
Highest paying jobs in Washington, D.C. for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Washington, D.C. 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 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. Pile driver operators
- Annual mean salary: $65,790
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,880
- Employment: 3,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($106,620)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($106,340)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($104,880)

#49. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $65,970
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,230
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)

#48. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $65,990
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,300
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)

#47. Airfield operations specialists
- Annual mean salary: $66,200
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#46. Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $68,110
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,430
- Employment: 17,590
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($76,120)
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($75,470)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($68,110)
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#45. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $68,340
- #86 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 13,220
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)

#44. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $69,300
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 910
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)

#43. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Annual mean salary: $69,650
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,620
- Employment: 10,020
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN ($79,660)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($72,800)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($71,910)

#42. Subway and streetcar operators
- Annual mean salary: $69,690
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 830
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,480
- Employment: 11,250
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($82,190)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($76,320)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($69,690)

#41. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Annual mean salary: $69,780
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
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#40. Photographers
- Annual mean salary: $70,440
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650
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)

#39. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $70,580
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,000
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)

#38. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $70,710
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,240
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)

#37. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $71,350
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,470
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)

#36. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $72,760
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,390
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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#35. Crane and tower operators
- Annual mean salary: $73,200
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)
#34. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $73,550
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 25,650
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)

#33. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $74,190
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 640
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)

#32. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $74,570
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,100
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)

#31. Rail car repairers
- Annual mean salary: $74,740
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,210
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)
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#30. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $75,480
- #212 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,650
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)

#29. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,710
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,780
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)

#28. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Annual mean salary: $77,230
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,300
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,170
- Employment: 29,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,300)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,930)
--- South Illinois nonmetropolitan area ($101,630)

#27. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $77,910
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,770
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)
#26. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $78,200
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 13,850
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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#25. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $78,250
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,820
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)

#24. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $79,060
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 15,300
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)

#23. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $80,790
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,350
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)

#22. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Annual mean salary: $81,020
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#21. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $81,530
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,030
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)
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#20. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $81,700
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 8,860
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)

#19. Gas plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $82,750
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,290
- Employment: 14,990
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($98,750)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($97,080)

#18. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $82,970
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,240
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)

#17. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Annual mean salary: $83,420
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $79,660
- Employment: 13,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($97,930)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($96,450)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($94,460)

#16. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $84,930
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530
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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#15. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $85,020
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#14. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $85,310
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,000
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)

#13. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $86,160
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 580
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)

#12. Transit and railroad police
- Annual mean salary: $87,230
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,000
- Employment: 3,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($87,230)
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($73,330)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($69,920)

#11. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Annual mean salary: $87,670
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $76,810
- Employment: 5,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($104,810)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($101,650)
--- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($101,610)
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#10. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $89,850
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 26,890
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)

#9. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $91,970
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
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)

#8. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Annual mean salary: $93,230
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $93,260
- Employment: 9,940
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($131,560)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($129,570)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($123,540)

#7. Transportation inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $95,170
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
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)

#6. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $96,050
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,320
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)
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#5. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $116,340
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,850
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. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $119,660
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,380
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. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $121,260
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,200
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)

#2. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $123,460
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,120
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)

#1. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $138,770
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
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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