
Highest paying jobs in Salt Lake City for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City, UT 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. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $54,920
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,080
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)
#49. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $54,960
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 810
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)

#48. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $55,130
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,030
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)

#47. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $55,230
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#46. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $55,290
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
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. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers
- Annual mean salary: $55,340
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#44. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $55,480
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#43. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $55,690
- #85 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)

#42. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $55,740
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,600
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)
#41. Meter readers, utilities
- Annual mean salary: $55,780
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,160
- Employment: 26,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($74,040)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($69,530)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($67,510)
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#40. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Annual mean salary: $55,790
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
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)

#39. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $56,550
- #270 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,360
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)

#38. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $56,590
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#37. Home appliance repairers
- Annual mean salary: $57,420
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,810
- Employment: 27,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($61,210)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($58,670)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($57,420)
#36. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $57,740
- #235 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,150
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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#35. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $58,440
- #99 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770
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. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $58,780
- #280 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,240
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)

#33. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $58,950
- #241 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)

#32. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $59,150
- #228 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,140
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)

#31. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $59,310
- #214 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,870
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)
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#30. Tax preparers
- Annual mean salary: $59,580
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)
#29. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,750
- #182 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)

#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $59,880
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,360
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)

#27. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $60,190
- #182 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650
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)

#26. Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers
- Annual mean salary: $60,810
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,890
- Employment: 14,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($104,560)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($68,920)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($60,810)
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#25. Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $61,150
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,000
- Employment: 15,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Charleston-North Charleston, SC ($73,990)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($61,150)
--- Duluth, MN-WI ($58,790)

#24. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $62,590
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)

#23. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $62,890
- #337 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,340
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)

#22. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $63,580
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)

#21. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $64,450
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,200
- Employment: 24,730
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($130,290)
--- Kansas City, MO-KS ($113,590)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($113,480)
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#20. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $64,810
- #283 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,160
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)

#19. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $65,840
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,430
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)

#18. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $65,920
- #84 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#17. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $67,430
- #27 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)

#16. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $69,540
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,350
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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#15. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $69,990
- #251 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,470
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)

#14. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $70,340
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 8,400
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)

#13. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $71,430
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#12. Boilermakers
- Annual mean salary: $72,800
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)

#11. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $73,370
- #150 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,450
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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#10. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $81,630
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#9. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $82,950
- #140 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#8. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $84,760
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $90,930
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,290
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. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $91,570
- #273 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,080
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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#5. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $93,300
- #27 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)
#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $93,410
- #158 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
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)

#3. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $93,870
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#2. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $94,070
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#1. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $125,290
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
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