Highest paying jobs in Chattanooga for high school graduates
A high school diploma gives graduates a leg up in the workforce, even if they don't pursue any further education.
The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that workers over age of 25 with a high school diploma or equivalent earned about 25% more than those without one—$853 a week compared to $682. Diploma holders also faced lower unemployment rates, at 4% in 2022, compared to 5.5% for those who never completed high school.
There are many reasons high-school graduates may choose to not continue on to college—for instance, the cost. Average tuition costs continue to rise, increasing by 1% to 4% last year, depending on the institution type. While higher degrees of education typically pave the way for higher earnings, a college degree isn't necessary for many high-paying jobs. And for many careers, it doesn't make sense to pay to study for years when there are paid apprenticeship or learn-on-the-job programs.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Chattanooga for those with a high school diploma or equivalent. Jobs are ranked by their annual median salaries as of May 2022. Jobs without available data for annual pay were excluded from this analysis.
Keep reading to see which jobs in your city pay high school graduates the most.
This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.
#50. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $46,080
- Median hourly wage: $22.15
- Total employment: 150 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#49. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Median annual wage: $46,460
- Median hourly wage: $22.34
- Total employment: 50 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#48. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $46,830
- Median hourly wage: $22.52
- Total employment: 770 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#47. Financial clerks, all other
- Median annual wage: $47,160
- Median hourly wage: $22.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#46. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $47,200
- Median hourly wage: $22.69
- Total employment: 1,560 people (6.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#45. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Median annual wage: $47,240
- Median hourly wage: $22.71
- Total employment: 930 people (3.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#44. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $47,400
- Median hourly wage: $22.79
- Total employment: 90 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#43. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $47,450
- Median hourly wage: $22.81
- Total employment: 1,490 people (5.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#42. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $47,660
- Median hourly wage: $22.92
- Total employment: 60 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#41. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $47,760
- Median hourly wage: $22.96
- Total employment: 290 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#40. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $47,780
- Median hourly wage: $22.97
- Total employment: 50 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#39. Dental laboratory technicians
- Median annual wage: $47,970
- Median hourly wage: $23.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#38. Home appliance repairers
- Median annual wage: $48,350
- Median hourly wage: $23.24
- Total employment: 30 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#37. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $48,490
- Median hourly wage: $23.31
- Total employment: 670 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#36. Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $48,510
- Median hourly wage: $23.32
- Total employment: 50 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#35. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $49,130
- Median hourly wage: $23.62
- Total employment: 220 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#34. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $49,290
- Median hourly wage: $23.70
- Total employment: 480 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#33. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $49,440
- Median hourly wage: $23.77
- Total employment: 330 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#32. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $49,700
- Median hourly wage: $23.89
- Total employment: 150 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#31. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $49,750
- Median hourly wage: $23.92
- Total employment: 560 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#30. Community health workers
- Median annual wage: $49,900
- Median hourly wage: $23.99
- Total employment: 40 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#29. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $50,170
- Median hourly wage: $24.12
- Total employment: 110 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#28. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $50,190
- Median hourly wage: $24.13
- Total employment: 800 people (3.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#27. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $50,230
- Median hourly wage: $24.15
- Total employment: 490 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#26. Traffic technicians
- Median annual wage: $51,020
- Median hourly wage: $24.53
- Total employment: 70 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#25. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $51,150
- Median hourly wage: $24.59
- Total employment: 280 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#24. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $51,330
- Median hourly wage: $24.68
- Total employment: 30 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#23. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $51,470
- Median hourly wage: $24.74
- Total employment: 150 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#22. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 870 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#21. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $52,080
- Median hourly wage: $25.04
- Total employment: 1,410 people (5.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#20. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $52,870
- Median hourly wage: $25.42
- Total employment: 190 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#19. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $53,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.48
- Total employment: 360 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#18. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $53,740
- Median hourly wage: $25.84
- Total employment: 1,240 people (4.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#17. Chemical plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $53,810
- Median hourly wage: $25.87
- Total employment: 100 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#16. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $55,690
- Median hourly wage: $26.77
- Total employment: 1,340 people (5.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#15. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $57,180
- Median hourly wage: $27.49
- Total employment: 360 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#14. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $58,890
- Median hourly wage: $28.31
- Total employment: 3,680 people (14.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#13. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $60,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.02
- Total employment: 690 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#12. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $60,800
- Median hourly wage: $29.23
- Total employment: 120 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#11. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $61,210
- Median hourly wage: $29.43
- Total employment: 130 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#10. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $61,680
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 150 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#9. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $62,020
- Median hourly wage: $29.82
- Total employment: 1,160 people (4.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#8. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $62,620
- Median hourly wage: $30.11
- Total employment: 1,860 people (7.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#7. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $62,670
- Median hourly wage: $30.13
- Total employment: 60 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#6. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $62,850
- Median hourly wage: $30.22
- Total employment: 960 people (3.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $64,030
- Median hourly wage: $30.78
- Total employment: 360 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $82,090
- Median hourly wage: $39.47
- Total employment: 520 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $94,160
- Median hourly wage: $45.27
- Total employment: 290 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#2. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $100,530
- Median hourly wage: $48.33
- Total employment: 50 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#1. Nuclear power reactor operators
- Median annual wage: $103,190
- Median hourly wage: $49.61
- Total employment: 150 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
