Highest-paying jobs in Oklahoma City 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 Oklahoma City 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.

Vadim Ratnikov // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Earth drillers, except oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $58,500
- Median hourly wage: $28.13
- Total employment: 70 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $58,790
- Median hourly wage: $28.27
- Total employment: 400 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

mariakray // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Traffic technicians

- Median annual wage: $59,120
- Median hourly wage: $28.43
- Total employment: 40 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $59,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 270 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $59,560
- Median hourly wage: $28.64
- Total employment: 140 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $59,910
- Median hourly wage: $28.80
- Total employment: 1,010 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#43. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products (tie)

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 4,920 people (7.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Transportation security screeners (tie)

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 120 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $60,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.98
- Total employment: 250 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $60,490
- Median hourly wage: $29.08
- Total employment: 3,280 people (4.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Oklahoma City 7-day weather forecast

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Cargo and freight agents

- Median annual wage: $60,600
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anatoliy_gleb // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Derrick operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $60,860
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 290 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Said M // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Service unit operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $61,060
- Median hourly wage: $29.36
- Total employment: 870 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $61,120
- Median hourly wage: $29.39
- Total employment: 820 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 1,930 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Highest-rated seafood restaurants in Oklahoma City

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,990
- Median hourly wage: $29.80
- Total employment: 3,690 people (5.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Photostriker // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other

- Median annual wage: $62,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.27
- Total employment: 90 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,540
- Median hourly wage: $30.55
- Total employment: 8,550 people (12.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $63,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.67
- Total employment: 170 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,820
- Median hourly wage: $30.68
- Total employment: 880 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $63,890
- Median hourly wage: $30.71
- Total employment: 450 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $64,220
- Median hourly wage: $30.88
- Total employment: 1,630 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Studio 72 // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#26. Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic (tie)

- Median annual wage: $64,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.97
- Total employment: 30 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Art of pixels // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#26. Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic (tie)

- Median annual wage: $64,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.97
- Total employment: 90 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Sheet metal workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $64,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.97
- Total employment: 2,070 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $64,990
- Median hourly wage: $31.24
- Total employment: 1,140 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,040
- Median hourly wage: $31.75
- Total employment: 2,620 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,100
- Median hourly wage: $32.74
- Total employment: 500 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Recreational vehicle service technicians

- Median annual wage: $70,650
- Median hourly wage: $33.97
- Total employment: 100 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

HannaTor // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Gambling managers

- Median annual wage: $72,180
- Median hourly wage: $34.70
- Total employment: 40 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $72,330
- Median hourly wage: $34.77
- Total employment: 50 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladimir Endovitskiy // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $72,530
- Median hourly wage: $34.87
- Total employment: 580 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $73,320
- Median hourly wage: $35.25
- Total employment: 150 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,430
- Median hourly wage: $35.79
- Total employment: 3,280 people (4.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Gas plant operators

- Median annual wage: $74,510
- Median hourly wage: $35.82
- Total employment: 180 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

- Median annual wage: $74,980
- Median hourly wage: $36.05
- Total employment: 40 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,640
- Median hourly wage: $36.37
- Total employment: 4,410 people (6.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $76,330
- Median hourly wage: $36.70
- Total employment: 2,860 people (4.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $77,380
- Median hourly wage: $37.20
- Total employment: 40 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $77,870
- Median hourly wage: $37.44
- Total employment: 680 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $80,080
- Median hourly wage: $38.50
- Total employment: 670 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $81,100
- Median hourly wage: $38.99
- Total employment: 1,470 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

- Median annual wage: $82,790
- Median hourly wage: $39.80
- Total employment: 160 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

- Median annual wage: $84,690
- Median hourly wage: $40.72
- Total employment: 120 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $88,390
- Median hourly wage: $42.50
- Total employment: 110 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Oklahoma City

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $98,030
- Median hourly wage: $47.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $98,850
- Median hourly wage: $47.52
- Total employment: 720 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $102,160
- Median hourly wage: $49.12
- Total employment: 50 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $105,860
- Median hourly wage: $50.89
- Total employment: 840 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $134,410
- Median hourly wage: $64.62
- Total employment: 90 people (0.14 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.

You may also like: Best high schools in the Oklahoma City metro area