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1 / 50#50. Miscellaneous construction and related workers
- Median annual wage: $56,160
- Median hourly wage: $27.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Durham 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 Durham 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. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners
- Median annual wage: $56,320
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 80 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anatoliy_gleb // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Solar photovoltaic installers
- Median annual wage: $56,550
- Median hourly wage: $27.19
- Total employment: 90 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $56,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.34
- Total employment: 90 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Viktoriia Hnatiuk // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Travel agents
- Median annual wage: $57,130
- Median hourly wage: $27.46
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $57,430
- Median hourly wage: $27.61
- Total employment: 190 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services
- Median annual wage: $57,690
- Median hourly wage: $27.73
- Total employment: 200 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $57,700
- Median hourly wage: $27.74
- Total employment: 1,480 people (4.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
9 / 50#41. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $57,820
- Median hourly wage: $27.80
- Total employment: 360 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Payroll and timekeeping clerks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $57,820
- Median hourly wage: $27.80
- Total employment: 300 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $58,290
- Median hourly wage: $28.03
- Total employment: 630 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $58,980
- Median hourly wage: $28.36
- Total employment: 590 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $59,680
- Median hourly wage: $28.69
- Total employment: 130 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $59,840
- Median hourly wage: $28.77
- Total employment: 1,140 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $60,480
- Median hourly wage: $29.08
- Total employment: 60 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $60,520
- Median hourly wage: $29.10
- Total employment: 870 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GolF2532 // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $60,540
- Median hourly wage: $29.11
- Total employment: 60 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 100 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $60,600
- Median hourly wage: $29.14
- Total employment: 560 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $60,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 300 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $60,960
- Median hourly wage: $29.31
- Total employment: 510 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Median annual wage: $61,000
- Median hourly wage: $29.33
- Total employment: 470 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $61,500
- Median hourly wage: $29.57
- Total employment: 590 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $61,920
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 690 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Advertising sales agents
- Median annual wage: $62,010
- Median hourly wage: $29.81
- Total employment: 90 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $62,280
- Median hourly wage: $29.94
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $63,570
- Median hourly wage: $30.56
- Total employment: 1,560 people (4.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $63,800
- Median hourly wage: $30.67
- Total employment: 550 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Median annual wage: $63,970
- Median hourly wage: $30.76
- Total employment: 70 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $64,590
- Median hourly wage: $31.05
- Total employment: 220 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $64,750
- Median hourly wage: $31.13
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $64,910
- Median hourly wage: $31.21
- Total employment: 1,320 people (3.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $65,240
- Median hourly wage: $31.37
- Total employment: 180 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $65,750
- Median hourly wage: $31.61
- Total employment: 380 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $66,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.99
- Total employment: 2,870 people (8.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $67,650
- Median hourly wage: $32.52
- Total employment: 540 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorgev // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $68,850
- Median hourly wage: $33.10
- Total employment: 190 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $69,670
- Median hourly wage: $33.49
- Total employment: 160 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $74,520
- Median hourly wage: $35.83
- Total employment: 1,070 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $75,200
- Median hourly wage: $36.15
- Total employment: 2,910 people (8.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $75,380
- Median hourly wage: $36.24
- Total employment: 390 people (1.12 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: $75,640
- Median hourly wage: $36.36
- Total employment: 1,150 people (3.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $76,930
- Median hourly wage: $36.99
- Total employment: 1,040 people (3.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $85,800
- Median hourly wage: $41.25
- Total employment: 200 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lovely Bird // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $90,090
- Median hourly wage: $43.31
- Total employment: Not available
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Real estate brokers
- Median annual wage: $92,310
- Median hourly wage: $44.38
- Total employment: Not available
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $96,770
- Median hourly wage: $46.52
- Total employment: 220 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $110,190
- Median hourly wage: $52.97
- Total employment: Not available
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $111,470
- Median hourly wage: $53.59
- Total employment: 580 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $123,840
- Median hourly wage: $59.54
- Total employment: 450 people (1.32 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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