Highest-paying jobs in San Antonio 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 San Antonio 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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Ramon Espelt Photography // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Home appliance repairers

- Median annual wage: $56,790
- Median hourly wage: $27.30
- Total employment: 270 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $56,810
- Median hourly wage: $27.31
- Total employment: 880 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,840
- Median hourly wage: $27.33
- Total employment: 2,200 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $57,300
- Median hourly wage: $27.55
- Total employment: 120 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Bailiffs

- Median annual wage: $57,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.86
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 2,060 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $58,530
- Median hourly wage: $28.14
- Total employment: 3,040 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $58,590
- Median hourly wage: $28.17
- Total employment: 140 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $59,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 360 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,570
- Median hourly wage: $28.64
- Total employment: 5,080 people (4.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,620
- Median hourly wage: $28.67
- Total employment: 4,130 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $59,770
- Median hourly wage: $28.74
- Total employment: 100 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

First Class Photography // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers

- Median annual wage: $60,030
- Median hourly wage: $28.86
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ImYanis // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,110
- Median hourly wage: $28.90
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,370
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: 2,390 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $60,420
- Median hourly wage: $29.05
- Total employment: 1,960 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $60,520
- Median hourly wage: $29.10
- Total employment: 1,380 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $60,820
- Median hourly wage: $29.24
- Total employment: 260 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $61,180
- Median hourly wage: $29.41
- Total employment: 1,470 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $61,400
- Median hourly wage: $29.52
- Total employment: 3,150 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Fortish // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters

- Median annual wage: $61,730
- Median hourly wage: $29.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $61,920
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 250 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,870
- Median hourly wage: $30.23
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,250
- Median hourly wage: $30.41
- Total employment: 13,590 people (12.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kojala // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Artists and related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $64,900
- Median hourly wage: $31.20
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,070
- Median hourly wage: $31.28
- Total employment: 3,870 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,520
- Median hourly wage: $31.50
- Total employment: 1,400 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $66,170
- Median hourly wage: $31.81
- Total employment: 300 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $66,670
- Median hourly wage: $32.05
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $68,320
- Median hourly wage: $32.85
- Total employment: 740 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $68,370
- Median hourly wage: $32.87
- Total employment: 2,100 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $68,620
- Median hourly wage: $32.99
- Total employment: 240 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $70,760
- Median hourly wage: $34.02
- Total employment: 140 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $71,490
- Median hourly wage: $34.37
- Total employment: 4,920 people (4.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,120
- Median hourly wage: $34.68
- Total employment: 5,630 people (5.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,180
- Median hourly wage: $34.70
- Total employment: 5,910 people (5.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Photostriker // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other

- Median annual wage: $73,600
- Median hourly wage: $35.38
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Hearing aid specialists

- Median annual wage: $74,220
- Median hourly wage: $35.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $76,040
- Median hourly wage: $36.56
- Total employment: 1,300 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $78,390
- Median hourly wage: $37.69
- Total employment: 140 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $81,150
- Median hourly wage: $39.01
- Total employment: 4,820 people (4.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $82,910
- Median hourly wage: $39.86
- Total employment: 1,600 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $84,060
- Median hourly wage: $40.41
- Total employment: 290 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $86,640
- Median hourly wage: $41.65
- Total employment: 230 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $93,540
- Median hourly wage: $44.97
- Total employment: 1,740 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

socrates471 // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Media and communication equipment workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $95,660
- Median hourly wage: $45.99
- Total employment: 100 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $97,070
- Median hourly wage: $46.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $100,190
- Median hourly wage: $48.17
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $103,950
- Median hourly wage: $49.98
- Total employment: 370 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $107,360
- Median hourly wage: $51.62
- Total employment: 230 people (0.21 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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