Highest-paying jobs in Johnstown 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 Johnstown 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.

Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Maintenance and repair workers, general

- Median annual wage: $44,400
- Median hourly wage: $21.35
- Total employment: 500 people (10.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Construction laborers

- Median annual wage: $44,710
- Median hourly wage: $21.49
- Total employment: 240 people (4.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $45,200
- Median hourly wage: $21.73
- Total employment: 40 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chok Chokchai // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $45,300
- Median hourly wage: $21.78
- Total employment: 40 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $45,320
- Median hourly wage: $21.79
- Total employment: 180 people (3.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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DC Studio // Shutterstock

6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $45,480
- Median hourly wage: $21.87
- Total employment: 60 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $46,140
- Median hourly wage: $22.18
- Total employment: 60 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $46,230
- Median hourly wage: $22.23
- Total employment: 180 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Painters, construction and maintenance

- Median annual wage: $46,420
- Median hourly wage: $22.32
- Total employment: 40 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $46,700
- Median hourly wage: $22.45
- Total employment: 100 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SeventyFour // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters

- Median annual wage: $46,780
- Median hourly wage: $22.49
- Total employment: 40 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $47,460
- Median hourly wage: $22.82
- Total employment: 210 people (4.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $48,150
- Median hourly wage: $23.15
- Total employment: 220 people (4.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $48,350
- Median hourly wage: $23.25
- Total employment: Not available

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $48,380
- Median hourly wage: $23.26
- Total employment: 40 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Joey Chung // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

- Median annual wage: $48,530
- Median hourly wage: $23.33
- Total employment: 220 people (4.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DuxX // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $48,540
- Median hourly wage: $23.34
- Total employment: 120 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $48,610
- Median hourly wage: $23.37
- Total employment: 40 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $49,640
- Median hourly wage: $23.86
- Total employment: 160 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $49,850
- Median hourly wage: $23.97
- Total employment: 150 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $50,050
- Median hourly wage: $24.06
- Total employment: 180 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DGLimages // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Healthcare support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $50,170
- Median hourly wage: $24.12
- Total employment: 40 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $50,810
- Median hourly wage: $24.43
- Total employment: 150 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $50,950
- Median hourly wage: $24.49
- Total employment: 70 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $51,650
- Median hourly wage: $24.83
- Total employment: 60 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $52,180
- Median hourly wage: $25.09
- Total employment: 140 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $52,520
- Median hourly wage: $25.25
- Total employment: 180 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $54,290
- Median hourly wage: $26.10
- Total employment: 70 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $54,310
- Median hourly wage: $26.11
- Total employment: 110 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $54,330
- Median hourly wage: $26.12
- Total employment: 70 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $54,360
- Median hourly wage: $26.13
- Total employment: 80 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $55,130
- Median hourly wage: $26.51
- Total employment: 540 people (11.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $56,240
- Median hourly wage: $27.04
- Total employment: 180 people (3.64 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: $56,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.20
- Total employment: 290 people (5.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Studio 72 // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $56,590
- Median hourly wage: $27.21
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $57,430
- Median hourly wage: $27.61
- Total employment: 30 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $57,530
- Median hourly wage: $27.66
- Total employment: 90 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $58,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.00
- Total employment: 90 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $58,270
- Median hourly wage: $28.01
- Total employment: 190 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $59,130
- Median hourly wage: $28.43
- Total employment: 140 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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rlat // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,030
- Median hourly wage: $28.86
- Total employment: 60 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,400
- Median hourly wage: $29.04
- Total employment: 30 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $61,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.50
- Total employment: 180 people (3.73 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: $62,770
- Median hourly wage: $30.18
- Total employment: 40 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $63,270
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $64,630
- Median hourly wage: $31.07
- Total employment: 160 people (3.4 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: $65,560
- Median hourly wage: $31.52
- Total employment: 220 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,590
- Median hourly wage: $32.98
- Total employment: 190 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)