Vladeep // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $49,290
- Median hourly wage: $23.70
- Total employment: 90 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Spartanburg 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 Spartanburg 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. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $49,340
- Median hourly wage: $23.72
- Total employment: 120 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#47. Computer numerically controlled tool operators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $49,450
- Median hourly wage: $23.78
- Total employment: 180 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mirnes // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $49,450
- Median hourly wage: $23.78
- Total employment: 100 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kuznetsov Dmitriy // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $49,610
- Median hourly wage: $23.85
- Total employment: 100 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $49,620
- Median hourly wage: $23.86
- Total employment: 380 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $49,700
- Median hourly wage: $23.89
- Total employment: 150 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
adriaticfoto // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Miscellaneous construction and related workers
- Median annual wage: $49,730
- Median hourly wage: $23.91
- Total employment: 30 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $49,810
- Median hourly wage: $23.95
- Total employment: 50 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jat306 // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $50,250
- Median hourly wage: $24.16
- Total employment: 70 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $50,880
- Median hourly wage: $24.46
- Total employment: 780 people (4.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $51,040
- Median hourly wage: $24.54
- Total employment: 12,640 people (77.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $51,130
- Median hourly wage: $24.58
- Total employment: 150 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $52,500
- Median hourly wage: $25.24
- Total employment: 1,980 people (12.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $52,690
- Median hourly wage: $25.33
- Total employment: 400 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $53,210
- Median hourly wage: $25.58
- Total employment: 350 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandr Rybalko // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $53,350
- Median hourly wage: $25.65
- Total employment: 200 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Median annual wage: $55,100
- Median hourly wage: $26.49
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $55,250
- Median hourly wage: $26.56
- Total employment: 100 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $56,150
- Median hourly wage: $27.00
- Total employment: 880 people (5.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $56,230
- Median hourly wage: $27.04
- Total employment: 490 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $57,020
- Median hourly wage: $27.41
- Total employment: 100 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $57,470
- Median hourly wage: $27.63
- Total employment: 360 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $57,700
- Median hourly wage: $27.74
- Total employment: 350 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $57,710
- Median hourly wage: $27.74
- Total employment: 660 people (4.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Advertising sales agents
- Median annual wage: $59,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.37
- Total employment: 60 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $59,600
- Median hourly wage: $28.66
- Total employment: 980 people (6.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $59,770
- Median hourly wage: $28.74
- Total employment: 180 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $59,880
- Median hourly wage: $28.79
- Total employment: 190 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $60,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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welcomia // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $60,210
- Median hourly wage: $28.95
- Total employment: 320 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $60,320
- Median hourly wage: $29.00
- Total employment: 1,120 people (6.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $62,430
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 690 people (4.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $62,770
- Median hourly wage: $30.18
- Total employment: 260 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $63,010
- Median hourly wage: $30.30
- Total employment: 470 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $63,350
- Median hourly wage: $30.46
- Total employment: 80 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $63,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 1,270 people (7.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $64,070
- Median hourly wage: $30.80
- Total employment: 60 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $64,730
- Median hourly wage: $31.12
- Total employment: 70 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $64,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.16
- Total employment: 120 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Chemical plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $66,640
- Median hourly wage: $32.04
- Total employment: 130 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $67,570
- Median hourly wage: $32.49
- Total employment: 1,580 people (9.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $69,540
- Median hourly wage: $33.43
- Total employment: 130 people (0.78 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: $75,410
- Median hourly wage: $36.26
- Total employment: 760 people (4.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $78,260
- Median hourly wage: $37.63
- Total employment: 70 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $78,620
- Median hourly wage: $37.80
- Total employment: 1,660 people (10.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $79,750
- Median hourly wage: $38.34
- Total employment: 770 people (4.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $83,020
- Median hourly wage: $39.91
- Total employment: 120 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $87,050
- Median hourly wage: $41.85
- Total employment: 50 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $105,610
- Median hourly wage: $50.77
- Total employment: 290 people (1.78 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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