Highest paying jobs in Burlington 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 Burlington-South Burlington, VT 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.
#50. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $49,970
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,860
- Employment: 188,450
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($64,510)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($64,140)
--- Decatur, IL ($60,740)
#49. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $50,020
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,020
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)
#48. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Annual mean salary: $50,540
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,490
- Employment: 156,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,520)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($62,040)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($60,730)
#47. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $50,550
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,490
- Employment: 20,440
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($66,390)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($59,690)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($57,930)
#46. Community health workers
- Annual mean salary: $50,600
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,000
- Employment: 58,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,110)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($65,530)
--- Bend-Redmond, OR ($61,820)
#45. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $51,110
- #333 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#44. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $51,380
- #238 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
#43. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $51,550
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#42. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $51,630
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,500
- Employment: 141,260
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,770)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,250)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($59,160)
#41. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $51,680
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,800
- Employment: 93,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($97,380)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,790)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($76,950)
#40. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $51,800
- #151 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770
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)
#39. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,520
- #237 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#38. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $53,090
- #79 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. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $53,230
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#36. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $53,530
- #124 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
#35. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $53,880
- #309 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)
#34. Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $54,070
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,900
- Employment: 93,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area ($59,920)
--- Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area ($58,870)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($56,220)
#33. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $54,080
- #160 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#32. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $54,700
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
#31. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $55,100
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#30. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $55,200
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#29. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $55,630
- #124 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,890
- Employment: 119,380
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($92,370)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($87,990)
#28. Opticians, dispensing
- Annual mean salary: $55,790
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,380
- Employment: 68,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,300)
--- New Haven, CT ($69,460)
--- Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area ($66,670)
#27. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $56,090
- #234 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)
#26. Tax preparers
- Annual mean salary: $56,390
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#25. Photographers
- Annual mean salary: $56,420
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,290
- Employment: 41,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($76,810)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($71,160)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($70,440)
#24. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,760
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#23. Airfield operations specialists
- Annual mean salary: $57,670
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)
#22. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $57,820
- #150 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $58,070
- #202 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
#20. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $58,820
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,930
- Employment: 222,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,350)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($66,650)
--- Utica-Rome, NY ($63,470)
#19. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $60,310
- #171 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
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)
#18. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $62,030
- #403 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 790
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)
#17. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $62,490
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $62,540
- #156 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#15. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Annual mean salary: $62,880
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,650
- Employment: 248,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($69,160)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($68,140)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($64,980)
#14. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,930
- #294 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
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)
#13. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,830
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770
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)
#12. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $68,750
- #106 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)
#11. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $69,320
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)
#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $72,700
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
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)
#9. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $73,600
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
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 of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $73,950
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
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)
#7. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $74,220
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#6. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,200
- #294 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#5. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $76,330
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $86,130
- #326 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $91,530
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $96,910
- #127 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. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $106,690
- #19 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)