flywish // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Median annual wage: $47,820
- Median hourly wage: $22.99
- Total employment: 80 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Erie 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 Erie 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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4 PM production // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $47,860
- Median hourly wage: $23.01
- Total employment: 130 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $48,310
- Median hourly wage: $23.22
- Total employment: 640 people (5.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $48,330
- Median hourly wage: $23.24
- Total employment: 70 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $48,690
- Median hourly wage: $23.41
- Total employment: 50 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $48,940
- Median hourly wage: $23.53
- Total employment: 740 people (6.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorgev // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $49,720
- Median hourly wage: $23.90
- Total employment: 40 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $49,790
- Median hourly wage: $23.94
- Total employment: 110 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $49,990
- Median hourly wage: $24.03
- Total employment: 420 people (3.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $50,280
- Median hourly wage: $24.17
- Total employment: 210 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $50,350
- Median hourly wage: $24.21
- Total employment: 110 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $51,420
- Median hourly wage: $24.72
- Total employment: 200 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $51,810
- Median hourly wage: $24.91
- Total employment: 150 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $51,920
- Median hourly wage: $24.96
- Total employment: 180 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $52,460
- Median hourly wage: $25.22
- Total employment: 170 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GolF2532 // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $52,950
- Median hourly wage: $25.46
- Total employment: 30 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
17 / 50#33. Eligibility interviewers, government programs (tie)
- Median annual wage: $53,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.48
- Total employment: 370 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $53,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.48
- Total employment: 250 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $53,160
- Median hourly wage: $25.56
- Total employment: 130 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $53,510
- Median hourly wage: $25.73
- Total employment: 140 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Studio 72 // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $53,560
- Median hourly wage: $25.75
- Total employment: 70 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $56,540
- Median hourly wage: $27.19
- Total employment: 500 people (4.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $56,740
- Median hourly wage: $27.28
- Total employment: 320 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $57,510
- Median hourly wage: $27.65
- Total employment: 420 people (3.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $57,770
- Median hourly wage: $27.77
- Total employment: 90 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $57,880
- Median hourly wage: $27.83
- Total employment: 390 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $57,890
- Median hourly wage: $27.83
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $58,140
- Median hourly wage: $27.95
- Total employment: 1,160 people (9.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $58,800
- Median hourly wage: $28.27
- Total employment: 50 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $59,120
- Median hourly wage: $28.42
- Total employment: 210 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SritanaN // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $59,560
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 390 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $60,770
- Median hourly wage: $29.22
- Total employment: 140 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $60,880
- Median hourly wage: $29.27
- Total employment: 890 people (7.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $60,900
- Median hourly wage: $29.28
- Total employment: 900 people (7.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $61,110
- Median hourly wage: $29.38
- Total employment: 50 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $62,280
- Median hourly wage: $29.94
- Total employment: 280 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $63,150
- Median hourly wage: $30.36
- Total employment: 70 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $64,160
- Median hourly wage: $30.84
- Total employment: 300 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $64,980
- Median hourly wage: $31.24
- Total employment: 380 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jat306 // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $65,150
- Median hourly wage: $31.32
- Total employment: 80 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Vera Larina // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $66,100
- Median hourly wage: $31.78
- Total employment: 60 people (0.54 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: $68,440
- Median hourly wage: $32.91
- Total employment: 420 people (3.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $72,550
- Median hourly wage: $34.88
- Total employment: 160 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $72,970
- Median hourly wage: $35.08
- Total employment: 40 people (0.29 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: $74,780
- Median hourly wage: $35.95
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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sculpies // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $78,840
- Median hourly wage: $37.90
- Total employment: 440 people (3.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $94,290
- Median hourly wage: $45.33
- Total employment: 610 people (5.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $95,970
- Median hourly wage: $46.14
- Total employment: 110 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $105,020
- Median hourly wage: $50.49
- Total employment: 100 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $112,590
- Median hourly wage: $54.13
- Total employment: 100 people (0.85 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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