
Highest paying jobs in Waco for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Waco 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 Waco, 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. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $42,950
- #179 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,650
- Employment: 71,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($95,020)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($88,250)
--- Western Washington nonmetropolitan area ($84,570)

#49. Light truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $43,060
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620
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)
#48. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $43,240
- #166 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#47. Brokerage clerks
- Annual mean salary: $43,250
- #86 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#46. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $43,320
- #304 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
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#45. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $43,480
- #217 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
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)

#44. Procurement clerks
- Annual mean salary: $43,960
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#43. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $45,190
- #211 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,260
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)

#42. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $45,310
- #148 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,150
- Employment: 68,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Eugene, OR ($70,940)
--- Salem, OR ($68,640)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($68,520)

#41. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $45,580
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#40. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $45,610
- #286 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)

#39. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $46,150
- #297 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#38. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $46,350
- #279 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#37. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $46,500
- #392 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)

#36. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $46,790
- #236 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)
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#35. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $46,880
- #344 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
#34. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $47,420
- #149 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,770
- Employment: 53,370
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($84,710)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($77,840)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($76,960)

#33. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $47,470
- #306 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#32. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $47,600
- #174 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#31. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Annual mean salary: $47,770
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#30. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $47,960
- #506 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680
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. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $48,200
- #399 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
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)

#28. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $48,660
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#27. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $48,700
- #427 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560
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)

#26. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $48,920
- #487 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
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#25. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $49,790
- #365 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#24. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $50,550
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#23. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $50,650
- #161 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)

#22. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers
- Annual mean salary: $50,890
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,510
- Employment: 38,460
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($64,250)
--- Savannah, GA ($62,660)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($59,890)

#21. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $51,470
- #392 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
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#20. Tax preparers
- Annual mean salary: $52,330
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,700
- #248 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)

#18. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,600
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#17. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $55,730
- #292 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#16. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $55,900
- #292 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)
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#15. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $56,000
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,630
- Employment: 44,610
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($152,460)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($133,810)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($132,320)
#14. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,360
- #276 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,260
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)

#13. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $57,670
- #282 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)

#12. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $61,460
- #188 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#11. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $62,410
- #355 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800
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)
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#10. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $63,080
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,300
- Employment: 149,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($70,030)
--- Waco, TX ($63,080)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($57,930)

#9. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $64,060
- #435 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)

#8. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $66,820
- #252 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,050
- #291 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720
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)

#6. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $67,470
- #309 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
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#5. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,640
- #397 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $70,670
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 780
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)

#3. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $70,820
- #232 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $87,900
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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: $100,650
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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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