
Highest paying jobs in Savannah for high school graduates
Highest paying jobs in Savannah 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 Savannah, GA 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. Riggers
- Annual mean salary: $43,560
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,420
- Employment: 23,000
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($79,340)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($78,220)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($73,610)

#49. Coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Annual mean salary: $43,710
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,760
- Employment: 12,690
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC ($57,420)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($51,070)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($46,950)

#48. Structural iron and steel workers
- Annual mean salary: $43,950
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,170
- Employment: 76,570
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($92,750)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($90,150)
--- Rockford, IL ($86,870)

#47. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $44,370
- #85 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,540
- Employment: 87,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Billings, MT ($78,670)
--- Hattiesburg, MS ($70,540)
--- Tuscaloosa, AL ($69,990)

#46. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $44,590
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
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)
#45. First-line supervisors of personal service and entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services
- Annual mean salary: $44,740
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#44. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $45,230
- #128 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#43. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $45,470
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $45,950
- #255 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)

#41. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Annual mean salary: $47,700
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,190
- Employment: 410,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Wheeling, WV-OH ($85,310)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($74,280)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($71,220)

#40. Sheet metal workers
- Annual mean salary: $48,060
- #150 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#39. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $48,120
- #249 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
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)

#38. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $48,370
- #170 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)

#37. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $48,380
- #252 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
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)

#36. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $49,100
- #237 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)

#35. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $49,160
- #267 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 710
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)

#34. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $49,190
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840
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)
#33. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Annual mean salary: $49,590
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $43,170
- Employment: 151,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($71,600)
--- Manchester, NH ($59,700)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($59,540)

#32. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $49,680
- #254 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#31. Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $49,960
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,620
- Employment: 99,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($54,920)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($53,940)
--- Worcester, MA-CT ($53,680)
#30. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $49,980
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,920
- Employment: 125,340
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Shreveport-Bossier City, LA ($69,030)
--- Decatur, AL ($54,420)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($53,460)

#29. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $50,280
- #123 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)
#28. Physical therapist aides
- Annual mean salary: $50,470
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,180
- Employment: 49,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Savannah, GA ($50,470)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($44,720)
--- Boulder, CO ($41,450)

#27. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $51,340
- #238 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)

#26. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $51,970
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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)

#25. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,150
- #89 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)

#24. Real estate sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $52,210
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)

#23. Millwrights
- Annual mean salary: $52,550
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)

#22. Machinists
- Annual mean salary: $53,360
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)

#21. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $53,420
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#20. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $54,030
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,260
- Employment: 146,350
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($63,530)
--- Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA ($59,030)
--- Salinas, CA ($58,310)

#19. Boilermakers
- Annual mean salary: $54,500
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,040
- Employment: 15,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($88,500)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($86,630)
--- Pittsburgh, PA ($85,140)
#18. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $54,750
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,580
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)

#17. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $55,110
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#16. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $57,670
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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)

#15. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $57,940
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,920
- Employment: 52,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($91,020)
--- Glens Falls, NY ($86,890)
--- Madison, WI ($85,750)

#14. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $59,660
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $83,250
- Employment: 28,350
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($111,690)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($105,010)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($104,600)

#13. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $63,150
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
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)

#12. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $64,890
- #167 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#11. Community health workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,130
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,390
- Employment: 58,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Manchester, NH ($72,610)
--- Trenton, NJ ($67,000)
--- Savannah, GA ($65,130)

#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $65,320
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 640
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)
#9. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $65,450
- #278 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 510
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)

#8. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Annual mean salary: $65,710
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#7. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $70,160
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 860
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)

#6. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,550
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 870
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)

#5. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $76,650
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,430
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)

#4. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $76,980
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)

#3. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $81,900
- #106 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)

#2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $86,250
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $101,910
- #93 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)


