Highest-paying jobs in Lubbock 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 Lubbock 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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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

1 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $46,060
- Median hourly wage: $22.15
- Total employment: 140 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $46,470
- Median hourly wage: $22.34
- Total employment: 170 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $46,520
- Median hourly wage: $22.36
- Total employment: 190 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $46,780
- Median hourly wage: $22.49
- Total employment: 150 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $46,810
- Median hourly wage: $22.51
- Total employment: 120 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#44. Maintenance workers, machinery (tie)

- Median annual wage: $47,380
- Median hourly wage: $22.78
- Total employment: 80 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Electricians (tie)

- Median annual wage: $47,380
- Median hourly wage: $22.78
- Total employment: 750 people (4.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $47,500
- Median hourly wage: $22.84
- Total employment: 130 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $47,550
- Median hourly wage: $22.86
- Total employment: 110 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $47,630
- Median hourly wage: $22.90
- Total employment: 90 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $47,840
- Median hourly wage: $23.00
- Total employment: 120 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks

- Median annual wage: $48,360
- Median hourly wage: $23.25
- Total employment: 180 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $48,400
- Median hourly wage: $23.27
- Total employment: 110 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $48,460
- Median hourly wage: $23.30
- Total employment: 530 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $48,500
- Median hourly wage: $23.32
- Total employment: 300 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

- Median annual wage: $48,780
- Median hourly wage: $23.45
- Total employment: 60 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $50,030
- Median hourly wage: $24.05
- Total employment: 390 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Said M // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Service unit operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $50,380
- Median hourly wage: $24.22
- Total employment: 210 people (1.29 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: $50,510
- Median hourly wage: $24.28
- Total employment: 1,030 people (6.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $50,530
- Median hourly wage: $24.29
- Total employment: 680 people (4.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $50,950
- Median hourly wage: $24.50
- Total employment: 60 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $51,170
- Median hourly wage: $24.60
- Total employment: 790 people (4.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $51,490
- Median hourly wage: $24.76
- Total employment: 50 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Cargo and freight agents

- Median annual wage: $54,430
- Median hourly wage: $26.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $55,280
- Median hourly wage: $26.58
- Total employment: 240 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $56,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.16
- Total employment: 650 people (3.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $56,890
- Median hourly wage: $27.35
- Total employment: 60 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,630
- Median hourly wage: $27.71
- Total employment: 310 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

- Median annual wage: $59,250
- Median hourly wage: $28.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,450
- Median hourly wage: $28.58
- Total employment: 460 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#19. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $59,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 180 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products (tie)

- Median annual wage: $59,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 990 people (6.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $59,610
- Median hourly wage: $28.66
- Total employment: 340 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,700
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 2,250 people (13.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $59,940
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 340 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,920
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 270 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $62,990
- Median hourly wage: $30.28
- Total employment: 340 people (2.04 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: $63,130
- Median hourly wage: $30.35
- Total employment: 840 people (5.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,950
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 780 people (4.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $64,360
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 70 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $66,730
- Median hourly wage: $32.08
- Total employment: 210 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $71,490
- Median hourly wage: $34.37
- Total employment: 270 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $72,140
- Median hourly wage: $34.68
- Total employment: 100 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $76,260
- Median hourly wage: $36.66
- Total employment: 750 people (4.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $79,720
- Median hourly wage: $38.33
- Total employment: 300 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $81,380
- Median hourly wage: $39.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $89,110
- Median hourly wage: $42.84
- Total employment: Not available

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49 / 50

#2. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $105,700
- Median hourly wage: $50.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $107,550
- Median hourly wage: $51.71
- Total employment: 80 people (0.48 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.