Highest paying jobs in San Antonio for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in San Antonio 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 San Antonio 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. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $50,430
- Median hourly wage: $24.25
- Total employment: 4,810 people (4.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#49. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $50,550
- Median hourly wage: $24.31
- Total employment: 1,810 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#48. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $50,610
- Median hourly wage: $24.33
- Total employment: 250 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#47. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $50,680
- Median hourly wage: $24.37
- Total employment: 7,630 people (7.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#46. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $50,840
- Median hourly wage: $24.44
- Total employment: 1,820 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#45. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $51,120
- Median hourly wage: $24.58
- Total employment: 1,120 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#44. Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $51,390
- Median hourly wage: $24.71
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#43. Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $51,430
- Median hourly wage: $24.73
- Total employment: 80 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#42. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Median annual wage: $51,630
- Median hourly wage: $24.82
- Total employment: 420 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#41. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $51,790
- Median hourly wage: $24.90
- Total employment: 500 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#40. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 2,120 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#39. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $52,020
- Median hourly wage: $25.01
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#38. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $53,680
- Median hourly wage: $25.81
- Total employment: 2,050 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#37. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers
- Median annual wage: $53,810
- Median hourly wage: $25.87
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#36. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $54,180
- Median hourly wage: $26.05
- Total employment: 360 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#35. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $55,350
- Median hourly wage: $26.61
- Total employment: 250 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#34. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $55,410
- Median hourly wage: $26.64
- Total employment: 140 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#33. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $55,590
- Median hourly wage: $26.73
- Total employment: 4,110 people (3.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#32. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $56,170
- Median hourly wage: $27.01
- Total employment: 330 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#31. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $56,500
- Median hourly wage: $27.17
- Total employment: 120 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#30. Media and communication workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $56,980
- Median hourly wage: $27.40
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#29. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $57,280
- Median hourly wage: $27.54
- Total employment: 1,440 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#28. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Median annual wage: $57,880
- Median hourly wage: $27.83
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#27. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $58,650
- Median hourly wage: $28.20
- Total employment: 2,330 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#26. Gas compressor and gas pumping station operators
- Median annual wage: $58,870
- Median hourly wage: $28.30
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#25. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $59,140
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 5,180 people (4.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#24. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $59,350
- Median hourly wage: $28.54
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#23. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $59,610
- Median hourly wage: $28.66
- Total employment: 13,350 people (12.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#22. Airfield operations specialists
- Median annual wage: $60,090
- Median hourly wage: $28.89
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#21. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $61,050
- Median hourly wage: $29.35
- Total employment: 3,820 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#20. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $61,110
- Median hourly wage: $29.38
- Total employment: 3,970 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#19. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $62,570
- Median hourly wage: $30.08
- Total employment: 1,590 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#18. Hearing aid specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,910
- Median hourly wage: $30.25
- Total employment: 80 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#17. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $63,030
- Median hourly wage: $30.30
- Total employment: 2,090 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#16. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $63,540
- Median hourly wage: $30.55
- Total employment: 5,800 people (5.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#15. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $64,210
- Median hourly wage: $30.87
- Total employment: 4,960 people (4.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#14. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $65,000
- Median hourly wage: $31.25
- Total employment: 4,910 people (4.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#13. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $66,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.99
- Total employment: 980 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#12. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $67,320
- Median hourly wage: $32.37
- Total employment: 1,690 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#11. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other
- Median annual wage: $68,890
- Median hourly wage: $33.12
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
#10. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $72,640
- Median hourly wage: $34.93
- Total employment: 230 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#9. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $77,070
- Median hourly wage: $37.06
- Total employment: 250 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#8. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $82,090
- Median hourly wage: $39.47
- Total employment: 1,520 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
#7. Media and communication equipment workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $82,490
- Median hourly wage: $39.66
- Total employment: 130 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Short-term on-the-job training
#6. Real estate brokers
- Median annual wage: $88,540
- Median hourly wage: $42.57
- Total employment: Not available
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#5. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $90,220
- Median hourly wage: $43.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 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 police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $94,610
- Median hourly wage: $45.49
- Total employment: 460 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Moderate-term on-the-job training
#3. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $94,800
- Median hourly wage: $45.58
- Total employment: 220 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Apprenticeship
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $96,040
- Median hourly wage: $46.17
- Total employment: 1,090 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: None
#1. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $104,360
- Median hourly wage: $50.17
- Total employment: 220 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
- Required on-the-job training to attain competency: Long-term on-the-job training
