourly wage: $37.03
- Total employment: 1,150 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $77,120
- Median hourly wage: $37.08
- Total employment: 180 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $77,320
- Median hourly wage: $37.17
- Total employment: 1,980 people (6.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $77,560
- Median hourly wage: $37.29
- Total employment: 1,770 people (6.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $78,190
- Median hourly wage: $37.59
- Total employment: 30 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Bailiffs

- Median annual wage: $78,230
- Median hourly wage: $37.61
- Total employment: 80 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,670
- Median hourly wage: $37.82
- Total employment: 1,150 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $79,420
- Median hourly wage: $38.18
- Total employment: 670 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $80,720
- Median hourly wage: $38.81
- Total employment: 80 people (0.26 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: $82,440
- Median hourly wage: $39.63
- Total employment: 170 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $85,760
- Median hourly wage: $41.23
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $91,590
- Median hourly wage: $44.03
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $93,020
- Median hourly wage: $44.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $95,020
- Median hourly wage: $45.68
- Total employment: 480 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $95,370
- Median hourly wage: $45.85
- Total employment: 270 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $95,550
- Median hourly wage: $45.94
- Total employment: 300 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $96,210
- Median hourly wage: $46.26
- Total employment: 260 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $101,930
- Median hourly wage: $49.01
- Total employment: 370 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $102,400
- Median hourly wage: $49.23
- Total employment: 260 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $119,990
- Median hourly wage: $57.69
- Total employment: 120 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $120,630
- Median hourly wage: $57.99
- Total employment: 290 people (0.99 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.