Highest-paying jobs in Johnson City 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 Johnson City 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. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $44,560
- Median hourly wage: $21.42
- Total employment: 190 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping

- Median annual wage: $44,810
- Median hourly wage: $21.54
- Total employment: 30 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

flywish // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

- Median annual wage: $44,880
- Median hourly wage: $21.58
- Total employment: 60 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $45,780
- Median hourly wage: $22.01
- Total employment: 80 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $45,800
- Median hourly wage: $22.02
- Total employment: 100 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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M2020 // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $45,990
- Median hourly wage: $22.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chok Chokchai // Shutterstock

7 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $46,130
- Median hourly wage: $22.18
- Total employment: 60 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $46,730
- Median hourly wage: $22.46
- Total employment: 230 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $47,030
- Median hourly wage: $22.61
- Total employment: 70 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $47,090
- Median hourly wage: $22.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $47,120
- Median hourly wage: $22.65
- Total employment: 170 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

12 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $47,160
- Median hourly wage: $22.67
- Total employment: 300 people (3.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $47,170
- Median hourly wage: $22.68
- Total employment: 220 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Glenn Highcove // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Industrial truck and tractor operators

- Median annual wage: $47,230
- Median hourly wage: $22.71
- Total employment: 240 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $47,310
- Median hourly wage: $22.74
- Total employment: 70 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Loan interviewers and clerks

- Median annual wage: $47,410
- Median hourly wage: $22.79
- Total employment: 70 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $47,710
- Median hourly wage: $22.94
- Total employment: 130 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $47,780
- Median hourly wage: $22.97
- Total employment: 220 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $48,130
- Median hourly wage: $23.14
- Total employment: 70 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $48,200
- Median hourly wage: $23.18
- Total employment: 230 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $48,290
- Median hourly wage: $23.22
- Total employment: 210 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stokkete // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Information and record clerks, all other

- Median annual wage: $48,530
- Median hourly wage: $23.33
- Total employment: 110 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $49,290
- Median hourly wage: $23.70
- Total employment: 310 people (3.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $49,500
- Median hourly wage: $23.80
- Total employment: 30 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rido // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Opticians, dispensing

- Median annual wage: $50,580
- Median hourly wage: $24.32
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $51,210
- Median hourly wage: $24.62
- Total employment: 30 people (0.42 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: $51,550
- Median hourly wage: $24.79
- Total employment: 250 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $51,580
- Median hourly wage: $24.80
- Total employment: 300 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $52,120
- Median hourly wage: $25.06
- Total employment: 510 people (6.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DGLimages // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Healthcare support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $52,290
- Median hourly wage: $25.14
- Total employment: 60 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $52,950
- Median hourly wage: $25.46
- Total employment: 180 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $53,830
- Median hourly wage: $25.88
- Total employment: 250 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $55,860
- Median hourly wage: $26.85
- Total employment: 80 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $56,220
- Median hourly wage: $27.03
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,450
- Median hourly wage: $27.14
- Total employment: 60 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $57,250
- Median hourly wage: $27.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $59,090
- Median hourly wage: $28.41
- Total employment: 190 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,340
- Median hourly wage: $28.53
- Total employment: 1,470 people (18.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $60,000
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 70 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $60,260
- Median hourly wage: $28.97
- Total employment: 110 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,650
- Median hourly wage: $29.16
- Total employment: 430 people (5.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,760
- Median hourly wage: $29.21
- Total employment: 300 people (3.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,010
- Median hourly wage: $29.33
- Total employment: 100 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,470
- Median hourly wage: $30.51
- Total employment: 270 people (3.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $66,290
- Median hourly wage: $31.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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goodluz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $70,310
- Median hourly wage: $33.81
- Total employment: 90 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $74,600
- Median hourly wage: $35.87
- Total employment: 60 people (0.76 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: $76,190
- Median hourly wage: $36.63
- Total employment: 90 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)