Highest-paying jobs in Waco 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 Waco 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.

brizmaker // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Roofers

- Median annual wage: $47,820
- Median hourly wage: $22.99
- Total employment: 220 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dagmara_K // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Drywall and ceiling tile installers

- Median annual wage: $47,970
- Median hourly wage: $23.06
- Total employment: 140 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $48,040
- Median hourly wage: $23.10
- Total employment: 710 people (5.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services

- Median annual wage: $48,180
- Median hourly wage: $23.16
- Total employment: 70 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $48,370
- Median hourly wage: $23.26
- Total employment: 220 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $48,420
- Median hourly wage: $23.28
- Total employment: 90 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $48,430
- Median hourly wage: $23.28
- Total employment: 670 people (5.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vasin Lee // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Residential advisors

- Median annual wage: $48,450
- Median hourly wage: $23.29
- Total employment: 50 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $48,500
- Median hourly wage: $23.32
- Total employment: 90 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $49,080
- Median hourly wage: $23.60
- Total employment: 490 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Virrage Images // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

- Median annual wage: $49,160
- Median hourly wage: $23.63
- Total employment: 60 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rezoff // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Plant and system operators, all other

- Median annual wage: $49,990
- Median hourly wage: $24.03
- Total employment: 80 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $51,460
- Median hourly wage: $24.74
- Total employment: 270 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $51,580
- Median hourly wage: $24.80
- Total employment: 110 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

- Median annual wage: $54,330
- Median hourly wage: $26.12
- Total employment: 40 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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welcomia // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $55,130
- Median hourly wage: $26.50
- Total employment: 250 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $55,260
- Median hourly wage: $26.57
- Total employment: 30 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vagengeim // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Dental laboratory technicians

- Median annual wage: $56,100
- Median hourly wage: $26.97
- Total employment: 30 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 330 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,360
- Median hourly wage: $27.10
- Total employment: 690 people (5.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,770
- Median hourly wage: $27.29
- Total employment: 270 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $57,970
- Median hourly wage: $27.87
- Total employment: 440 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. 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: 440 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $58,510
- Median hourly wage: $28.13
- Total employment: 50 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,570
- Median hourly wage: $28.16
- Total employment: 780 people (5.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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GaudiLab // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,620
- Median hourly wage: $28.19
- Total employment: 1,680 people (12.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $58,670
- Median hourly wage: $28.21
- Total employment: 670 people (5.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $58,900
- Median hourly wage: $28.32
- Total employment: 170 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $59,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.37
- Total employment: 120 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,520
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 40 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $59,590
- Median hourly wage: $28.65
- Total employment: 70 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,180
- Median hourly wage: $28.93
- Total employment: 60 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chay_Tee // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Tax preparers

- Median annual wage: $60,730
- Median hourly wage: $29.20
- Total employment: Not available

Vladeep // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $61,210
- Median hourly wage: $29.43
- Total employment: 40 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $61,250
- Median hourly wage: $29.45
- Total employment: 120 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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manine99 // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $61,560
- Median hourly wage: $29.59
- Total employment: 170 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,710
- Median hourly wage: $30.15
- Total employment: 830 people (6.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,160
- Median hourly wage: $30.36
- Total employment: 300 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $63,670
- Median hourly wage: $30.61
- Total employment: 70 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,630
- Median hourly wage: $31.07
- Total employment: 820 people (6.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $65,080
- Median hourly wage: $31.29
- Total employment: 280 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,740
- Median hourly wage: $32.09
- Total employment: 610 people (4.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,950
- Median hourly wage: $32.19
- Total employment: 130 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $70,430
- Median hourly wage: $33.86
- Total employment: 1,250 people (9.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $75,270
- Median hourly wage: $36.19
- Total employment: 100 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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pio3 // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $76,740
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 720 people (5.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $80,630
- Median hourly wage: $38.77
- Total employment: 100 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $81,890
- Median hourly wage: $39.37
- Total employment: 50 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $82,380
- Median hourly wage: $39.61
- Total employment: 250 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $100,760
- Median hourly wage: $48.44
- Total employment: 60 people (0.5 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.