Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
1 / 50#49. Eligibility interviewers, government programs (tie)
- Median annual wage: $61,050
- Median hourly wage: $29.35
- Total employment: 90 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Bellingham 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 Bellingham 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.
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Highway maintenance workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $61,050
- Median hourly wage: $29.35
- Total employment: 110 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $61,280
- Median hourly wage: $29.46
- Total employment: 40 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.48
- Total employment: 90 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $61,660
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 310 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $61,990
- Median hourly wage: $29.80
- Total employment: 100 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $62,390
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 150 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $62,460
- Median hourly wage: $30.03
- Total employment: 140 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Median annual wage: $63,050
- Median hourly wage: $30.31
- Total employment: 50 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $64,080
- Median hourly wage: $30.81
- Total employment: 270 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PHILIPIMAGE // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,370
- Median hourly wage: $30.95
- Total employment: 60 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $64,510
- Median hourly wage: $31.01
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dagmara_K // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Median annual wage: $66,380
- Median hourly wage: $31.91
- Total employment: 140 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers
- Median annual wage: $67,590
- Median hourly wage: $32.50
- Total employment: Not available
Steve Hamann // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners
- Median annual wage: $68,450
- Median hourly wage: $32.91
- Total employment: 110 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $68,640
- Median hourly wage: $33.00
- Total employment: 220 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $69,690
- Median hourly wage: $33.51
- Total employment: 70 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
flywish // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Median annual wage: $69,950
- Median hourly wage: $33.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jat306 // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $70,050
- Median hourly wage: $33.68
- Total employment: 40 people (0.49 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: $70,500
- Median hourly wage: $33.90
- Total employment: 490 people (5.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $70,780
- Median hourly wage: $34.03
- Total employment: 340 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $71,360
- Median hourly wage: $34.31
- Total employment: 930 people (10.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $72,590
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 220 people (2.45 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: $72,600
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 910 people (9.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $74,610
- Median hourly wage: $35.87
- Total employment: 660 people (7.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $75,070
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 750 people (8.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $75,870
- Median hourly wage: $36.48
- Total employment: 420 people (4.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $76,150
- Median hourly wage: $36.61
- Total employment: 440 people (4.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $76,370
- Median hourly wage: $36.72
- Total employment: 90 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $76,510
- Median hourly wage: $36.78
- Total employment: 120 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $77,720
- Median hourly wage: $37.37
- Total employment: 210 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $78,690
- Median hourly wage: $37.83
- Total employment: 100 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zhanna Kavaliova // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Logging equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $78,810
- Median hourly wage: $37.89
- Total employment: 50 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $79,190
- Median hourly wage: $38.07
- Total employment: 290 people (3.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
muratart // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Pipelayers
- Median annual wage: $80,310
- Median hourly wage: $38.61
- Total employment: 50 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $83,340
- Median hourly wage: $40.07
- Total employment: 50 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $83,860
- Median hourly wage: $40.32
- Total employment: 130 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $83,950
- Median hourly wage: $40.36
- Total employment: 30 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $85,060
- Median hourly wage: $40.90
- Total employment: 110 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $85,630
- Median hourly wage: $41.17
- Total employment: 370 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $86,170
- Median hourly wage: $41.43
- Total employment: 540 people (5.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $87,910
- Median hourly wage: $42.27
- Total employment: 70 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $96,850
- Median hourly wage: $46.56
- Total employment: 390 people (4.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $101,920
- Median hourly wage: $49.00
- Total employment: 750 people (8.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $104,350
- Median hourly wage: $50.17
- Total employment: 280 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $107,350
- Median hourly wage: $51.61
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $112,130
- Median hourly wage: $53.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $120,080
- Median hourly wage: $57.73
- Total employment: 260 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $134,060
- Median hourly wage: $64.45
- Total employment: 90 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $153,590
- Median hourly wage: $73.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.38 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.
