Highest-paying jobs in Akron 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 Akron 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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BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $56,970
- Median hourly wage: $27.39
- Total employment: 860 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,050
- Median hourly wage: $27.43
- Total employment: 530 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

adriaticfoto // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Miscellaneous construction and related workers

- Median annual wage: $57,840
- Median hourly wage: $27.81
- Total employment: 100 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Aleksandar Malivuk // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Mechanical door repairers

- Median annual wage: $58,630
- Median hourly wage: $28.19
- Total employment: 100 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $58,710
- Median hourly wage: $28.23
- Total employment: 90 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorgev // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $58,880
- Median hourly wage: $28.31
- Total employment: 110 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $59,170
- Median hourly wage: $28.45
- Total employment: 560 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $59,180
- Median hourly wage: $28.45
- Total employment: 250 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

brizmaker // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Roofers

- Median annual wage: $59,510
- Median hourly wage: $28.61
- Total employment: 310 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $59,700
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 790 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $59,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: 60 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $60,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.98
- Total employment: 1,450 people (4.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Glaziers

- Median annual wage: $60,370
- Median hourly wage: $29.02
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,510
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $60,690
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 700 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $60,710
- Median hourly wage: $29.19
- Total employment: 850 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $61,150
- Median hourly wage: $29.40
- Total employment: 270 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Recreational vehicle service technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,210
- Median hourly wage: $29.43
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $61,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.51
- Total employment: 200 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $61,560
- Median hourly wage: $29.60
- Total employment: 900 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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welcomia // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,160
- Median hourly wage: $29.89
- Total employment: 440 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $62,540
- Median hourly wage: $30.07
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,720
- Median hourly wage: $30.15
- Total employment: 2,600 people (8.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Insulation workers, mechanical

- Median annual wage: $62,980
- Median hourly wage: $30.28
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,000
- Median hourly wage: $30.29
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $63,210
- Median hourly wage: $30.39
- Total employment: 310 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $63,500
- Median hourly wage: $30.53
- Total employment: 990 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $63,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.62
- Total employment: 160 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $64,360
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 650 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.98
- Total employment: 1,630 people (5.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Hearing aid specialists

- Median annual wage: $64,870
- Median hourly wage: $31.19
- Total employment: 30 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $65,420
- Median hourly wage: $31.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $66,580
- Median hourly wage: $32.01
- Total employment: 160 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $66,790
- Median hourly wage: $32.11
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,710
- Median hourly wage: $32.56
- Total employment: 1,780 people (5.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Vera Larina // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $71,510
- Median hourly wage: $34.38
- Total employment: 510 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $71,820
- Median hourly wage: $34.53
- Total employment: 260 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $72,280
- Median hourly wage: $34.75
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,630
- Median hourly wage: $34.92
- Total employment: 4,080 people (12.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $73,900
- Median hourly wage: $35.53
- Total employment: 120 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $74,470
- Median hourly wage: $35.80
- Total employment: 1,430 people (4.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,020
- Median hourly wage: $36.07
- Total employment: 1,190 people (3.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $75,540
- Median hourly wage: $36.32
- Total employment: 1,660 people (5.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Photostriker // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other

- Median annual wage: $75,970
- Median hourly wage: $36.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,820
- Median hourly wage: $37.41
- Total employment: 90 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,890
- Median hourly wage: $37.93
- Total employment: 1,350 people (4.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,020
- Median hourly wage: $37.99
- Total employment: 450 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $97,570
- Median hourly wage: $46.91
- Total employment: 620 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $98,140
- Median hourly wage: $47.18
- Total employment: 320 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $98,440
- Median hourly wage: $47.33
- Total employment: 190 people (0.6 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.