A high school diploma gives graduates a leg up in the workforce, even if they don't pursue any further education.
The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that workers over age of 25 with a high school diploma or equivalent earned about 25% more than those without one—$853 a week compared to $682. Diploma holders also faced lower unemployment rates, at 4% in 2022, compared to 5.5% for those who never completed high school.
There are many reasons high-school graduates may choose to not continue on to college—for instance, the cost. Average tuition costs continue to rise, increasing by 1% to 4% last year, depending on the institution type. While higher degrees of education typically pave the way for higher earnings, a college degree isn't necessary for many high-paying jobs. And for many careers, it doesn't make sense to pay to study for years when there are paid apprenticeship or learn-on-the-job programs.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in New Bern for those with a high school diploma or equivalent. Jobs are ranked by their annual median salaries as of May 2022. Jobs without available data for annual pay were excluded from this analysis.
Keep reading to see which jobs in your city pay high school graduates the most.
This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
1 / 50- Median annual wage: $38,000
- Median hourly wage: $18.27
- Total employment: 90 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
2 / 50- Median annual wage: $38,440
- Median hourly wage: $18.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Canva
3 / 50- Median annual wage: $39,360
- Median hourly wage: $18.93
- Total employment: 200 people (4.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
4 / 50- Median annual wage: $39,520
- Median hourly wage: $19.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50- Median annual wage: $39,960
- Median hourly wage: $19.21
- Total employment: 410 people (9.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
6 / 50- Median annual wage: $40,000
- Median hourly wage: $19.23
- Total employment: 120 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
goodluz // Shutterstock
7 / 50- Median annual wage: $40,000
- Median hourly wage: $19.23
- Total employment: Not available
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Canva
8 / 50- Median annual wage: $40,610
- Median hourly wage: $19.53
- Total employment: 150 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50- Median annual wage: $40,630
- Median hourly wage: $19.54
- Total employment: 940 people (21.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
10 / 50- Median annual wage: $41,500
- Median hourly wage: $19.95
- Total employment: 40 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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PHILIPIMAGE // Shutterstock
11 / 50- Median annual wage: $42,240
- Median hourly wage: $20.31
- Total employment: 40 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Prath // Shutterstock
12 / 50- Median annual wage: $43,920
- Median hourly wage: $21.11
- Total employment: 50 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
13 / 50- Median annual wage: $44,080
- Median hourly wage: $21.19
- Total employment: 40 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Canva
14 / 50- Median annual wage: $44,400
- Median hourly wage: $21.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Stokkete // Shutterstock
15 / 50- Median annual wage: $44,530
- Median hourly wage: $21.41
- Total employment: 70 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
16 / 50- Median annual wage: $45,220
- Median hourly wage: $21.74
- Total employment: 110 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
17 / 50- Median annual wage: $45,440
- Median hourly wage: $21.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
pio3 // Shutterstock
18 / 50- Median annual wage: $46,710
- Median hourly wage: $22.46
- Total employment: 340 people (7.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
19 / 50- Median annual wage: $46,920
- Median hourly wage: $22.56
- Total employment: 80 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Canva
20 / 50- Median annual wage: $47,060
- Median hourly wage: $22.63
- Total employment: 110 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
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Canva
21 / 50- Median annual wage: $48,780
- Median hourly wage: $23.45
- Total employment: 90 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
22 / 50- Median annual wage: $49,000
- Median hourly wage: $23.56
- Total employment: 360 people (8.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
23 / 50- Median annual wage: $49,190
- Median hourly wage: $23.65
- Total employment: 30 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
24 / 50- Median annual wage: $49,980
- Median hourly wage: $24.03
- Total employment: 140 people (3.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Kot500 // Shutterstock
25 / 50- Median annual wage: $50,180
- Median hourly wage: $24.13
- Total employment: 60 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
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G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
26 / 50- Median annual wage: $50,240
- Median hourly wage: $24.15
- Total employment: 220 people (4.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
27 / 50- Median annual wage: $52,080
- Median hourly wage: $25.04
- Total employment: 200 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
28 / 50- Median annual wage: $52,200
- Median hourly wage: $25.10
- Total employment: 190 people (4.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Alba_alioth // Shutterstock
29 / 50- Median annual wage: $53,350
- Median hourly wage: $25.65
- Total employment: 110 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
30 / 50- Median annual wage: $54,830
- Median hourly wage: $26.36
- Total employment: 110 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
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rlat // Shutterstock
31 / 50- Median annual wage: $56,200
- Median hourly wage: $27.02
- Total employment: 30 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
welcomia // Shutterstock
32 / 50- Median annual wage: $57,000
- Median hourly wage: $27.40
- Total employment: 40 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
33 / 50- Median annual wage: $57,080
- Median hourly wage: $27.44
- Total employment: 80 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
34 / 50- Median annual wage: $57,550
- Median hourly wage: $27.67
- Total employment: 290 people (6.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
sculpies // Shutterstock
35 / 50- Median annual wage: $57,790
- Median hourly wage: $27.79
- Total employment: 210 people (4.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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Canva
36 / 50- Median annual wage: $58,450
- Median hourly wage: $28.10
- Total employment: 180 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
37 / 50- Median annual wage: $59,560
- Median hourly wage: $28.64
- Total employment: 120 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Canva
38 / 50- Median annual wage: $60,100
- Median hourly wage: $28.90
- Total employment: 60 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
39 / 50- Median annual wage: $60,670
- Median hourly wage: $29.17
- Total employment: 50 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
40 / 50- Median annual wage: $60,960
- Median hourly wage: $29.31
- Total employment: 30 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
41 / 50- Median annual wage: $61,420
- Median hourly wage: $29.53
- Total employment: 200 people (4.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Canva
42 / 50- Median annual wage: $61,650
- Median hourly wage: $29.64
- Total employment: 150 people (3.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
SritanaN // Shutterstock
43 / 50- Median annual wage: $62,670
- Median hourly wage: $30.13
- Total employment: 130 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
44 / 50- Median annual wage: $65,190
- Median hourly wage: $31.34
- Total employment: 150 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
45 / 50- Median annual wage: $66,790
- Median hourly wage: $32.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
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4 PM production // Shutterstock
46 / 50- Median annual wage: $67,860
- Median hourly wage: $32.63
- Total employment: 190 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Canva
47 / 50- Median annual wage: $68,290
- Median hourly wage: $32.83
- Total employment: 70 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
48 / 50- Median annual wage: $72,740
- Median hourly wage: $34.97
- Total employment: 70 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
49 / 50- Median annual wage: $75,370
- Median hourly wage: $36.24
- Total employment: 50 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
goodluz // Shutterstock
50 / 50- Median annual wage: $93,890
- Median hourly wage: $45.14
- Total employment: 40 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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