Highest-paying jobs in Odessa 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 Odessa 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. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $46,600
- Median hourly wage: $22.41
- Total employment: 30 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

hedgehog94 // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Pest control workers

- Median annual wage: $46,820
- Median hourly wage: $22.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Richard Thornton // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Roustabouts, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $47,120
- Median hourly wage: $22.65
- Total employment: 1,300 people (16.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $47,590
- Median hourly wage: $22.88
- Total employment: 120 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $48,290
- Median hourly wage: $23.22
- Total employment: 190 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $48,350
- Median hourly wage: $23.24
- Total employment: Not available

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7 / 50

#44. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $48,640
- Median hourly wage: $23.39
- Total employment: 190 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $49,290
- Median hourly wage: $23.70
- Total employment: 60 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $49,300
- Median hourly wage: $23.70
- Total employment: 130 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

- Median annual wage: $49,450
- Median hourly wage: $23.77
- Total employment: 890 people (11.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $49,680
- Median hourly wage: $23.88
- Total employment: 70 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $49,770
- Median hourly wage: $23.93
- Total employment: 60 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $49,920
- Median hourly wage: $24.00
- Total employment: 310 people (3.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $50,150
- Median hourly wage: $24.11
- Total employment: 890 people (11.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Said M // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Service unit operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $50,510
- Median hourly wage: $24.28
- Total employment: 2,010 people (25.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $50,810
- Median hourly wage: $24.43
- Total employment: 660 people (8.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

M2020 // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 100 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall

- Median annual wage: $52,180
- Median hourly wage: $25.09
- Total employment: 60 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $52,270
- Median hourly wage: $25.13
- Total employment: 230 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

#31. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $52,290
- Median hourly wage: $25.14
- Total employment: 70 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DC Studio // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

- Median annual wage: $54,080
- Median hourly wage: $26.00
- Total employment: 260 people (3.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $55,390
- Median hourly wage: $26.63
- Total employment: 140 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

- Median annual wage: $55,640
- Median hourly wage: $26.75
- Total employment: 160 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $56,510
- Median hourly wage: $27.17
- Total employment: 30 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladimir Endovitskiy // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $57,250
- Median hourly wage: $27.53
- Total employment: 290 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $57,470
- Median hourly wage: $27.63
- Total employment: 450 people (5.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,550
- Median hourly wage: $27.67
- Total employment: 200 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

#23. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $58,840
- Median hourly wage: $28.29
- Total employment: 410 people (5.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $59,780
- Median hourly wage: $28.74
- Total employment: 1,550 people (19.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $59,920
- Median hourly wage: $28.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $59,980
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 130 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $60,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 800 people (10.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $61,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.51
- Total employment: 120 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $61,700
- Median hourly wage: $29.66
- Total employment: 150 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,850
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Total employment: 30 people (0.41 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: $62,220
- Median hourly wage: $29.91
- Total employment: 750 people (9.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,510
- Median hourly wage: $30.05
- Total employment: 420 people (5.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,860
- Median hourly wage: $30.70
- Total employment: 870 people (11.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $66,700
- Median hourly wage: $32.07
- Total employment: 130 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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goodluz // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $67,980
- Median hourly wage: $32.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $68,660
- Median hourly wage: $33.01
- Total employment: 520 people (6.53 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: $70,650
- Median hourly wage: $33.97
- Total employment: 400 people (5.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $72,010
- Median hourly wage: $34.62
- Total employment: 170 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,410
- Median hourly wage: $35.30
- Total employment: 1,420 people (17.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,030
- Median hourly wage: $35.59
- Total employment: 150 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LaKirr // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Extraction workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $75,010
- Median hourly wage: $36.06
- Total employment: 50 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,110
- Median hourly wage: $36.11
- Total employment: 620 people (7.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

49 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,810
- Median hourly wage: $38.37
- Total employment: 710 people (8.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)