Highest paying jobs in Spokane for high school graduates

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July 20, 2022
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Highest paying jobs in Spokane 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 Spokane-Spokane Valley, 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.

#50. Bus drivers, transit and intercity

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $53,300
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450

National
- Annual mean salary: $48,110
- Employment: 162,850
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($69,940)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,310)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($67,370)

#49. Highway maintenance workers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $53,370
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300

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)

#48. Logging equipment operators

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $54,000
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

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)

#47. Public safety telecommunicators

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $55,970
- #43 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)

#46. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $56,030
- #137 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#45. Engine and other machine assemblers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $56,340
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $47,190
- Employment: 41,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Winston-Salem, NC ($65,340)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($61,320)
--- Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($56,340)

#44. Meter readers, utilities

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $56,960
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#43. Millwrights

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $57,400
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#42. Industrial machinery mechanics

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $57,980
- #208 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660

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)

#41. Brokerage clerks

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $58,000
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,460
- Employment: 44,720
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,310)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,330)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,970)

#40. Security and fire alarm systems installers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $58,400
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#39. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $58,830
- #206 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390

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)

#38. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $59,640
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,420
- Employment: 22,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area ($85,480)
--- Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area ($77,330)
--- Longview, WA ($74,500)

#37. Correctional officers and jailers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $59,990
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630

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)

#36. Insurance sales agents

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $60,150
- #252 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,260

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)

#35. Carpenters

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $60,260
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,590

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)

#34. Advertising sales agents

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $60,700
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

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)

#33. Sheet metal workers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $62,670
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

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)

#32. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $62,800
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340

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)

#31. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $63,140
- #93 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,170

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)

#30. Brickmasons and blockmasons

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $63,200
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,420
- Employment: 59,940
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($95,980)
--- Decatur, IL ($92,670)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($89,340)

#29. Lodging managers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $63,880
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#28. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $64,690
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $48,500
- Employment: 40,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($87,740)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($86,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($83,090)

#27. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $64,850
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#26. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $65,490
- #239 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,240

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)

#25. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $65,590
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680

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)

#24. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $67,730
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040

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)

#23. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $67,810
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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)

#22. Crane and tower operators

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $68,290
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#21. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $68,440
- #206 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490

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)

#20. Real estate sales agents

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $68,900
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300

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. Glaziers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $69,030
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

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)

#18. Electricians

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $69,350
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,100

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. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $70,180
- #163 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,350

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)

#16. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $70,680
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770

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)

#15. Construction and building inspectors

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $72,520
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180

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)

#14. Structural iron and steel workers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $73,170
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $75,570
- #105 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 810

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)

#12. Food service managers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $79,160
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

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)

#11. Transportation inspectors

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $80,140
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#10. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $82,040
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $82,640
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,090

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)

#8. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $83,590
- #181 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370

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)

#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $84,730
- #336 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

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)

#6. Commercial pilots

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $86,270
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#5. Property, real estate, and community association managers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $89,630
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

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)

#4. Power plant operators

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $89,660
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $94,590
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

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. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $98,380
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
- Annual mean salary: $100,720
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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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