
Highest paying jobs in Staunton for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Staunton 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 Staunton-Waynesboro, VA 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. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $40,410
- #426 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
#49. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $40,690
- #257 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#48. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Annual mean salary: $40,700
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,800
- Employment: 134,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Mankato-North Mankato, MN ($54,510)
--- Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC ($52,470)
--- Lafayette, LA ($52,280)
#47. Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Annual mean salary: $40,930
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,990
- Employment: 69,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Charleston-North Charleston, SC ($54,200)
--- Spartanburg, SC ($51,910)
--- Albany, OR ($50,620)

#46. Procurement clerks
- Annual mean salary: $41,440
- #217 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
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#45. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $41,570
- #327 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)

#44. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $41,890
- #310 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#43. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $42,120
- #229 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
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)

#42. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $42,460
- #176 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#41. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $42,970
- #372 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
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#40. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $44,070
- #376 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#39. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $44,170
- #374 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#38. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $44,220
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,220
- Employment: 52,760
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($60,940)
--- Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($52,510)
--- Bowling Green, KY ($49,980)
#37. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $44,530
- #169 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#36. Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $45,220
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,850
- Employment: 47,930
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($92,800)
--- Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area ($83,130)
--- Napa, CA ($68,470)
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#35. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $45,310
- #204 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
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)

#34. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $45,340
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,220
- Employment: 370,910
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Battle Creek, MI ($60,150)
--- Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area ($54,930)
--- Albany, GA ($53,570)

#33. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Annual mean salary: $45,930
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,790
- Employment: 1,357,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,230)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,870)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($56,650)
#32. Opticians, dispensing
- Annual mean salary: $46,280
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#31. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $47,070
- #186 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
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#30. Printing press operators
- Annual mean salary: $47,240
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,200
- Employment: 160,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($56,850)
--- Dover-Durham, NH-ME ($51,730)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($50,370)

#29. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $47,730
- #321 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $49,130
- #379 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $49,540
- #376 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#26. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $51,410
- #191 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
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#25. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $51,930
- #168 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#24. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,040
- #272 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#23. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $52,330
- #419 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
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)

#22. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $52,880
- #381 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)

#21. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $53,370
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
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#20. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $54,050
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#19. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $55,010
- #333 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $55,300
- #285 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#17. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $55,640
- #295 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
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)

#16. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $57,320
- #61 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)
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#15. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $59,450
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#14. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $59,610
- #99 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)

#13. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $60,480
- #244 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#12. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $61,600
- #264 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)

#11. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $62,670
- #470 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
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#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,060
- #390 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $65,650
- #295 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)

#8. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $66,060
- #221 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)

#7. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $67,850
- #224 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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 police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $72,390
- #339 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
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#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $72,510
- #252 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#4. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $72,750
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#3. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $78,610
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $86,470
- #138 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $91,790
- #267 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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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