Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Median annual wage: $53,060
- Median hourly wage: $25.51
- Total employment: 120 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Bismarck 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 Bismarck 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. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Median annual wage: $53,120
- Median hourly wage: $25.54
- Total employment: 110 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $53,750
- Median hourly wage: $25.84
- Total employment: 50 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Information and record clerks, all other
- Median annual wage: $53,910
- Median hourly wage: $25.92
- Total employment: 40 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $55,400
- Median hourly wage: $26.64
- Total employment: 560 people (7.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 90 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $57,500
- Median hourly wage: $27.65
- Total employment: 60 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $57,540
- Median hourly wage: $27.66
- Total employment: 50 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $57,810
- Median hourly wage: $27.79
- Total employment: 140 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $57,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.86
- Total employment: 120 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $57,990
- Median hourly wage: $27.88
- Total employment: 120 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chay_Tee // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Tax preparers
- Median annual wage: $58,050
- Median hourly wage: $27.91
- Total employment: 70 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $58,300
- Median hourly wage: $28.03
- Total employment: 380 people (5.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $58,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.23
- Total employment: 160 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
15 / 50#35. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors (tie)
- Median annual wage: $58,740
- Median hourly wage: $28.24
- Total employment: 180 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Painters, construction and maintenance (tie)
- Median annual wage: $58,740
- Median hourly wage: $28.24
- Total employment: 100 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $58,940
- Median hourly wage: $28.34
- Total employment: 160 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $59,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 50 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $59,590
- Median hourly wage: $28.65
- Total employment: 30 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $59,800
- Median hourly wage: $28.75
- Total employment: 370 people (5.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Transportation security screeners
- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 30 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $60,000
- Median hourly wage: $28.85
- Total employment: 330 people (4.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $60,710
- Median hourly wage: $29.19
- Total employment: 90 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $60,720
- Median hourly wage: $29.19
- Total employment: 40 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $61,660
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 500 people (7.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $61,710
- Median hourly wage: $29.67
- Total employment: 130 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $61,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Total employment: 110 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $61,920
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 100 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
chalermphon_tiam // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $62,000
- Median hourly wage: $29.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $62,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 100 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $63,060
- Median hourly wage: $30.32
- Total employment: 230 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $63,070
- Median hourly wage: $30.32
- Total employment: 150 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $63,550
- Median hourly wage: $30.56
- Total employment: 30 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Median annual wage: $63,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $63,900
- Median hourly wage: $30.72
- Total employment: 210 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $64,180
- Median hourly wage: $30.86
- Total employment: 600 people (8.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $64,560
- Median hourly wage: $31.04
- Total employment: 30 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,690
- Median hourly wage: $31.10
- Total employment: 30 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $64,880
- Median hourly wage: $31.19
- Total employment: 190 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $65,310
- Median hourly wage: $31.40
- Total employment: 330 people (4.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials
- Median annual wage: $68,550
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $70,500
- Median hourly wage: $33.90
- Total employment: 280 people (3.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $74,090
- Median hourly wage: $35.62
- Total employment: 150 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $76,700
- Median hourly wage: $36.87
- Total employment: 410 people (5.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $76,830
- Median hourly wage: $36.94
- Total employment: 200 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $77,020
- Median hourly wage: $37.03
- Total employment: 200 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $79,190
- Median hourly wage: $38.07
- Total employment: 230 people (3.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $90,520
- Median hourly wage: $43.52
- Total employment: 80 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $96,910
- Median hourly wage: $46.59
- Total employment: 40 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $97,220
- Median hourly wage: $46.74
- Total employment: 70 people (0.97 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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