Highest-paying jobs in Beaumont 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 Beaumont 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. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $54,320
- Median hourly wage: $26.12
- Total employment: 1,210 people (7.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks

- Median annual wage: $55,220
- Median hourly wage: $26.55
- Total employment: 90 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Studio 72 // Shutterstock

3 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $55,360
- Median hourly wage: $26.61
- Total employment: 50 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PHILIPIMAGE // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $55,960
- Median hourly wage: $26.90
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $56,200
- Median hourly wage: $27.02
- Total employment: 60 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 480 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

7 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,400
- Median hourly wage: $27.11
- Total employment: 700 people (4.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $56,670
- Median hourly wage: $27.25
- Total employment: 480 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $57,520
- Median hourly wage: $27.66
- Total employment: 70 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,610
- Median hourly wage: $27.70
- Total employment: 250 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorgev // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $57,660
- Median hourly wage: $27.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $58,640
- Median hourly wage: $28.19
- Total employment: 290 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $59,210
- Median hourly wage: $28.47
- Total employment: 220 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $59,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.48
- Total employment: 1,900 people (11.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $59,590
- Median hourly wage: $28.65
- Total employment: 130 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $59,700
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 180 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $59,710
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: 820 people (5.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,970
- Median hourly wage: $28.83
- Total employment: 910 people (5.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#30. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $60,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 1,600 people (10.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Roman023_photography // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Riggers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $60,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 110 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $61,270
- Median hourly wage: $29.46
- Total employment: 80 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $61,400
- Median hourly wage: $29.52
- Total employment: 360 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

flywish // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

- Median annual wage: $61,610
- Median hourly wage: $29.62
- Total employment: 190 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

#26. Boilermakers

- Median annual wage: $62,530
- Median hourly wage: $30.06
- Total employment: 300 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $62,620
- Median hourly wage: $30.11
- Total employment: 80 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $62,940
- Median hourly wage: $30.26
- Total employment: 60 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.62
- Total employment: 930 people (5.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $64,360
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 70 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kardasov Films // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Sailors and marine oilers

- Median annual wage: $64,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.03
- Total employment: 110 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $64,570
- Median hourly wage: $31.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rezoff // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Plant and system operators, all other

- Median annual wage: $66,730
- Median hourly wage: $32.08
- Total employment: 70 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $66,770
- Median hourly wage: $32.10
- Total employment: 80 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,990
- Median hourly wage: $32.21
- Total employment: 180 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $67,120
- Median hourly wage: $32.27
- Total employment: 1,030 people (6.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $68,310
- Median hourly wage: $32.84
- Total employment: 310 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $71,570
- Median hourly wage: $34.41
- Total employment: 250 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,420
- Median hourly wage: $35.30
- Total employment: 2,100 people (13.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $74,310
- Median hourly wage: $35.73
- Total employment: 310 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $76,090
- Median hourly wage: $36.58
- Total employment: 60 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Tank car, truck, and ship loaders

- Median annual wage: $77,070
- Median hourly wage: $37.05
- Total employment: 110 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $77,590
- Median hourly wage: $37.30
- Total employment: 920 people (5.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,260
- Median hourly wage: $38.11
- Total employment: 1,450 people (9.09 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: $79,410
- Median hourly wage: $38.18
- Total employment: 1,090 people (6.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $80,100
- Median hourly wage: $38.51
- Total employment: 110 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $89,950
- Median hourly wage: $43.25
- Total employment: 340 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $97,190
- Median hourly wage: $46.73
- Total employment: 390 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $97,970
- Median hourly wage: $47.10
- Total employment: 1,820 people (11.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $98,410
- Median hourly wage: $47.31
- Total employment: 1,140 people (7.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $98,600
- Median hourly wage: $47.41
- Total employment: 110 people (0.7 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.