Highest-paying jobs in Grand Forks 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 Grand Forks 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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Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Loan interviewers and clerks

- Median annual wage: $51,410
- Median hourly wage: $24.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $51,500
- Median hourly wage: $24.76
- Total employment: 150 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lee Charlie // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Court, municipal, and license clerks

- Median annual wage: $51,800
- Median hourly wage: $24.91
- Total employment: 60 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Production workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $52,020
- Median hourly wage: $25.01
- Total employment: 90 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Office and administrative support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $52,390
- Median hourly wage: $25.19
- Total employment: 140 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $53,530
- Median hourly wage: $25.73
- Total employment: 50 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $54,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.09
- Total employment: 120 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Community health workers

- Median annual wage: $54,340
- Median hourly wage: $26.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LightField Studios // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Bus drivers, school

- Median annual wage: $54,480
- Median hourly wage: $26.19
- Total employment: 90 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $54,950
- Median hourly wage: $26.42
- Total employment: 60 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

New Africa // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers

- Median annual wage: $55,370
- Median hourly wage: $26.62
- Total employment: 60 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $55,640
- Median hourly wage: $26.75
- Total employment: 40 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $56,240
- Median hourly wage: $27.04
- Total employment: 150 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $56,380
- Median hourly wage: $27.10
- Total employment: 350 people (6.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $56,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.16
- Total employment: 90 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

- Median annual wage: $56,980
- Median hourly wage: $27.39
- Total employment: 50 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,320
- Median hourly wage: $27.56
- Total employment: 30 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $57,640
- Median hourly wage: $27.71
- Total employment: 30 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,760
- Median hourly wage: $27.77
- Total employment: 70 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $58,510
- Median hourly wage: $28.13
- Total employment: 30 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $58,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.15
- Total employment: 110 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $58,650
- Median hourly wage: $28.20
- Total employment: 100 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,970
- Median hourly wage: $28.83
- Total employment: 190 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $60,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.01
- Total employment: 130 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $60,800
- Median hourly wage: $29.23
- Total employment: 420 people (8.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,550
- Median hourly wage: $29.59
- Total employment: 80 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $61,720
- Median hourly wage: $29.67
- Total employment: 220 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $62,370
- Median hourly wage: $29.99
- Total employment: 70 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,180
- Median hourly wage: $30.38
- Total employment: 260 people (4.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $63,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.48
- Total employment: 180 people (3.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $63,520
- Median hourly wage: $30.54
- Total employment: 40 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $63,870
- Median hourly wage: $30.71
- Total employment: Not available

SritanaN // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $64,170
- Median hourly wage: $30.85
- Total employment: 130 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $64,180
- Median hourly wage: $30.86
- Total employment: 110 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $64,790
- Median hourly wage: $31.15
- Total employment: 40 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $64,940
- Median hourly wage: $31.22
- Total employment: 120 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $66,310
- Median hourly wage: $31.88
- Total employment: 290 people (5.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $66,840
- Median hourly wage: $32.14
- Total employment: 80 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $67,970
- Median hourly wage: $32.68
- Total employment: 50 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,980
- Median hourly wage: $33.65
- Total employment: 410 people (8.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Vera Larina // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $70,200
- Median hourly wage: $33.75
- Total employment: 100 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $72,350
- Median hourly wage: $34.79
- Total employment: 250 people (4.94 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: $73,110
- Median hourly wage: $35.15
- Total employment: 240 people (4.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $76,010
- Median hourly wage: $36.54
- Total employment: 150 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,540
- Median hourly wage: $37.28
- Total employment: 260 people (5.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,730
- Median hourly wage: $37.85
- Total employment: 210 people (4.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $86,240
- Median hourly wage: $41.46
- Total employment: 60 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $96,890
- Median hourly wage: $46.58
- Total employment: 50 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $99,830
- Median hourly wage: $48.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $117,810
- Median hourly wage: $56.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.86 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.