Highest-paying jobs in Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh 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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1 / 50

#50. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $61,980
- Median hourly wage: $29.80
- Total employment: 270 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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2 / 50

#49. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $62,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 1,360 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers

- Median annual wage: $62,700
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 210 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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5 / 50

#46. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

- Median annual wage: $62,780
- Median hourly wage: $30.18
- Total employment: 9,440 people (8.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $63,130
- Median hourly wage: $30.35
- Total employment: 3,360 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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7 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,140
- Median hourly wage: $30.36
- Total employment: 11,720 people (10.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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8 / 50

#43. Tile and stone setters

- Median annual wage: $63,460
- Median hourly wage: $30.51
- Total employment: 180 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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9 / 50

#42. Plasterers and stucco masons

- Median annual wage: $63,600
- Median hourly wage: $30.58
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $63,830
- Median hourly wage: $30.69
- Total employment: 390 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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11 / 50

#40. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $63,890
- Median hourly wage: $30.71
- Total employment: 4,390 people (3.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $64,410
- Median hourly wage: $30.97
- Total employment: 330 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.00
- Total employment: 1,530 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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14 / 50

#37. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $66,930
- Median hourly wage: $32.18
- Total employment: 2,880 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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15 / 50

#36. Tax preparers

- Median annual wage: $66,940
- Median hourly wage: $32.19
- Total employment: 350 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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16 / 50

#35. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $67,120
- Median hourly wage: $32.27
- Total employment: 2,250 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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17 / 50

#34. Bridge and lock tenders

- Median annual wage: $67,500
- Median hourly wage: $32.45
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $68,270
- Median hourly wage: $32.82
- Total employment: 1,900 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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19 / 50

#32. Gas compressor and gas pumping station operators

- Median annual wage: $68,590
- Median hourly wage: $32.98
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

#31. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $71,080
- Median hourly wage: $34.17
- Total employment: 460 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $71,230
- Median hourly wage: $34.24
- Total employment: 200 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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22 / 50

#29. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $74,390
- Median hourly wage: $35.77
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,680
- Median hourly wage: $35.91
- Total employment: 4,830 people (4.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,000
- Median hourly wage: $36.06
- Total employment: 160 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

#26. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $75,520
- Median hourly wage: $36.31
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Miscellaneous construction and related workers

- Median annual wage: $75,550
- Median hourly wage: $36.32
- Total employment: Not available

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27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,020
- Median hourly wage: $36.55
- Total employment: 3,740 people (3.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

#23. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $76,040
- Median hourly wage: $36.56
- Total employment: 830 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,410
- Median hourly wage: $36.74
- Total employment: 1,350 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,260
- Median hourly wage: $37.14
- Total employment: 450 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Chemical plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $78,310
- Median hourly wage: $37.65
- Total employment: 150 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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32 / 50

#19. Insulation workers, mechanical

- Median annual wage: $79,210
- Median hourly wage: $38.08
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,410
- Median hourly wage: $38.66
- Total employment: 300 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,620
- Median hourly wage: $38.76
- Total employment: 5,940 people (5.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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35 / 50

#16. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $80,870
- Median hourly wage: $38.88
- Total employment: 340 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Tank car, truck, and ship loaders

- Median annual wage: $81,280
- Median hourly wage: $39.08
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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37 / 50

#14. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $82,270
- Median hourly wage: $39.55
- Total employment: 4,800 people (4.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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38 / 50

#13. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $83,210
- Median hourly wage: $40.00
- Total employment: 150 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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39 / 50

#12. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $85,430
- Median hourly wage: $41.07
- Total employment: 530 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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40 / 50

#11. Media and communication equipment workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $87,000
- Median hourly wage: $41.83
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

#10. Boilermakers

- Median annual wage: $89,210
- Median hourly wage: $42.89
- Total employment: 160 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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42 / 50

#9. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $89,230
- Median hourly wage: $42.90
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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43 / 50

#8. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $89,310
- Median hourly wage: $42.94
- Total employment: 610 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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44 / 50

#7. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $97,160
- Median hourly wage: $46.71
- Total employment: 150 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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45 / 50

#6. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $98,870
- Median hourly wage: $47.54
- Total employment: 280 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $99,190
- Median hourly wage: $47.69
- Total employment: 1,400 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $101,930
- Median hourly wage: $49.01
- Total employment: 1,170 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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48 / 50

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $105,910
- Median hourly wage: $50.92
- Total employment: 860 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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49 / 50

#2. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $106,910
- Median hourly wage: $51.40
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)