Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $57,210
- Median hourly wage: $27.51
- Total employment: 390 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Memphis 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 Memphis 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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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $57,310
- Median hourly wage: $27.55
- Total employment: 1,570 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $57,770
- Median hourly wage: $27.78
- Total employment: 2,970 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
flywish // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Median annual wage: $58,100
- Median hourly wage: $27.93
- Total employment: 330 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $58,150
- Median hourly wage: $27.96
- Total employment: 1,450 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Median annual wage: $58,870
- Median hourly wage: $28.30
- Total employment: 60 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $58,890
- Median hourly wage: $28.31
- Total employment: 4,220 people (6.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rezoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Plant and system operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $59,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.55
- Total employment: 30 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Transportation security screeners
- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 190 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $60,110
- Median hourly wage: $28.90
- Total employment: 1,050 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $60,220
- Median hourly wage: $28.95
- Total employment: 430 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LStockStudio // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Brokerage clerks
- Median annual wage: $60,270
- Median hourly wage: $28.98
- Total employment: Not available
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $60,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.00
- Total employment: 910 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $60,790
- Median hourly wage: $29.23
- Total employment: 110 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $61,040
- Median hourly wage: $29.35
- Total employment: 600 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jat306 // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $61,060
- Median hourly wage: $29.36
- Total employment: 190 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 210 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $62,100
- Median hourly wage: $29.86
- Total employment: 220 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $62,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.99
- Total employment: 310 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Airfield operations specialists
- Median annual wage: $63,170
- Median hourly wage: $30.37
- Total employment: 160 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $63,260
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: 150 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Real estate brokers
- Median annual wage: $63,430
- Median hourly wage: $30.49
- Total employment: 100 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $63,710
- Median hourly wage: $30.63
- Total employment: 1,540 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $64,090
- Median hourly wage: $30.81
- Total employment: 1,610 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers
- Median annual wage: $64,200
- Median hourly wage: $30.86
- Total employment: 280 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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APChanel // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Transportation workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $64,350
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: Not available
Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $64,470
- Median hourly wage: $30.99
- Total employment: 110 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $64,500
- Median hourly wage: $31.01
- Total employment: 3,210 people (5.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $65,580
- Median hourly wage: $31.53
- Total employment: 830 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $65,910
- Median hourly wage: $31.69
- Total employment: 150 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $66,000
- Median hourly wage: $31.73
- Total employment: 8,640 people (13.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Financial clerks, all other
- Median annual wage: $66,450
- Median hourly wage: $31.95
- Total employment: 50 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $66,580
- Median hourly wage: $32.01
- Total employment: 70 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Onk-Q // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers
- Median annual wage: $70,570
- Median hourly wage: $33.93
- Total employment: 100 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $71,600
- Median hourly wage: $34.42
- Total employment: 160 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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HannaTor // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Gambling managers
- Median annual wage: $72,590
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 60 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $72,750
- Median hourly wage: $34.97
- Total employment: 7,020 people (11.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $72,760
- Median hourly wage: $34.98
- Total employment: 3,520 people (5.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $73,890
- Median hourly wage: $35.52
- Total employment: 2,520 people (4.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $74,960
- Median hourly wage: $36.04
- Total employment: 480 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 PM production // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $76,900
- Median hourly wage: $36.97
- Total employment: 2,580 people (4.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $77,340
- Median hourly wage: $37.18
- Total employment: 390 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $77,960
- Median hourly wage: $37.48
- Total employment: 280 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $79,980
- Median hourly wage: $38.45
- Total employment: 920 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $81,960
- Median hourly wage: $39.41
- Total employment: 850 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $92,890
- Median hourly wage: $44.66
- Total employment: 30 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $95,750
- Median hourly wage: $46.03
- Total employment: 100 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Washburn HM // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $101,440
- Median hourly wage: $48.77
- Total employment: 90 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $104,830
- Median hourly wage: $50.40
- Total employment: 1,840 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $110,990
- Median hourly wage: $53.36
- Total employment: 100 people (0.17 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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