
Highest paying jobs in Olympia for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Olympia 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 Olympia-Tumwater, WA 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.
You may also like: Closest national parks to Olympia

#50. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $53,040
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#49. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $53,520
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#48. Hazardous materials removal workers
- Annual mean salary: $53,770
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,170
- Employment: 44,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($76,120)
--- Amarillo, TX ($73,270)
--- Knoxville, TN ($70,000)

#47. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,920
- #213 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)
#46. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Annual mean salary: $54,500
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 670
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,070
- Employment: 240,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,830)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($59,120)
--- Portsmouth, NH-ME ($58,380)
You may also like: Highest-earning zip codes in Olympia metro area

#45. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $54,900
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#44. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $55,000
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#43. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Annual mean salary: $56,770
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#42. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $56,930
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#41. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $57,400
- #106 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
You may also like: Where people in Olympia are moving to most

#40. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,760
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#39. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $60,590
- #128 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $61,300
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)

#37. Logging equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $61,680
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,570
- Employment: 25,560
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($64,000)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($62,910)
--- Longview, WA ($62,780)

#36. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $61,780
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840
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)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Olympia in the last week

#35. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $62,400
- #89 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)
#34. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $63,310
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#33. Highway maintenance workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,070
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,200
- Employment: 149,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($70,690)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($67,370)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($67,340)

#32. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $64,710
- #270 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)

#31. Correctional officers and jailers
- Annual mean salary: $65,070
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
You may also like: Metros where people in Olympia are getting new jobs

#30. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $65,250
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $65,500
- #162 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)

#28. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $66,250
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#27. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $66,420
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)

#26. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $68,430
- #100 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
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)
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in Olympia metro area

#25. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $68,610
- #200 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800
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)
#24. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $68,840
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040
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)

#23. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $69,010
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#22. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $71,610
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
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)
#21. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $73,210
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
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)
You may also like: Highest paying jobs in Olympia that require a graduate degree

#20. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $75,410
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#19. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $76,550
- #194 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)

#18. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $77,070
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#17. Glaziers
- Annual mean salary: $78,840
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,970
- Employment: 52,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($78,840)
--- Salem, OR ($78,000)
--- Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area ($76,680)

#16. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $78,930
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)
You may also like: Zip codes with the most expensive homes in Olympia metro area

#15. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $79,090
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 810
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)

#14. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $79,380
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)

#13. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $80,080
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#12. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $80,140
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#11. Private detectives and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $80,440
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Olympia that don't require a college degree

#10. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $82,140
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 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)

#9. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $83,450
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)

#8. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $83,620
- #164 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)

#7. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $84,710
- #5 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)

#6. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $85,110
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
You may also like: Cities with the fastest growing home prices in Olympia metro area

#5. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $86,940
- #4 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)

#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $87,450
- #122 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)

#3. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $90,840
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $107,470
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $126,930
- #27 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)
You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Olympia