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1 / 50#50. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $44,460
- Median hourly wage: $21.38
- Total employment: 100 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Gettysburg 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 Gettysburg 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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2 / 50#49. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Median annual wage: $44,720
- Median hourly wage: $21.50
- Total employment: 40 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $45,140
- Median hourly wage: $21.70
- Total employment: 40 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitreel // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $45,700
- Median hourly wage: $21.97
- Total employment: 120 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters
- Median annual wage: $45,750
- Median hourly wage: $21.99
- Total employment: 40 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $46,010
- Median hourly wage: $22.12
- Total employment: 80 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $46,340
- Median hourly wage: $22.28
- Total employment: 40 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Construction laborers
- Median annual wage: $46,600
- Median hourly wage: $22.41
- Total employment: 230 people (7.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $46,660
- Median hourly wage: $22.43
- Total employment: 160 people (4.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Glenn Highcove // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Median annual wage: $47,450
- Median hourly wage: $22.81
- Total employment: 360 people (11.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#39. Insurance sales agents (tie)
- Median annual wage: $47,650
- Median hourly wage: $22.91
- Total employment: 50 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alba_alioth // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic (tie)
- Median annual wage: $47,650
- Median hourly wage: $22.91
- Total employment: 60 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
RossHelen // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $48,120
- Median hourly wage: $23.13
- Total employment: 220 people (6.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $48,150
- Median hourly wage: $23.15
- Total employment: 110 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $48,280
- Median hourly wage: $23.21
- Total employment: 90 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $48,570
- Median hourly wage: $23.35
- Total employment: 140 people (4.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
giocalde // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Printing press operators
- Median annual wage: $48,620
- Median hourly wage: $23.38
- Total employment: 70 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $48,810
- Median hourly wage: $23.47
- Total employment: 30 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $48,870
- Median hourly wage: $23.50
- Total employment: 40 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $49,020
- Median hourly wage: $23.57
- Total employment: 500 people (15.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $50,430
- Median hourly wage: $24.25
- Total employment: 60 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $50,710
- Median hourly wage: $24.38
- Total employment: 70 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $51,920
- Median hourly wage: $24.96
- Total employment: 50 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $52,440
- Median hourly wage: $25.21
- Total employment: 120 people (3.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $52,640
- Median hourly wage: $25.31
- Total employment: 50 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $53,600
- Median hourly wage: $25.77
- Total employment: 60 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $54,410
- Median hourly wage: $26.16
- Total employment: 150 people (4.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MS Mikel // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $54,510
- Median hourly wage: $26.21
- Total employment: 60 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $54,790
- Median hourly wage: $26.34
- Total employment: 190 people (5.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $55,780
- Median hourly wage: $26.82
- Total employment: 50 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $55,930
- Median hourly wage: $26.89
- Total employment: 110 people (3.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $57,830
- Median hourly wage: $27.80
- Total employment: 50 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $58,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.30
- Total employment: 60 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $58,920
- Median hourly wage: $28.33
- Total employment: 40 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $58,980
- Median hourly wage: $28.35
- Total employment: 260 people (8.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $59,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 50 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $60,120
- Median hourly wage: $28.90
- Total employment: 130 people (3.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $61,620
- Median hourly wage: $29.62
- Total employment: 50 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
39 / 50#11. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products (tie)
- Median annual wage: $61,740
- Median hourly wage: $29.68
- Total employment: 220 people (6.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $61,740
- Median hourly wage: $29.68
- Total employment: 40 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $62,130
- Median hourly wage: $29.87
- Total employment: 180 people (5.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $62,570
- Median hourly wage: $30.08
- Total employment: 60 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $62,820
- Median hourly wage: $30.20
- Total employment: 110 people (3.44 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: $67,740
- Median hourly wage: $32.57
- Total employment: 140 people (4.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $70,430
- Median hourly wage: $33.86
- Total employment: 240 people (7.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 PM production // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $77,020
- Median hourly wage: $37.03
- Total employment: 130 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $91,150
- Median hourly wage: $43.82
- Total employment: 220 people (6.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $100,110
- Median hourly wage: $48.13
- Total employment: 30 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $102,230
- Median hourly wage: $49.15
- Total employment: 40 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $107,020
- Median hourly wage: $51.45
- Total employment: 60 people (1.9 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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