
Highest paying jobs in Memphis for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Memphis for high school graduates
The average college graduate in 2020 earned $1,305 a week, while the average high school graduate takes home just $781, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Of course, college isn’t for everyone. There are many reasons high-school graduates may choose to not continue on to college, not the least of which being cost. Average tuition costs continue to rise each year, the exception being the 2020-2021 school year, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Average tuition at a public, in-state university coming in at $9,687; tuition for out-of-state students at public schools, and for everyone at private universities, is significantly higher at $21,874 and $35,087, respectively.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest paying jobs for high school graduates in Memphis, TN-MS-AR using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.
Keep reading to see which jobs in your city pay the most for high school graduates.
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#50. Airfield operations specialists
- Annual mean salary: $49,070
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,360
- Employment: 10,590
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Austin-Round Rock, TX ($88,510)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($80,230)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($79,230)

#49. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $50,020
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,420
- Employment: 59,940
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($95,980)
--- Decatur, IL ($92,670)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($89,340)

#48. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $50,410
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,000
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,440
- Employment: 105,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Huntsville, AL ($55,830)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,260)
--- Wausau, WI ($55,060)

#46 (tie). Riggers
- Annual mean salary: $50,450
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,020
- Employment: 21,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($89,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($73,310)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($73,160)
#46 (tie). Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $50,450
- #152 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,430
- Employment: 137,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($71,350)
--- Ames, IA ($68,340)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,060)
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#45. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $50,670
- #375 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,470
- Employment: 113,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New Haven, CT ($121,510)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($107,330)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,190)

#44. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $50,810
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 580
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,960
- Employment: 65,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area ($77,890)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($77,690)
--- Savannah, GA ($76,260)

#43. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers
- Annual mean salary: $50,880
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,160
- Employment: 19,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,710)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($65,990)
--- Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY ($65,510)

#42. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $51,340
- #366 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,220
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,550
- Employment: 656,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,900)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($91,090)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($86,600)

#41. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $51,540
- #195 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,890
- Employment: 119,380
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($92,370)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($87,990)
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#40. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $52,610
- #160 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,010
- Employment: 44,060
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($131,160)
--- Syracuse, NY ($103,350)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($99,990)

#39. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $52,730
- #294 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,520
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,100
- Employment: 417,440
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,580)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($89,500)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($89,190)

#38. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $52,870
- #199 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,740
- Employment: 101,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Leominster-Gardner, MA ($81,020)
--- Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area ($79,820)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($79,600)

#37. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $52,890
- #408 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,320
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,000
- Employment: 197,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($91,320)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($89,860)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,750)

#36. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $53,160
- #185 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,270
- Employment: 31,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area ($122,290)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($121,090)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($111,410)
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#35. Community health workers
- Annual mean salary: $53,510
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,000
- Employment: 58,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,110)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($65,530)
--- Bend-Redmond, OR ($61,820)

#34. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $54,480
- #346 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,720
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,350
- Employment: 385,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($85,900)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($85,360)
--- Anchorage, AK ($82,890)

#33. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,550
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,200
- Employment: 86,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houma-Thibodaux, LA ($59,410)
--- Florence, SC ($59,360)
--- Monroe, MI ($59,320)

#32. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $54,700
- #191 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,400
- Employment: 50,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($98,380)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($94,070)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($92,800)

#31. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,970
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,240
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,180
- Employment: 333,570
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Modesto, CA ($57,160)
--- Bismarck, ND ($57,090)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,820)
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#30. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $55,030
- #85 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,330
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,090
- Employment: 253,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,900)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($73,400)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,480)

#29. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $55,630
- #174 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,000
- Employment: 147,680
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($86,740)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($82,520)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($79,470)

#28. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $56,620
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,860
- Employment: 122,480
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,680)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($90,370)
--- Salinas, CA ($88,050)

#27. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $57,070
- #308 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,190
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,100
- Employment: 409,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($104,230)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,470)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($95,620)

#26. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $57,750
- #365 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,980
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,490
- Employment: 977,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($103,810)
--- Boulder, CO ($101,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($97,360)
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#25. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $58,480
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,100
- Employment: 32,200
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Jackson, MI ($93,360)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($91,080)
--- Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($87,760)

#24. Boilermakers
- Annual mean salary: $58,990
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,430
- Employment: 14,020
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,660)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($96,080)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($90,620)

#23. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $59,090
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,600
- Employment: 53,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($114,400)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,220)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($112,950)
#22. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,630
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,040
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,010
- Employment: 1,427,260
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($82,050)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($79,520)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,430)

#21. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $60,150
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,870
- Employment: 20,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Evansville, IN-KY ($77,880)
--- Anchorage, AK ($77,690)
--- Oklahoma City, OK ($77,100)
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#20. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $60,900
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 980
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,230
- Employment: 503,390
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,590)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($87,760)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($87,420)

#19. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $62,250
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,170
- Employment: 29,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,300)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,930)
--- South Illinois nonmetropolitan area ($101,630)

#18. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $63,540
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 910
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,210
- Employment: 219,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($109,540)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($106,420)
--- Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area ($105,220)

#17. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,600
- #276 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,770
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,800
- Employment: 599,900
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($98,170)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($97,910)
--- West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($96,900)

#16. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,080
- #357 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,110
National
- Annual mean salary: $72,990
- Employment: 614,080
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($112,020)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,820)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($101,210)
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#15. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $66,010
- #277 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,800
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,500
- Employment: 1,278,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($102,280)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($92,660)
--- Napa, CA ($92,620)

#14. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $66,040
- #332 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
National
- Annual mean salary: $74,410
- Employment: 114,930
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($117,700)
--- Salinas, CA ($110,180)
--- North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area ($109,740)

#13. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $66,710
- #353 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,910
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,100
- Employment: 475,000
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($93,830)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($93,030)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,870)

#12. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Annual mean salary: $66,910
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,620
- Employment: 10,020
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN ($79,660)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($72,800)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($71,910)

#11. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $68,080
- #217 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,650
- Employment: 287,150
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($104,350)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($95,200)
--- Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area ($92,500)
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#10. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,270
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,420
- Employment: 22,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area ($85,480)
--- Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area ($77,330)
--- Longview, WA ($74,500)
#9. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $72,190
- #341 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,060
National
- Annual mean salary: $97,180
- Employment: 122,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($182,700)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($170,740)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($164,600)

#8. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Annual mean salary: $81,170
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $93,260
- Employment: 9,940
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($131,560)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($129,570)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($123,540)

#7. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $81,770
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $89,300
- Employment: 105,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($132,210)
--- Anchorage, AK ($127,070)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($123,460)

#6. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $84,440
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,610
- Employment: 40,480
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($105,090)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($101,900)
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($97,860)
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#5. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $86,820
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,100
National
- Annual mean salary: $90,120
- Employment: 240,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($129,860)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($121,360)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($121,250)

#4. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $87,770
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,320
- Employment: 27,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($112,260)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($111,930)
--- Anchorage, AK ($108,140)
#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $96,600
- #200 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,460
National
- Annual mean salary: $105,100
- Employment: 132,210
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($159,890)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,170)
--- Trenton, NJ ($144,620)

#2. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $99,620
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $110,830
- Employment: 37,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($185,920)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($184,260)
--- Savannah, GA ($177,450)

#1. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $103,580
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,890
- Employment: 32,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($129,650)
--- Wenatchee, WA ($123,180)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($114,660)
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