Gorgev // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $60,900
- Median hourly wage: $29.28
- Total employment: 40 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Olympia 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 Olympia 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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2 / 50#49. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $60,930
- Median hourly wage: $29.30
- Total employment: 120 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Median annual wage: $61,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.55
- Total employment: 100 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Advertising sales agents
- Median annual wage: $62,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.98
- Total employment: 60 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $62,490
- Median hourly wage: $30.04
- Total employment: 180 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GolF2532 // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $62,910
- Median hourly wage: $30.25
- Total employment: 80 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $63,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.49
- Total employment: 740 people (5.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $63,730
- Median hourly wage: $30.64
- Total employment: 440 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $64,360
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 40 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $64,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.00
- Total employment: 100 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $65,790
- Median hourly wage: $31.63
- Total employment: 100 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $66,560
- Median hourly wage: $32.00
- Total employment: 660 people (5.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $69,010
- Median hourly wage: $33.18
- Total employment: 400 people (3.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $69,060
- Median hourly wage: $33.20
- Total employment: 100 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $70,190
- Median hourly wage: $33.75
- Total employment: 370 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SritanaN // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $71,480
- Median hourly wage: $34.37
- Total employment: 190 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $71,800
- Median hourly wage: $34.52
- Total employment: 90 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $72,790
- Median hourly wage: $35.00
- Total employment: 1,160 people (9.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $74,060
- Median hourly wage: $35.60
- Total employment: 610 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zhanna Kavaliova // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Logging equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $74,400
- Median hourly wage: $35.77
- Total employment: 120 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Irene Miller // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $75,290
- Median hourly wage: $36.20
- Total employment: 190 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $76,090
- Median hourly wage: $36.58
- Total employment: 780 people (6.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $76,180
- Median hourly wage: $36.62
- Total employment: 850 people (6.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $77,100
- Median hourly wage: $37.07
- Total employment: 220 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $77,170
- Median hourly wage: $37.10
- Total employment: 270 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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welcomia // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $77,210
- Median hourly wage: $37.12
- Total employment: 110 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $78,070
- Median hourly wage: $37.54
- Total employment: 290 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $78,790
- Median hourly wage: $37.88
- Total employment: 580 people (4.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $80,100
- Median hourly wage: $38.51
- Total employment: 190 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $80,930
- Median hourly wage: $38.91
- Total employment: 100 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $81,150
- Median hourly wage: $39.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $82,700
- Median hourly wage: $39.76
- Total employment: 120 people (0.97 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: $85,000
- Median hourly wage: $40.86
- Total employment: 70 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $85,620
- Median hourly wage: $41.17
- Total employment: 490 people (3.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $86,200
- Median hourly wage: $41.44
- Total employment: 180 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $88,150
- Median hourly wage: $42.38
- Total employment: 130 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $88,700
- Median hourly wage: $42.65
- Total employment: 380 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $89,220
- Median hourly wage: $42.90
- Total employment: 60 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $94,240
- Median hourly wage: $45.31
- Total employment: 490 people (3.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $95,890
- Median hourly wage: $46.10
- Total employment: 170 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $100,200
- Median hourly wage: $48.17
- Total employment: 150 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Sales and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $100,340
- Median hourly wage: $48.24
- Total employment: 60 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $101,310
- Median hourly wage: $48.71
- Total employment: 360 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Glaziers
- Median annual wage: $105,400
- Median hourly wage: $50.67
- Total employment: 80 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $105,470
- Median hourly wage: $50.71
- Total employment: 30 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $108,700
- Median hourly wage: $52.26
- Total employment: 60 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $111,230
- Median hourly wage: $53.48
- Total employment: 110 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $122,380
- Median hourly wage: $58.84
- Total employment: 60 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $134,980
- Median hourly wage: $64.89
- Total employment: 60 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $144,420
- Median hourly wage: $69.43
- Total employment: 160 people (1.23 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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