
Highest paying jobs in Texarkana for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Texarkana 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 Texarkana, TX-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.
You may also like: Zip codes with the most expensive homes in Texarkana metro area

#50. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Annual mean salary: $38,010
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,750
- Employment: 69,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($59,130)
--- Anchorage, AK ($57,900)
--- Longview, WA ($57,410)

#49. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $38,170
- #493 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,200
- Employment: 699,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($81,730)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,680)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,280)

#48. Rail car repairers
- Annual mean salary: $38,230
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,250
- Employment: 22,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($86,690)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($76,530)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($74,740)
#47. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $38,370
- #300 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,990
- Employment: 138,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,570)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,900)
--- New Haven, CT ($63,790)
#46. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $38,550
- #340 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,140
- Employment: 137,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Midland, MI ($60,190)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($58,940)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($58,790)
You may also like: Where people in Texarkana are moving to most
#45. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Annual mean salary: $39,020
- #332 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,780
- Employment: 204,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($59,060)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($58,140)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,710)

#44. Light truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $39,470
- #298 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,050
- Employment: 929,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($51,860)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($51,560)
--- Waterbury, CT ($50,100)

#43. Logging equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $39,920
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,570
- Employment: 25,560
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($64,000)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($62,910)
--- Longview, WA ($62,780)

#42. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $40,340
- #456 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,280
- Employment: 402,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,910)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($91,860)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($91,120)

#41. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $40,550
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 710
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,340
- Employment: 405,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($96,580)
--- Salinas, CA ($89,100)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($86,260)
You may also like: Highest paying jobs in Texarkana that require a graduate degree

#40. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $40,710
- #470 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,690
- Employment: 397,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($72,500)
--- Anchorage, AK ($71,840)
--- West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($71,250)
#39. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $41,250
- #384 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#38. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $42,690
- #343 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 700
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,300
- Employment: 1,063,110
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($57,830)
--- Boulder, CO ($56,520)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,930)

#37. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $42,800
- #190 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#36. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $43,090
- #394 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,800
- Employment: 360,340
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($76,230)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($71,070)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($69,300)
You may also like: Closest national parks to Texarkana

#35. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $43,600
- #408 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#34. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $44,530
- #363 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#33. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $44,650
- #346 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#32. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $44,820
- #189 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,580
- Employment: 549,200
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($88,150)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($80,420)
--- Odessa, TX ($70,950)

#31. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $45,350
- #456 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in Texarkana metro area

#30. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $45,810
- #514 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#29. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $45,990
- #383 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#28. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $46,020
- #253 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $46,270
- #255 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#26. Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $46,380
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,290
- Employment: 32,460
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area ($76,480)
--- Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area ($70,140)
--- Nevada nonmetropolitan area ($60,400)
You may also like: Cities with the fastest growing home prices in Texarkana metro area

#25. Procurement clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,590
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,400
- Employment: 61,000
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area ($58,310)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,800)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($56,330)
#24. Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic
- Annual mean salary: $46,690
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,370
- Employment: 41,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($53,180)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($52,850)
--- Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area ($52,620)

#23. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $49,270
- #415 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)

#22. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $49,300
- #379 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#21. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $50,640
- #359 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Texarkana in the last week

#20. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $51,100
- #398 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#19. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $51,260
- #193 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#18. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $51,370
- #365 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#17. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $51,870
- #430 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#16. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $51,880
- #422 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
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)
You may also like: Metros sending the most people to Texarkana

#15. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $53,400
- #117 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,000
- Employment: 362,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($74,970)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($71,160)
--- West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($67,770)

#14. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $54,590
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#13. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $55,370
- #317 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#12. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $55,710
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#11. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $56,680
- #177 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
You may also like: Highest-earning zip codes in Texarkana metro area

#10. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $56,720
- #142 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530
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)

#9. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $57,200
- #502 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#8. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $59,950
- #124 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,700
- #300 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
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)

#6. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $65,970
- #368 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Texarkana that don't require a college degree

#5. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,120
- #444 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $66,540
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)

#3. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $68,340
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $69,780
- #359 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $91,870
- #263 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
You may also like: How Texarkana feels about climate change