Highest-paying jobs in St. George 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 St. George 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.

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $48,560
- Median hourly wage: $23.34
- Total employment: 40 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $48,760
- Median hourly wage: $23.44
- Total employment: 90 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

flywish // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

- Median annual wage: $48,880
- Median hourly wage: $23.50
- Total employment: 40 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $48,990
- Median hourly wage: $23.55
- Total employment: 100 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $49,000
- Median hourly wage: $23.56
- Total employment: 60 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lucky Business // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors

- Median annual wage: $49,040
- Median hourly wage: $23.58
- Total employment: 420 people (4.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dagmara_K // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Drywall and ceiling tile installers

- Median annual wage: $49,180
- Median hourly wage: $23.64
- Total employment: 240 people (2.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LightField Studios // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Bus drivers, school

- Median annual wage: $49,280
- Median hourly wage: $23.69
- Total employment: 130 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chay_Tee // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Tax preparers

- Median annual wage: $49,640
- Median hourly wage: $23.86
- Total employment: 60 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DC Studio // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $50,150
- Median hourly wage: $24.11
- Total employment: 240 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $50,540
- Median hourly wage: $24.30
- Total employment: 80 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $50,650
- Median hourly wage: $24.35
- Total employment: 50 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $50,670
- Median hourly wage: $24.36
- Total employment: 170 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. First-line supervisors of personal service workers

- Median annual wage: $51,150
- Median hourly wage: $24.59
- Total employment: 60 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $51,160
- Median hourly wage: $24.60
- Total employment: 70 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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hedgehog94 // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Pest control workers

- Median annual wage: $51,540
- Median hourly wage: $24.78
- Total employment: 40 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $51,590
- Median hourly wage: $24.80
- Total employment: 80 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $52,260
- Median hourly wage: $25.12
- Total employment: 130 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $52,310
- Median hourly wage: $25.15
- Total employment: 170 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Radovan1 / Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Plasterers and stucco masons

- Median annual wage: $53,170
- Median hourly wage: $25.56
- Total employment: 250 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $53,650
- Median hourly wage: $25.79
- Total employment: 450 people (5.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $53,710
- Median hourly wage: $25.82
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $54,530
- Median hourly wage: $26.22
- Total employment: 590 people (6.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining

- Median annual wage: $54,820
- Median hourly wage: $26.36
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $55,250
- Median hourly wage: $26.56
- Total employment: 490 people (5.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Aleksandar Malivuk // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Mechanical door repairers

- Median annual wage: $55,540
- Median hourly wage: $26.70
- Total employment: 30 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

muratart // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $55,560
- Median hourly wage: $26.71
- Total employment: 40 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $55,920
- Median hourly wage: $26.89
- Total employment: 440 people (5.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,000
- Median hourly wage: $26.92
- Total employment: 360 people (4.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $56,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.20
- Total employment: 530 people (6.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,820
- Median hourly wage: $27.32
- Total employment: 150 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $56,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.37
- Total employment: 380 people (4.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $57,800
- Median hourly wage: $27.79
- Total employment: 140 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.48
- Total employment: 70 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $59,490
- Median hourly wage: $28.60
- Total employment: 110 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.78
- Total employment: 530 people (6.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $60,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.85
- Total employment: 150 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,320
- Median hourly wage: $29.00
- Total employment: 320 people (3.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $60,510
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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GaudiLab // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,140
- Median hourly wage: $29.40
- Total employment: 890 people (10.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,950
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,220
- Median hourly wage: $32.32
- Total employment: 740 people (8.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $68,180
- Median hourly wage: $32.78
- Total employment: 80 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,920
- Median hourly wage: $33.13
- Total employment: 340 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $71,550
- Median hourly wage: $34.40
- Total employment: 80 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $80,450
- Median hourly wage: $38.68
- Total employment: 290 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $87,760
- Median hourly wage: $42.19
- Total employment: 30 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)