
Highest paying jobs in Myrtle Beach for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Myrtle Beach for high school graduates
The average college graduate in 2019 earned $78,000 a year, while the average high school graduate takes home just $45,000, according to research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. To put it in perspective, the average annual wage for workers in the U.S. that same year was $51,916.27.
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.
Just because you decide higher education isn’t in the cards doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to a lifetime of low-paying jobs. You just need to be strategic about the career you choose. Stacker compiled a list of the highest and lowest paying jobs for high school graduates in Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2019 annual mean wage.
As this BLS data reflects the 2019 calendar year, the wages listed do not reflect any economic changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Keep reading to see which jobs in your city pay the most for high school graduates.

#50. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Annual mean salary: $39,910
- #202 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,100
- Employment: 199,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Columbus, IN ($59,650)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,030)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($58,880)

#49. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $40,060
- #317 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,120
- Employment: 383,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Manchester, NH ($69,820)
--- Anchorage, AK ($67,000)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($66,940)

#48. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $40,190
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,210
- Employment: 71,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($67,650)
--- Worcester, MA-CT ($66,170)
--- Anchorage, AK ($65,830)

#47. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $40,200
- #319 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,500
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,830
- Employment: 1,171,900
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boulder, CO ($58,960)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($58,460)
--- New Haven, CT ($58,360)

#46. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $40,250
- #352 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,800
- Employment: 442,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($89,470)
--- Kankakee, IL ($88,790)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($87,230)

#45. Procurement clerks
- Annual mean salary: $40,360
- #178 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,980
- Employment: 66,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($55,560)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($54,200)
--- Worcester, MA-CT ($53,520)

#44. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $40,420
- #370 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 730
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,370
- Employment: 688,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($100,400)
--- Trenton, NJ ($84,950)
--- Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA ($84,810)
#43. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $40,460
- #280 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,390
- Employment: 144,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($79,950)
--- Napa, CA ($73,930)
--- Raleigh, NC ($69,030)
#42. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $40,500
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,110
- Employment: 139,780
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,890)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($68,450)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($64,900)
#41. Meter readers, utilities
- Annual mean salary: $40,620
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,250
- Employment: 30,450
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($76,620)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($72,950)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($72,520)

#40. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $40,740
- #140 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,120
- Employment: 252,780
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($65,570)
--- Warner Robins, GA ($65,340)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($64,710)
#39. First-line supervisors of personal service and entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services
- Annual mean salary: $40,990
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,400
- Employment: 217,680
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL ($60,990)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($56,170)
--- New Bedford, MA ($55,110)

#38. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $41,220
- #219 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 930
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,060
- Employment: 162,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($103,700)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,250)
--- Midland, TX ($92,340)

#37. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $41,310
- #272 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 700
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,850
- Employment: 734,170
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($78,650)
--- Salinas, CA ($74,350)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($74,280)
#36. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians
- Annual mean salary: $41,340
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,440
- Employment: 22,940
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,490)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($58,270)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($57,680)

#35. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $41,480
- #136 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,050
- Employment: 47,320
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($82,700)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($81,740)
--- Eugene, OR ($81,510)

#34. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $42,390
- #176 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,670
- Employment: 120,900
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Rockford, IL ($90,480)
--- Fresno, CA ($89,820)
--- Redding, CA ($88,850)
#33. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $43,180
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,500
- Employment: 53,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($82,420)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($78,050)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($77,870)

#32. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $43,390
- #312 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,840
- Employment: 147,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($80,010)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($77,660)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,510)

#31. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $45,440
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,000
- Employment: 576,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($79,700)
--- Anchorage, AK ($78,400)
--- Odessa, TX ($75,850)

#30. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $45,750
- #207 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,490
- Employment: 123,730
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,680)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($87,660)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($84,560)
#29. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $47,350
- #363 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,480
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,130
- Employment: 1,487,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($73,300)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($73,050)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($71,190)

#28. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $47,950
- #382 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,090
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,110
- Employment: 1,344,530
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Fe, NM ($94,880)
--- Kingston, NY ($91,660)
--- Portsmouth, NH-ME ($90,850)

#27. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $48,100
- #310 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,320
- Employment: 387,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($84,670)
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($82,010)
--- Manhattan, KS ($81,810)

#26. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $49,070
- #260 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,390
- Employment: 110,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($101,820)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($101,000)
--- Madera, CA ($95,910)

#25. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $49,550
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,900
- Employment: 168,140
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,580)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($74,320)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($69,990)

#24. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $49,920
- #138 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,640
- Employment: 370,380
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($73,910)
--- Parkersburg-Vienna, WV ($68,320)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($67,050)

#23. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $49,930
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,340
- Employment: 103,580
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($77,450)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($72,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($71,740)

#22. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $50,830
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,000
- Employment: 46,430
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($111,530)
--- Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ ($109,710)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($108,460)

#21. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $51,120
- #245 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,030
- Employment: 105,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($125,850)
--- Anchorage, AK ($122,370)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($122,130)

#20. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $51,400
- #229 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,180
- Employment: 339,650
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,610)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,220)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($54,930)

#18 (tie). Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $51,560
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,360
- Employment: 266,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($69,910)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($68,840)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($67,900)

#18 (tie). Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $51,560
- #168 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,660
- Employment: 129,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Gainesville, GA ($93,860)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,720)
--- Tulsa, OK ($92,380)

#17. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $51,710
- #220 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,720
- Employment: 220,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Charleston-North Charleston, SC ($110,010)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($107,190)
--- San Juan-Carolina-Caguas, PR ($103,530)

#16. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,310
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,610
- Employment: 81,170
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Flagstaff, AZ ($56,540)
--- Florence, SC ($56,080)
--- Monroe, MI ($55,650)
#15. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $52,530
- #247 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,920
- Employment: 542,690
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($85,420)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($82,480)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($82,240)

#14. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $53,260
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,450
- Employment: 42,730
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($120,210)
--- Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN ($118,170)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($116,740)

#13. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $55,920
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,570
- Employment: 38,340
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($110,620)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($104,250)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($97,090)

#12. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $57,760
- #167 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,820
- Employment: 235,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ocean City, NJ ($91,790)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($90,830)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($89,760)

#11. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,790
- #307 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,030
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,440
- Employment: 626,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($108,140)
--- Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA ($104,640)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($99,580)

#10. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,280
- #328 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,180
- Employment: 249,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($116,640)
--- Raleigh, NC ($112,570)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($110,260)

#9. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $60,590
- #181 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 700
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,780
- Employment: 410,050
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,960)
--- New Bedford, MA ($103,050)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($97,130)

#8. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $61,460
- #316 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,550
- Employment: 485,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,180)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($89,740)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($88,950)

#7. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $61,600
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,960
- Employment: 111,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Redding, CA ($116,900)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($111,740)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,670)

#6. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $63,260
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,450
- Employment: 72,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Florence, SC ($83,250)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($71,680)
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($68,380)

#5. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $63,470
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,940
- Employment: 287,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($103,440)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($88,480)
--- Hammond, LA ($86,880)

#4. Power plant operators
- Annual mean salary: $64,660
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $79,370
- Employment: 33,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($112,470)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($105,500)
--- Modesto, CA ($102,510)
#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $65,710
- #276 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $94,950
- Employment: 121,340
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($189,800)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($180,940)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($178,670)

#2. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $69,900
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,220
- Employment: 631,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($100,350)
--- Longview, WA ($96,560)
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($95,410)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $90,980
- #190 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $103,320
- Employment: 132,040
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($151,260)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($144,220)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($139,860)



