
Highest paying jobs in Reno for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Reno 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 Reno, NV 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. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $49,330
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,160
- Employment: 155,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Merced, CA ($65,070)
--- New Haven, CT ($64,530)
--- Lima, OH ($61,580)
#49. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Annual mean salary: $49,420
- #76 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)

#48. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers
- Annual mean salary: $49,500
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,850
- Employment: 29,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($66,310)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($64,890)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($60,410)

#47. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $49,690
- #231 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#46. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $50,850
- #260 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560
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)

#45. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $50,910
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)
#44. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Annual mean salary: $50,960
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,030
- Employment: 154,020
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($68,870)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($63,300)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($61,640)
#43. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Annual mean salary: $51,160
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#42. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners
- Annual mean salary: $51,170
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,760
- Employment: 29,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Joplin, MO ($66,990)
--- Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA ($63,800)
--- Racine, WI ($61,580)

#41. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $51,440
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $56,470
- Employment: 60,650
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($87,010)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($79,640)
--- Pittsfield, MA ($79,000)
#39 (tie). Bill and account collectors
- Annual mean salary: $52,000
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,300
- Employment: 235,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($56,030)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,830)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($54,910)

#39 (tie). Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $52,000
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,190
- Employment: 102,390
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New Haven, CT ($55,700)
--- Wausau, WI ($55,630)
--- Lansing-East Lansing, MI ($54,450)

#38. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Annual mean salary: $52,260
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 700
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,110
- Employment: 325,500
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Danbury, CT ($64,860)
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($64,310)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($62,880)

#37. Carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $52,760
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,780
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. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $52,940
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
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)

#35. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $55,080
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)
#34. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $55,180
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#33. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $55,630
- #181 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,310
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)

#32. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $55,980
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
National
- Annual mean salary: $56,310
- Employment: 128,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($91,770)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($84,240)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($83,490)
#31. Travel agents
- Annual mean salary: $56,120
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,690
- Employment: 66,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Charlottesville, VA ($62,060)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($57,200)
--- Reno, NV ($56,120)
#30. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $56,180
- #156 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,940
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)

#29. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $56,300
- #120 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)

#28. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $57,220
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,790
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,760
- Employment: 1,039,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC ($94,480)
--- Walla Walla, WA ($88,980)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($88,360)

#27. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $57,720
- #168 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
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)

#26. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $58,160
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#25. Public safety telecommunicators
- Annual mean salary: $58,540
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,310
- Employment: 95,320
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($95,880)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($86,620)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($75,570)
#24. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Annual mean salary: $59,630
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,050
- Employment: 52,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Coeur d'Alene, ID ($77,130)
--- Tyler, TX ($72,760)
--- Eugene, OR ($71,230)

#23. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Annual mean salary: $59,710
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#22. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $60,130
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)
#21. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $60,850
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)

#20. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $61,370
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,480
- Employment: 131,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($96,050)
--- Pittsfield, MA ($83,850)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($81,270)

#19. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $62,750
- #308 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)

#18. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $63,350
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800
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)

#17. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $63,930
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
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)

#16. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Annual mean salary: $66,070
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,210
- Employment: 405,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($92,640)
--- Kankakee, IL ($87,470)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($86,240)

#15. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $67,060
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)

#14. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $67,470
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)

#13. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,910
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,170
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)

#12. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $68,930
- #138 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,730
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)

#11. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $73,210
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620
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)

#10. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $73,470
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 580
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)

#9. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $73,640
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)

#8. Real estate brokers
- Annual mean salary: $74,190
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#7. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $75,130
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#6. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $88,860
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $102,870
- Employment: 37,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($164,720)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($139,920)
--- Jackson, MS ($136,010)

#5. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $93,600
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#4. Gambling managers
- Annual mean salary: $94,020
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $84,700
- Employment: 4,450
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($125,300)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($105,720)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($105,410)
#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $94,790
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)

#2. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $95,860
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $107,420
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)



