A high school diploma gives graduates a leg up in the workforce, even if they don't pursue any further education.
The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that workers over age of 25 with a high school diploma or equivalent earned about 25% more than those without one—$853 a week compared to $682. Diploma holders also faced lower unemployment rates, at 4% in 2022, compared to 5.5% for those who never completed high school.
There are many reasons high-school graduates may choose to not continue on to college—for instance, the cost. Average tuition costs continue to rise, increasing by 1% to 4% last year, depending on the institution type. While higher degrees of education typically pave the way for higher earnings, a college degree isn't necessary for many high-paying jobs. And for many careers, it doesn't make sense to pay to study for years when there are paid apprenticeship or learn-on-the-job programs.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in East Stroudsburg for those with a high school diploma or equivalent. Jobs are ranked by their annual median salaries as of May 2022. Jobs without available data for annual pay were excluded from this analysis.
Keep reading to see which jobs in your city pay high school graduates the most.
This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
1 / 50- Median annual wage: $39,840
- Median hourly wage: $19.15
- Total employment: 100 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
2 / 50- Median annual wage: $40,170
- Median hourly wage: $19.31
- Total employment: 50 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
giocalde // Shutterstock
3 / 50- Median annual wage: $41,390
- Median hourly wage: $19.90
- Total employment: 60 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Canva
4 / 50- Median annual wage: $42,760
- Median hourly wage: $20.56
- Total employment: 80 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Steve Hamann // Shutterstock
5 / 50- Median annual wage: $43,000
- Median hourly wage: $20.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
6 / 50- Median annual wage: $43,340
- Median hourly wage: $20.84
- Total employment: 60 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
7 / 50- Median annual wage: $43,430
- Median hourly wage: $20.88
- Total employment: 250 people (4.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50- Median annual wage: $43,770
- Median hourly wage: $21.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Canva
9 / 50- Median annual wage: $45,020
- Median hourly wage: $21.65
- Total employment: 50 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Canva
10 / 50- Median annual wage: $46,050
- Median hourly wage: $22.14
- Total employment: 70 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
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Canva
11 / 50- Median annual wage: $46,990
- Median hourly wage: $22.59
- Total employment: 170 people (3.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
12 / 50- Median annual wage: $47,170
- Median hourly wage: $22.68
- Total employment: 100 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
13 / 50- Median annual wage: $47,800
- Median hourly wage: $22.98
- Total employment: 220 people (4.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Canva
14 / 50- Median annual wage: $47,840
- Median hourly wage: $23.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Canva
15 / 50- Median annual wage: $48,780
- Median hourly wage: $23.45
- Total employment: 190 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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SritanaN // Shutterstock
16 / 50- Median annual wage: $49,140
- Median hourly wage: $23.63
- Total employment: 160 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Canva
17 / 50- Median annual wage: $49,190
- Median hourly wage: $23.65
- Total employment: 50 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Canva
18 / 50- Median annual wage: $49,290
- Median hourly wage: $23.70
- Total employment: 190 people (3.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
19 / 50- Median annual wage: $49,340
- Median hourly wage: $23.72
- Total employment: 140 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
Canva
20 / 50- Median annual wage: $49,480
- Median hourly wage: $23.79
- Total employment: 60 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
21 / 50- Median annual wage: $49,890
- Median hourly wage: $23.99
- Total employment: 120 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
22 / 50- Median annual wage: $50,320
- Median hourly wage: $24.19
- Total employment: 130 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Nikita M production // Shutterstock
23 / 50- Median annual wage: $50,790
- Median hourly wage: $24.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
24 / 50- Median annual wage: $51,470
- Median hourly wage: $24.75
- Total employment: 100 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Stokkete // Shutterstock
25 / 50- Median annual wage: $51,770
- Median hourly wage: $24.89
- Total employment: 70 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
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Kot500 // Shutterstock
26 / 50- Median annual wage: $52,050
- Median hourly wage: $25.02
- Total employment: 110 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
fizkes // Shutterstock
27 / 50- Median annual wage: $52,540
- Median hourly wage: $25.26
- Total employment: 40 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
goodluz // Shutterstock
28 / 50- Median annual wage: $53,240
- Median hourly wage: $25.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
rlat // Shutterstock
29 / 50- Median annual wage: $56,200
- Median hourly wage: $27.02
- Total employment: 50 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
30 / 50- Median annual wage: $56,250
- Median hourly wage: $27.05
- Total employment: 560 people (10.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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Canva
31 / 50- Median annual wage: $56,740
- Median hourly wage: $27.28
- Total employment: 190 people (3.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
32 / 50- Median annual wage: $56,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50- Median annual wage: $57,200
- Median hourly wage: $27.50
- Total employment: 70 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
34 / 50- Median annual wage: $57,510
- Median hourly wage: $27.65
- Total employment: 60 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
35 / 50- Median annual wage: $58,090
- Median hourly wage: $27.93
- Total employment: 190 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
36 / 50- Median annual wage: $58,350
- Median hourly wage: $28.05
- Total employment: 40 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
37 / 50- Median annual wage: $58,890
- Median hourly wage: $28.31
- Total employment: 50 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
38 / 50- Median annual wage: $59,100
- Median hourly wage: $28.41
- Total employment: 130 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
39 / 50- Median annual wage: $59,140
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 80 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
welcomia // Shutterstock
40 / 50- Median annual wage: $59,490
- Median hourly wage: $28.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
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Vera Larina // Shutterstock
41 / 50- Median annual wage: $60,650
- Median hourly wage: $29.16
- Total employment: 70 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
42 / 50- Median annual wage: $61,020
- Median hourly wage: $29.34
- Total employment: 50 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
43 / 50- Median annual wage: $61,900
- Median hourly wage: $29.76
- Total employment: 190 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
44 / 50- Median annual wage: $65,010
- Median hourly wage: $31.26
- Total employment: 180 people (3.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
sculpies // Shutterstock
45 / 50- Median annual wage: $65,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.51
- Total employment: 180 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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4 PM production // Shutterstock
46 / 50- Median annual wage: $71,930
- Median hourly wage: $34.58
- Total employment: 280 people (5.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50- Median annual wage: $72,710
- Median hourly wage: $34.96
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
pio3 // Shutterstock
48 / 50- Median annual wage: $79,920
- Median hourly wage: $38.42
- Total employment: 260 people (4.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Canva
49 / 50- Median annual wage: $85,540
- Median hourly wage: $41.13
- Total employment: 30 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
goodluz // Shutterstock
50 / 50- Median annual wage: $95,590
- Median hourly wage: $45.96
- Total employment: 30 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
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