Highest-paying jobs in Utica 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 Utica 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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1 / 50

#50. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $58,000
- Median hourly wage: $27.89
- Total employment: 30 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Cargo and freight agents

- Median annual wage: $58,180
- Median hourly wage: $27.97
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $58,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.14
- Total employment: 60 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Office and administrative support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $58,920
- Median hourly wage: $28.33
- Total employment: 30 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $59,150
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 50 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,240
- Median hourly wage: $28.48
- Total employment: 400 people (3.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $59,250
- Median hourly wage: $28.49
- Total employment: 110 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $59,310
- Median hourly wage: $28.51
- Total employment: 230 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $59,630
- Median hourly wage: $28.67
- Total employment: 410 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $60,110
- Median hourly wage: $28.90
- Total employment: 110 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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11 / 50

#40. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $60,170
- Median hourly wage: $28.93
- Total employment: 90 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rido // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Opticians, dispensing

- Median annual wage: $60,420
- Median hourly wage: $29.05
- Total employment: 60 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

M2020 // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $60,500
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 80 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

branislavpudar // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Hazardous materials removal workers

- Median annual wage: $60,530
- Median hourly wage: $29.10
- Total employment: 110 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 690 people (5.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $60,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.15
- Total employment: 190 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $60,850
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 180 people (1.57 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: $60,930
- Median hourly wage: $29.29
- Total employment: 50 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $60,960
- Median hourly wage: $29.31
- Total employment: 130 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

#31. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

- Median annual wage: $61,030
- Median hourly wage: $29.34
- Total employment: 30 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $61,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $61,650
- Median hourly wage: $29.64
- Total employment: 240 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

brizmaker // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Roofers

- Median annual wage: $61,850
- Median hourly wage: $29.74
- Total employment: 80 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,710
- Median hourly wage: $30.15
- Total employment: 810 people (6.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $63,130
- Median hourly wage: $30.35
- Total employment: 410 people (3.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,560
- Median hourly wage: $30.56
- Total employment: 1,050 people (8.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $63,810
- Median hourly wage: $30.68
- Total employment: 60 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $64,680
- Median hourly wage: $31.10
- Total employment: 40 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $65,000
- Median hourly wage: $31.25
- Total employment: 150 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $65,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $66,250
- Median hourly wage: $31.85
- Total employment: 500 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,820
- Median hourly wage: $32.12
- Total employment: 440 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Pereiras // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Psychiatric aides

- Median annual wage: $68,180
- Median hourly wage: $32.78
- Total employment: 240 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $68,480
- Median hourly wage: $32.92
- Total employment: 280 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $68,700
- Median hourly wage: $33.03
- Total employment: 1,330 people (11.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $71,000
- Median hourly wage: $34.13
- Total employment: 240 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,720
- Median hourly wage: $34.48
- Total employment: 330 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,200
- Median hourly wage: $35.19
- Total employment: 460 people (3.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,690
- Median hourly wage: $35.43
- Total employment: 540 people (4.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $74,690
- Median hourly wage: $35.91
- Total employment: 40 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $80,410
- Median hourly wage: $38.66
- Total employment: 230 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $88,220
- Median hourly wage: $42.41
- Total employment: 140 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $89,480
- Median hourly wage: $43.02
- Total employment: 130 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $91,830
- Median hourly wage: $44.15
- Total employment: 70 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $91,980
- Median hourly wage: $44.22
- Total employment: 30 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $92,830
- Median hourly wage: $44.63
- Total employment: 110 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $95,810
- Median hourly wage: $46.06
- Total employment: 50 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $96,480
- Median hourly wage: $46.38
- Total employment: 130 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

49 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $97,760
- Median hourly wage: $47.00
- Total employment: 160 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $103,700
- Median hourly wage: $49.86
- Total employment: 100 people (0.83 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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