Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

Highest paying jobs in Mobile 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 Mobile, AL 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: Highest-rated Chinese restaurants in Mobile, according to Tripadvisor

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#50. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $44,780
– #165 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $52,950
– Employment: 54,960
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($81,390)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($80,460)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($73,070)

Canva

#49. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $45,210
– #153 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

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)

PHILIPIMAGE // Shutterstock

#48. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $45,680
– #67 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

National
– Annual mean salary: $45,490
– Employment: 20,440
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($66,390)
— Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($59,690)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($57,930)

Pixabay

#46 (tie). Surveying and mapping technicians

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $46,420
– #171 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

#46 (tie). Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $46,420
– #362 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 430

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)

You may also like: Biggest sources of immigrants to Mobile

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

#45. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $46,500
– #292 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160

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)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

#44. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $46,810
– #329 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

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)

LuckView // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $47,260
– #7 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 260

National
– Annual mean salary: $38,650
– Employment: 179,300
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($49,970)
— Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH ($49,680)
— La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN ($49,470)

Canva

#42. Automotive body and related repairers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $47,490
– #234 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 230

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)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $47,780
– #105 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 420

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)

You may also like: Highest paying jobs in Mobile that require a bachelor’s degree

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

#40. Security and fire alarm systems installers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $47,850
– #112 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)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

#39. Millwrights

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $48,920
– #183 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

#38. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $49,400
– #141 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 180

National
– Annual mean salary: $51,440
– Employment: 105,400
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Huntsville, AL ($55,830)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,260)
— Wausau, WI ($55,060)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#37. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $49,550
– #364 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 900

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)

Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#36. Electricians

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $49,890
– #398 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,490

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)

You may also like: Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Mobile

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $50,540
– #362 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

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)

Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock

#34. Community health workers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $50,610
– #52 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 180

National
– Annual mean salary: $46,000
– Employment: 58,670
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,110)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($65,530)
— Bend-Redmond, OR ($61,820)

London Metropolitan Archives/Heritage Images // Getty Images

#33. Machinists

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $51,100
– #103 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 430

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)

rlat // Shutterstock

#31 (tie). Postal service clerks

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $52,060
– #270 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

Pixabay

#31 (tie). Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $52,060
– #71 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,500

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)

You may also like: Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Mobile, according to Tripadvisor

Unsplash

#30. Crane and tower operators

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,160
– #154 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 270

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)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

#29. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,430
– #115 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

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)

Akimov Igor // Shutterstock

#28. Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,510
– #9 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 990

National
– Annual mean salary: $45,110
– Employment: 34,500
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI ($65,270)
— Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC ($57,100)
— Lynchburg, VA ($57,020)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,780
– #361 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,920

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)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

#26. Postal service mail carriers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,950
– #208 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 410

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)

You may also like: People from these metros are finding new jobs in Mobile

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#25. Advertising sales agents

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $54,430
– #153 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

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)

welcomia // Shutterstock

#24. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $54,730
– #204 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 640

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)

goodluz // Shutterstock

#23. Real estate sales agents

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $55,090
– #182 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

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)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

#22. Chefs and head cooks

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $55,390
– #144 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

#21. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $57,150
– #175 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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)

You may also like: Zip codes with the most expensive homes in Mobile metro area

Canva

#20. Construction and building inspectors

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $57,950
– #238 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140

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)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

#19. Industrial machinery mechanics

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $58,260
– #199 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,230

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)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#18. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $59,000
– #200 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 230

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#17. Insurance sales agents

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $61,050
– #232 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 610

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)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#16. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $63,910
– #19 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 460

National
– Annual mean salary: $53,330
– Employment: 93,060
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area ($91,300)
— Billings, MT ($88,420)
— Baton Rouge, LA ($76,050)

You may also like: Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Mobile, according to Tripadvisor

Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $63,940
– #192 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,070

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)

sculpies // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $64,040
– #374 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,350

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#13. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $66,160
– #257 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 480

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#12. Lodging managers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $66,500
– #75 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

#11. Food service managers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $66,890
– #81 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 230

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)

You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Mobile in the last week

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $67,380
– #238 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,610

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)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $69,830
– #257 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,030

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)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $72,820
– #65 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,210

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)

Canva

#7. Chemical plant and system operators

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $77,230
– #11 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 580

National
– Annual mean salary: $65,460
– Employment: 29,710
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Lima, OH ($92,450)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($91,210)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($90,170)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

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

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $82,730
– #192 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 300

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)

You may also like: Highest-rated brunch restaurants in Mobile, according to Tripadvisor

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $83,250
– #137 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

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)

Canva

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $96,000
– #130 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

Prath // Shutterstock

#3. Detectives and criminal investigators

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $104,110
– #24 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $105,290
– #86 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 170

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)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

#1. Commercial pilots

Mobile, AL
– Annual mean salary: $134,460
– #13 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)

You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Mobile