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Highest-paying jobs in Gadsden for high school graduates

For decades, common wisdom held that earning a bachelor’s degree would guarantee a high-paying career. Higher education does still seem to be an advantage: A college graduate’s average annual salary of $60,000 in 2024 is roughly $20,000 more than that of a high school graduate, and those with bachelor’s degrees can typically expect to earn between $630,000 and $900,000 more over the course of a lifetime. However, recent shifts in higher education and the job market have people wondering—with good reason—whether or not a bachelor’s degree will really pay off.

According to a 2024 study from the Pew Research Center, 29% of Americans believe obtaining a college degree isn’t worthwhile, a trend reflected in shrinking attendance at universities across the nation. Meanwhile, annual college costs have skyrocketed to an average of $38,270 per student in 2025, often necessitating student loans with steep interest rates.

With these factors in mind, it’s natural for recent high school graduates to consider vocational opportunities outside of college. Those who do may be pleasantly surprised—many companies have stopped requiring bachelor’s degrees for entry-, mid-, and even senior-level positions. And while college graduates’ average earnings may be higher, a 2024 report from Launchpad Jobs found that around 1 in 5 nondegree holders out-earn the $70,000 median wages of someone with a bachelor’s degree.

Of course, salaries for high school grads vary widely based on job, industry, and location. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Gadsden for high school graduates. The analysis included jobs that listed a high school diploma or had no formal education requirement. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.

#50. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers

– Median annual wage: $32,010
– Median hourly wage: $15.39
– Total employment: 450 people (13.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#49. Court, municipal, and license clerks

– Median annual wage: $32,480
– Median hourly wage: $15.62
– Total employment: 50 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#48. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders

– Median annual wage: $32,570
– Median hourly wage: $15.66
– Total employment: 70 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#47. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

– Median annual wage: $33,090
– Median hourly wage: $15.91
– Total employment: 260 people (7.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#46. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan

– Median annual wage: $33,350
– Median hourly wage: $16.03
– Total employment: 40 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#45. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services

– Median annual wage: $33,380
– Median hourly wage: $16.05
– Total employment: 30 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#44. Bill and account collectors

– Median annual wage: $33,480
– Median hourly wage: $16.10
– Total employment: 60 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Light truck drivers

– Median annual wage: $33,580
– Median hourly wage: $16.14
– Total employment: 260 people (7.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#42. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants

– Median annual wage: $33,830
– Median hourly wage: $16.27
– Total employment: Not available

#41. Construction laborers

– Median annual wage: $34,730
– Median hourly wage: $16.70
– Total employment: 270 people (8.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#40. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

– Median annual wage: $34,900
– Median hourly wage: $16.78
– Total employment: 40 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. Industrial truck and tractor operators

– Median annual wage: $35,380
– Median hourly wage: $17.01
– Total employment: 210 people (6.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#38. Billing and posting clerks

– Median annual wage: $35,630
– Median hourly wage: $17.13
– Total employment: 60 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Pharmacy technicians

– Median annual wage: $35,990
– Median hourly wage: $17.30
– Total employment: 170 people (5.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#36. Customer service representatives

– Median annual wage: $36,360
– Median hourly wage: $17.48
– Total employment: 350 people (10.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#35. Public safety telecommunicators

– Median annual wage: $36,380
– Median hourly wage: $17.49
– Total employment: 50 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#34. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

– Median annual wage: $36,490
– Median hourly wage: $17.54
– Total employment: 100 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks

– Median annual wage: $36,640
– Median hourly wage: $17.61
– Total employment: 150 people (4.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive

– Median annual wage: $36,850
– Median hourly wage: $17.72
– Total employment: 660 people (19.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#31. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

– Median annual wage: $37,220
– Median hourly wage: $17.89
– Total employment: 250 people (7.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#30. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

– Median annual wage: $38,220
– Median hourly wage: $18.38
– Total employment: 460 people (13.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Maintenance and repair workers, general

– Median annual wage: $39,030
– Median hourly wage: $18.77
– Total employment: 250 people (7.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. Highway maintenance workers

– Median annual wage: $39,130
– Median hourly wage: $18.81
– Total employment: 40 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

– Median annual wage: $39,880
– Median hourly wage: $19.18
– Total employment: 90 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#26. Carpenters

– Median annual wage: $40,820
– Median hourly wage: $19.62
– Total employment: 40 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#25. Police and sheriff’s patrol officers

– Median annual wage: $41,500
– Median hourly wage: $19.95
– Total employment: 300 people (8.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Loan interviewers and clerks

– Median annual wage: $42,200
– Median hourly wage: $20.29
– Total employment: 40 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

– Median annual wage: $42,490
– Median hourly wage: $20.43
– Total employment: 30 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#22. Automotive body and related repairers

– Median annual wage: $43,680
– Median hourly wage: $21.00
– Total employment: 50 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#21. Electricians

– Median annual wage: $44,740
– Median hourly wage: $21.51
– Total employment: 110 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#20. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

– Median annual wage: $45,610
– Median hourly wage: $21.93
– Total employment: 180 people (5.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#19. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

– Median annual wage: $45,630
– Median hourly wage: $21.94
– Total employment: 80 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

– Median annual wage: $45,850
– Median hourly wage: $22.05
– Total employment: 30 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#17. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

– Median annual wage: $46,170
– Median hourly wage: $22.20
– Total employment: 130 people (3.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

– Median annual wage: $46,560
– Median hourly wage: $22.39
– Total employment: 130 people (3.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#15. Machinists

– Median annual wage: $47,770
– Median hourly wage: $22.97
– Total employment: 110 people (3.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#14. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

– Median annual wage: $49,660
– Median hourly wage: $23.87
– Total employment: 30 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#13. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

– Median annual wage: $49,750
– Median hourly wage: $23.92
– Total employment: 70 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers

– Median annual wage: $50,670
– Median hourly wage: $24.36
– Total employment: 130 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

– Median annual wage: $51,490
– Median hourly wage: $24.76
– Total employment: 280 people (8.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#10. Industrial machinery mechanics

– Median annual wage: $51,660
– Median hourly wage: $24.84
– Total employment: 240 people (7.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#9. Postal service mail carriers

– Median annual wage: $52,900
– Median hourly wage: $25.44
– Total employment: 150 people (4.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#8. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

– Median annual wage: $52,980
– Median hourly wage: $25.47
– Total employment: 50 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#7. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

– Median annual wage: $55,500
– Median hourly wage: $26.68
– Total employment: 140 people (4.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#6. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

– Median annual wage: $56,580
– Median hourly wage: $27.20
– Total employment: 150 people (4.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#5. Insurance sales agents

– Median annual wage: $56,800
– Median hourly wage: $27.31
– Total employment: 130 people (3.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#4. Food service managers

– Median annual wage: $57,820
– Median hourly wage: $27.80
– Total employment: 90 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

– Median annual wage: $58,610
– Median hourly wage: $28.18
– Total employment: 330 people (9.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

– Median annual wage: $61,210
– Median hourly wage: $29.43
– Total employment: 140 people (4.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

– Median annual wage: $61,230
– Median hourly wage: $29.44
– Total employment: 240 people (7.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.