Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $46,750
- Median hourly wage: $22.48
- Total employment: 130 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Clarksville 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 Clarksville 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.
You may also like: How much house does $500,000 buy you in Clarksville?
RossHelen // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $47,030
- Median hourly wage: $22.61
- Total employment: 100 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $47,600
- Median hourly wage: $22.89
- Total employment: 180 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $47,710
- Median hourly wage: $22.94
- Total employment: 370 people (3.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
5 / 50#45. Automotive body and related repairers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $48,140
- Median hourly wage: $23.14
- Total employment: 130 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated cheap eats in Clarksville by diners
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Carpenters (tie)
- Median annual wage: $48,140
- Median hourly wage: $23.14
- Total employment: 250 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $48,710
- Median hourly wage: $23.42
- Total employment: 390 people (3.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Healthcare support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $48,800
- Median hourly wage: $23.46
- Total employment: 200 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $48,860
- Median hourly wage: $23.49
- Total employment: 50 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $48,880
- Median hourly wage: $23.50
- Total employment: 620 people (6.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Asian restaurants in Clarksville by diners
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $48,890
- Median hourly wage: $23.51
- Total employment: 180 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $49,000
- Median hourly wage: $23.56
- Total employment: 90 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
M2020 // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $49,020
- Median hourly wage: $23.57
- Total employment: 50 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $49,060
- Median hourly wage: $23.59
- Total employment: 60 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $49,140
- Median hourly wage: $23.63
- Total employment: 70 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Coat drives near Clarksville
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Procurement clerks
- Median annual wage: $49,870
- Median hourly wage: $23.97
- Total employment: 70 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $50,610
- Median hourly wage: $24.33
- Total employment: 170 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $50,830
- Median hourly wage: $24.44
- Total employment: 130 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Information and record clerks, all other
- Median annual wage: $51,460
- Median hourly wage: $24.74
- Total employment: 170 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $51,760
- Median hourly wage: $24.89
- Total employment: 670 people (6.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated barbecue restaurants in the Clarksville area by diners
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $53,040
- Median hourly wage: $25.50
- Total employment: 340 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $53,660
- Median hourly wage: $25.80
- Total employment: 40 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $54,070
- Median hourly wage: $25.99
- Total employment: 150 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $54,200
- Median hourly wage: $26.06
- Total employment: 130 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $55,950
- Median hourly wage: $26.90
- Total employment: 370 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Clarksville by diners
Akimov Igor // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $56,070
- Median hourly wage: $26.96
- Total employment: 30 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $56,660
- Median hourly wage: $27.24
- Total employment: 100 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $56,960
- Median hourly wage: $27.38
- Total employment: 80 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $57,270
- Median hourly wage: $27.54
- Total employment: 220 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $57,350
- Median hourly wage: $27.57
- Total employment: 460 people (4.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Clarksville
Gorgev // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $57,910
- Median hourly wage: $27.84
- Total employment: 40 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $58,020
- Median hourly wage: $27.89
- Total employment: 1,230 people (12.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $58,300
- Median hourly wage: $28.03
- Total employment: 470 people (4.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $58,830
- Median hourly wage: $28.28
- Total employment: 500 people (4.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $59,080
- Median hourly wage: $28.40
- Total employment: 80 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Best restaurants for 9 cuisines in Clarksville
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 100 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $60,180
- Median hourly wage: $28.93
- Total employment: 90 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $60,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $60,510
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 270 people (2.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $62,250
- Median hourly wage: $29.93
- Total employment: 110 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: The most expensive homes sold in Clarksville this year
SritanaN // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $63,700
- Median hourly wage: $30.62
- Total employment: 430 people (4.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $66,810
- Median hourly wage: $32.12
- Total employment: 30 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $68,940
- Median hourly wage: $33.14
- Total employment: 690 people (6.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $69,520
- Median hourly wage: $33.43
- Total employment: 70 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $71,230
- Median hourly wage: $34.25
- Total employment: 470 people (4.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated delis in Clarksville by diners
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $71,940
- Median hourly wage: $34.59
- Total employment: 110 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $72,560
- Median hourly wage: $34.89
- Total employment: 450 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $82,110
- Median hourly wage: $39.48
- Total employment: 200 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $82,290
- Median hourly wage: $39.56
- Total employment: 70 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $89,150
- Median hourly wage: $42.86
- Total employment: 90 people (0.91 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.
You may also like: Highest-rated campgrounds in the Clarksville area by visitors
