Highest-paying jobs in Victoria 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 Victoria 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.

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators

- Median annual wage: $38,860
- Median hourly wage: $18.68
- Total employment: 390 people (10.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $38,980
- Median hourly wage: $18.74
- Total employment: 60 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

nullplus // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Light truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $39,630
- Median hourly wage: $19.05
- Total employment: 270 people (7.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DC Studio // Shutterstock

4 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $40,340
- Median hourly wage: $19.39
- Total employment: 90 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Maintenance and repair workers, general

- Median annual wage: $40,430
- Median hourly wage: $19.44
- Total employment: 420 people (11.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Lee Charlie // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Court, municipal, and license clerks

- Median annual wage: $40,500
- Median hourly wage: $19.47
- Total employment: 70 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $40,890
- Median hourly wage: $19.66
- Total employment: 60 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Pharmacy technicians

- Median annual wage: $41,110
- Median hourly wage: $19.77
- Total employment: 130 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $42,690
- Median hourly wage: $20.53
- Total employment: 50 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

- Median annual wage: $42,990
- Median hourly wage: $20.67
- Total employment: 390 people (10.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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fizkes // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $43,460
- Median hourly wage: $20.89
- Total employment: 50 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Painters, construction and maintenance

- Median annual wage: $43,940
- Median hourly wage: $21.13
- Total employment: 60 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $44,590
- Median hourly wage: $21.44
- Total employment: 40 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Efired // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Bill and account collectors

- Median annual wage: $44,760
- Median hourly wage: $21.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $45,240
- Median hourly wage: $21.75
- Total employment: 60 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dragon Images // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Social and human service assistants

- Median annual wage: $45,330
- Median hourly wage: $21.79
- Total employment: 70 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

- Median annual wage: $45,650
- Median hourly wage: $21.95
- Total employment: 40 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $45,900
- Median hourly wage: $22.07
- Total employment: 40 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Loan interviewers and clerks

- Median annual wage: $45,940
- Median hourly wage: $22.09
- Total employment: 70 people (1.95 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: $45,950
- Median hourly wage: $22.09
- Total employment: 40 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Richard Thornton // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Roustabouts, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $46,150
- Median hourly wage: $22.19
- Total employment: 240 people (6.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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22 / 50

#29. Bus drivers, school

- Median annual wage: $46,480
- Median hourly wage: $22.35
- Total employment: 60 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $47,370
- Median hourly wage: $22.78
- Total employment: 70 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $47,410
- Median hourly wage: $22.79
- Total employment: 40 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $47,440
- Median hourly wage: $22.81
- Total employment: 70 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $47,550
- Median hourly wage: $22.86
- Total employment: 160 people (4.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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27 / 50

#24. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $49,100
- Median hourly wage: $23.61
- Total employment: 150 people (3.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $51,060
- Median hourly wage: $24.55
- Total employment: 110 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $51,630
- Median hourly wage: $24.82
- Total employment: 140 people (3.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $52,920
- Median hourly wage: $25.44
- Total employment: 190 people (4.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $54,790
- Median hourly wage: $26.34
- Total employment: 460 people (11.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $56,040
- Median hourly wage: $26.94
- Total employment: 40 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,600
- Median hourly wage: $27.69
- Total employment: 40 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $58,060
- Median hourly wage: $27.92
- Total employment: 230 people (6.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,150
- Median hourly wage: $27.96
- Total employment: 140 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Prath // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $58,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.23
- Total employment: 50 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.29
- Total employment: 260 people (6.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $59,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 80 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $59,620
- Median hourly wage: $28.67
- Total employment: 40 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $59,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 60 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,780
- Median hourly wage: $29.70
- Total employment: 60 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,080
- Median hourly wage: $29.85
- Total employment: 250 people (6.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $63,620
- Median hourly wage: $30.59
- Total employment: 340 people (8.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $65,490
- Median hourly wage: $31.49
- Total employment: 100 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,170
- Median hourly wage: $32.78
- Total employment: 170 people (4.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,370
- Median hourly wage: $33.35
- Total employment: 70 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,910
- Median hourly wage: $34.57
- Total employment: 310 people (8.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,670
- Median hourly wage: $35.42
- Total employment: 240 people (6.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $76,190
- Median hourly wage: $36.63
- Total employment: 90 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $88,290
- Median hourly wage: $42.45
- Total employment: 60 people (1.53 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.