Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $49,530
- Median hourly wage: $23.81
- Total employment: 40 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Racine 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 Racine 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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goodluz // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $49,650
- Median hourly wage: $23.87
- Total employment: 80 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Gress Media Inc // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Engine and other machine assemblers
- Median annual wage: $49,730
- Median hourly wage: $23.91
- Total employment: 30 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $50,080
- Median hourly wage: $24.08
- Total employment: 750 people (9.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $50,260
- Median hourly wage: $24.16
- Total employment: 420 people (5.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Construction laborers
- Median annual wage: $51,080
- Median hourly wage: $24.56
- Total employment: 540 people (7.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $51,600
- Median hourly wage: $24.81
- Total employment: 270 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials
- Median annual wage: $51,730
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $52,150
- Median hourly wage: $25.07
- Total employment: 50 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $52,440
- Median hourly wage: $25.21
- Total employment: 440 people (5.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 PM production // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $53,040
- Median hourly wage: $25.50
- Total employment: 80 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $53,250
- Median hourly wage: $25.60
- Total employment: 80 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $53,380
- Median hourly wage: $25.66
- Total employment: 60 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $53,760
- Median hourly wage: $25.85
- Total employment: 420 people (5.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
flywish // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Median annual wage: $54,350
- Median hourly wage: $26.13
- Total employment: 70 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $55,220
- Median hourly wage: $26.55
- Total employment: 150 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 230 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $57,590
- Median hourly wage: $27.69
- Total employment: 240 people (3.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $57,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 30 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
brizmaker // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Roofers
- Median annual wage: $58,400
- Median hourly wage: $28.08
- Total employment: 70 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $58,700
- Median hourly wage: $28.22
- Total employment: 70 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $59,370
- Median hourly wage: $28.54
- Total employment: 50 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $60,160
- Median hourly wage: $28.92
- Total employment: 450 people (5.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Efired // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Bill and account collectors
- Median annual wage: $60,690
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 60 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $60,890
- Median hourly wage: $29.27
- Total employment: 50 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kot500 // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $61,420
- Median hourly wage: $29.53
- Total employment: 280 people (3.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $61,510
- Median hourly wage: $29.57
- Total employment: 230 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $62,630
- Median hourly wage: $30.11
- Total employment: 130 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $62,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 40 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $62,710
- Median hourly wage: $30.15
- Total employment: 60 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $63,720
- Median hourly wage: $30.63
- Total employment: 370 people (4.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $63,930
- Median hourly wage: $30.74
- Total employment: 30 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $63,990
- Median hourly wage: $30.76
- Total employment: 100 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $65,580
- Median hourly wage: $31.53
- Total employment: 70 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $66,210
- Median hourly wage: $31.83
- Total employment: 580 people (7.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SritanaN // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $66,420
- Median hourly wage: $31.93
- Total employment: 460 people (6.0 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: $66,700
- Median hourly wage: $32.07
- Total employment: 1,070 people (14.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $69,730
- Median hourly wage: $33.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $70,910
- Median hourly wage: $34.09
- Total employment: 280 people (3.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $72,710
- Median hourly wage: $34.96
- Total employment: 960 people (12.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $76,850
- Median hourly wage: $36.95
- Total employment: 240 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $77,710
- Median hourly wage: $37.36
- Total employment: 360 people (4.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $77,930
- Median hourly wage: $37.47
- Total employment: 60 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $78,200
- Median hourly wage: $37.60
- Total employment: 70 people (0.86 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: $80,310
- Median hourly wage: $38.61
- Total employment: 330 people (4.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $81,600
- Median hourly wage: $39.23
- Total employment: 250 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $85,480
- Median hourly wage: $41.09
- Total employment: 300 people (3.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $90,420
- Median hourly wage: $43.47
- Total employment: 60 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $99,420
- Median hourly wage: $47.80
- Total employment: 130 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $106,450
- Median hourly wage: $51.18
- Total employment: 150 people (2.01 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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