
Highest paying jobs in Austin for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Austin 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 Austin-Round Rock, TX 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. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $51,180
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,010
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,290
- Employment: 133,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,600)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,240)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($60,930)

#49. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $51,230
- #185 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,310
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)

#48. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $51,470
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560
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)

#47. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $52,100
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,040
- Employment: 103,730
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Madera, CA ($76,040)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,800)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($73,360)

#46. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $52,240
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,090
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,750
- Employment: 160,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($84,640)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,320)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($77,210)
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#45. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $52,570
- #171 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,170
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,320
- Employment: 128,220
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($101,150)
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($94,930)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($93,840)

#44. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,830
- #219 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)

#43. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Annual mean salary: $53,240
- #112 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)

#42. Medical appliance technicians
- Annual mean salary: $53,340
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,630
- Employment: 13,710
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Flagstaff, AZ ($59,800)
--- San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX ($58,690)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,910)

#41. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $53,350
- #142 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,080
- Employment: 44,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($91,590)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,580)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($80,780)
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#40. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $53,780
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040
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)

#39. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $54,460
- #298 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,340
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)

#38. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $54,890
- #110 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#37. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $55,460
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,850
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)

#36. Bailiffs
- Annual mean salary: $55,570
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,730
- Employment: 18,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN ($69,600)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,050)
--- Glens Falls, NY ($66,980)
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#35. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $55,580
- #176 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 980
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)

#34. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $55,770
- #239 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,490
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)
#33. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Annual mean salary: $56,780
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 970
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,950
- Employment: 54,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($81,390)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($80,460)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($73,070)

#32. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $56,830
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,520
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)

#31. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $57,910
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)
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#30. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $58,880
- #105 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,080
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)

#29. Brokerage clerks
- Annual mean salary: $59,810
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,460
- Employment: 44,720
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,310)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,330)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,970)

#28. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $60,270
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,040
- Employment: 110,040
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($97,840)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($97,720)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($83,050)

#27. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $60,560
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#26. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $62,680
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
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#25. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $63,010
- #219 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 14,200
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)

#24. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,090
- #332 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,030
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)
#23. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $63,640
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,710
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)

#22. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $64,240
- #97 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,930
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,990
- Employment: 168,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Midland, TX ($100,060)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($99,880)
--- Worcester, MA-CT ($93,400)

#21. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $64,500
- #288 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,910
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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#20. Tax preparers
- Annual mean salary: $64,840
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 870
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,710
- Employment: 62,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($81,880)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($79,470)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($73,170)

#19. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $65,160
- #169 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,740
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)

#18. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $65,230
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,520
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)
#17. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,760
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 14,490
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)

#16. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $69,080
- #183 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,840
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)
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#15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,240
- #231 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,380
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)

#14. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $69,330
- #271 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,190
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)

#13. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $69,890
- #280 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 930
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)

#12. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $70,870
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#11. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $72,660
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,720
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)
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#10. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $72,990
- #218 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,580
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)

#9. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $75,180
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)

#8. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $78,910
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $84,450
- #169 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,800
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)

#6. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $86,950
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,280
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)
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#5. Airfield operations specialists
- Annual mean salary: $88,510
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#4. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Annual mean salary: $91,290
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $102,420
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 670
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)

#2. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $106,980
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $112,220
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 740
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)
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