Highest-paying jobs in Lawton 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 Lawton 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.

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $38,930
- Median hourly wage: $18.72
- Total employment: 70 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Pharmacy technicians

- Median annual wage: $39,240
- Median hourly wage: $18.86
- Total employment: 150 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $39,510
- Median hourly wage: $18.99
- Total employment: 60 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

- Median annual wage: $40,120
- Median hourly wage: $19.29
- Total employment: 60 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Glenn Highcove // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#45. Industrial truck and tractor operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $40,210
- Median hourly wage: $19.33
- Total employment: 70 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Painters, construction and maintenance (tie)

- Median annual wage: $40,210
- Median hourly wage: $19.33
- Total employment: 50 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $40,260
- Median hourly wage: $19.35
- Total employment: 90 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Maintenance and repair workers, general

- Median annual wage: $40,350
- Median hourly wage: $19.40
- Total employment: 540 people (12.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DC Studio // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

- Median annual wage: $40,760
- Median hourly wage: $19.60
- Total employment: 70 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Fusionstudio // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks

- Median annual wage: $41,530
- Median hourly wage: $19.97
- Total employment: 150 people (3.63 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: $44,830
- Median hourly wage: $21.56
- Total employment: 210 people (4.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $45,930
- Median hourly wage: $22.08
- Total employment: 30 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $46,480
- Median hourly wage: $22.35
- Total employment: 60 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

14 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $47,040
- Median hourly wage: $22.61
- Total employment: 40 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Self-enrichment teachers

- Median annual wage: $47,270
- Median hourly wage: $22.73
- Total employment: 60 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $47,540
- Median hourly wage: $22.86
- Total employment: 50 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $47,610
- Median hourly wage: $22.89
- Total employment: 70 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $49,000
- Median hourly wage: $23.56
- Total employment: 260 people (6.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $49,060
- Median hourly wage: $23.59
- Total employment: 90 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

#31. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $49,340
- Median hourly wage: $23.72
- Total employment: 330 people (7.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $49,430
- Median hourly wage: $23.76
- Total employment: 120 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $49,780
- Median hourly wage: $23.94
- Total employment: 60 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers

- Median annual wage: $49,880
- Median hourly wage: $23.98
- Total employment: 70 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $50,150
- Median hourly wage: $24.11
- Total employment: 130 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $50,400
- Median hourly wage: $24.23
- Total employment: 140 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Kot500 // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $50,570
- Median hourly wage: $24.31
- Total employment: 60 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stokkete // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#23. Information and record clerks, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $50,650
- Median hourly wage: $24.35
- Total employment: 120 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Payroll and timekeeping clerks (tie)

- Median annual wage: $50,650
- Median hourly wage: $24.35
- Total employment: 50 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $50,950
- Median hourly wage: $24.50
- Total employment: 210 people (4.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $51,060
- Median hourly wage: $24.55
- Total employment: 500 people (11.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $51,560
- Median hourly wage: $24.79
- Total employment: 160 people (3.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $51,990
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 60 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DGLimages // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Healthcare support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $52,290
- Median hourly wage: $25.14
- Total employment: 70 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $52,930
- Median hourly wage: $25.45
- Total employment: 60 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Procurement clerks

- Median annual wage: $53,910
- Median hourly wage: $25.92
- Total employment: 50 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $55,040
- Median hourly wage: $26.46
- Total employment: 190 people (4.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $57,910
- Median hourly wage: $27.84
- Total employment: 130 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $58,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.34
- Total employment: 30 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: 190 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

- Median annual wage: $60,110
- Median hourly wage: $28.90
- Total employment: 200 people (4.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $60,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.04
- Total employment: 50 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $60,720
- Median hourly wage: $29.19
- Total employment: 50 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $61,410
- Median hourly wage: $29.52
- Total employment: 60 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,070
- Median hourly wage: $29.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,310
- Median hourly wage: $30.92
- Total employment: 210 people (4.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $73,550
- Median hourly wage: $35.36
- Total employment: 210 people (4.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,570
- Median hourly wage: $36.81
- Total employment: 240 people (5.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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48 / 50

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $77,880
- Median hourly wage: $37.44
- Total employment: 170 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $78,730
- Median hourly wage: $37.85
- Total employment: 160 people (3.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $81,880
- Median hourly wage: $39.36
- Total employment: 40 people (0.92 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.