ITisha // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Bailiffs
- Median annual wage: $57,930
- Median hourly wage: $27.85
- Total employment: 110 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Toledo 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 Toledo 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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Kzenon // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Median annual wage: $58,300
- Median hourly wage: $28.03
- Total employment: 70 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $59,070
- Median hourly wage: $28.40
- Total employment: 470 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $59,320
- Median hourly wage: $28.52
- Total employment: 690 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $59,420
- Median hourly wage: $28.57
- Total employment: 690 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Joey Chung // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $59,800
- Median hourly wage: $28.75
- Total employment: 1,520 people (5.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 200 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $60,270
- Median hourly wage: $28.98
- Total employment: 1,430 people (4.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $60,440
- Median hourly wage: $29.06
- Total employment: 780 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chok Chokchai // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $60,690
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 70 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Irene Miller // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $61,440
- Median hourly wage: $29.54
- Total employment: 750 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 130 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $61,770
- Median hourly wage: $29.70
- Total employment: 90 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Hearing aid specialists
- Median annual wage: $61,790
- Median hourly wage: $29.71
- Total employment: 30 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $62,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 150 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $62,500
- Median hourly wage: $30.05
- Total employment: 1,020 people (3.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GolF2532 // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $62,520
- Median hourly wage: $30.06
- Total employment: 80 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $62,990
- Median hourly wage: $30.29
- Total employment: 460 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $63,010
- Median hourly wage: $30.29
- Total employment: 660 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $63,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.43
- Total employment: 1,370 people (4.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Chemical plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $63,660
- Median hourly wage: $30.61
- Total employment: Not available
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $63,730
- Median hourly wage: $30.64
- Total employment: 2,190 people (7.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,060
- Median hourly wage: $30.80
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Fusionstudio // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles
- Median annual wage: $64,150
- Median hourly wage: $30.84
- Total employment: 160 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Glaziers
- Median annual wage: $64,950
- Median hourly wage: $31.22
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $65,070
- Median hourly wage: $31.28
- Total employment: 760 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $65,350
- Median hourly wage: $31.42
- Total employment: 270 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $65,840
- Median hourly wage: $31.65
- Total employment: 990 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $66,030
- Median hourly wage: $31.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $66,090
- Median hourly wage: $31.77
- Total employment: 1,930 people (6.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $66,550
- Median hourly wage: $32.00
- Total employment: 2,630 people (9.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $67,860
- Median hourly wage: $32.63
- Total employment: 290 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Gress Media Inc // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Engine and other machine assemblers
- Median annual wage: $71,050
- Median hourly wage: $34.16
- Total employment: 410 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $72,640
- Median hourly wage: $34.92
- Total employment: 120 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $72,850
- Median hourly wage: $35.02
- Total employment: 1,530 people (5.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Onk-Q // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers
- Median annual wage: $73,200
- Median hourly wage: $35.19
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $73,680
- Median hourly wage: $35.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $74,230
- Median hourly wage: $35.69
- Total employment: 300 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $74,520
- Median hourly wage: $35.83
- Total employment: 1,290 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $76,110
- Median hourly wage: $36.59
- Total employment: 140 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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John Leung // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $76,670
- Median hourly wage: $36.86
- Total employment: 140 people (0.49 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: $76,830
- Median hourly wage: $36.94
- Total employment: 1,080 people (3.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $77,830
- Median hourly wage: $37.42
- Total employment: 300 people (1.02 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: $78,210
- Median hourly wage: $37.60
- Total employment: 1,370 people (4.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jat306 // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $81,110
- Median hourly wage: $38.99
- Total employment: 270 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $83,930
- Median hourly wage: $40.35
- Total employment: 240 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $94,310
- Median hourly wage: $45.34
- Total employment: 490 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $98,060
- Median hourly wage: $47.15
- Total employment: 340 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $104,140
- Median hourly wage: $50.07
- Total employment: 330 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Tank car, truck, and ship loaders
- Median annual wage: $105,520
- Median hourly wage: $50.73
- Total employment: 90 people (0.29 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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