Highest paying jobs in Tampa 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 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.

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#50. Brokerage clerks

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $51,640
– #56 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 860

National
– Annual mean salary: $58,460
– Employment: 44,720
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,310)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,330)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,970)

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

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $51,720
– #55 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,000

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)

#48. Hearing aid specialists

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $51,950
– #36 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160

National
– Annual mean salary: $54,630
– Employment: 7,770
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($75,130)
— Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($73,180)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($72,300)

#47. Pile driver operators

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $52,660
– #18 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $71,880
– Employment: 3,820
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($106,620)
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($106,340)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($104,880)

#46. Chemical plant and system operators

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $53,050
– #38 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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)

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#45. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $53,780
– #117 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,860

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)

#44. Boilermakers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $53,890
– #38 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available

National
– Annual mean salary: $67,430
– Employment: 14,020
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,660)
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($96,080)
— Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($90,620)

#43. Advertising sales agents

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $54,020
– #161 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,060

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)

#42. Postal service clerks

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $54,510
– #99 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 640

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)

#41. Postal service mail carriers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $54,550
– #118 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 3,280

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)

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#40. Psychiatric aides

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $54,830
– #1 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $33,300
– Employment: 51,550
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($54,830)
— Stockton-Lodi, CA ($54,000)
— Utica-Rome, NY ($51,960)

#39. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $54,860
– #19 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220

National
– Annual mean salary: $51,160
– Employment: 19,100
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($67,710)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($65,990)
— Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY ($65,510)

#38. Correctional officers and jailers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $54,940
– #95 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,250

National
– Annual mean salary: $52,340
– Employment: 405,870
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($96,580)
— Salinas, CA ($89,100)
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($86,260)

#37. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $55,060
– #331 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 3,210

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)

#36. Industrial machinery mechanics

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $55,080
– #320 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,940

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)

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#35. Private detectives and investigators

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $56,630
– #51 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 660

National
– Annual mean salary: $60,100
– Employment: 32,200
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Jackson, MI ($93,360)
— Bakersfield, CA ($91,080)
— Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($87,760)

#34. Riggers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $56,950
– #20 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $53,020
– Employment: 21,700
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($89,080)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($73,310)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($73,160)

#33. Occupational health and safety technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $57,270
– #68 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $57,870
– Employment: 20,950
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Evansville, IN-KY ($77,880)
— Anchorage, AK ($77,690)
— Oklahoma City, OK ($77,100)

#32. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $57,340
– #68 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

National
– Annual mean salary: $54,420
– Employment: 22,640
– Metros with highest average pay:
— South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area ($85,480)
— Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area ($77,330)
— Longview, WA ($74,500)

#31. Real estate sales agents

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $57,750
– #152 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,020

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)

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#30. Chefs and head cooks

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $58,180
– #91 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,160

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)

#29. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $58,440
– #96 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $68,170
– Employment: 29,550
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,300)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,930)
— South Illinois nonmetropolitan area ($101,630)

#28. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $60,100
– #70 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

National
– Annual mean salary: $77,610
– Employment: 40,480
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($105,090)
— Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($101,900)
— St. Louis, MO-IL ($97,860)

#27. Construction and building inspectors

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $60,320
– #177 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,360

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)

#26. Insurance sales agents

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $60,690
– #239 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 7,550

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)

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#25. Crane and tower operators

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $60,850
– #84 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 460

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)

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

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $61,100
– #144 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 15,800

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)

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

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $61,130
– #398 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 3,760

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)

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

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $61,430
– #190 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 3,750

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)

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

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $63,440
– #211 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 14,690

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)

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

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $64,290
– #430 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 4,990

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)

#19. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $64,460
– #102 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 350

National
– Annual mean salary: $67,600
– Employment: 53,420
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($114,400)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,220)
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($112,950)

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

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $67,200
– #284 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 6,750

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)

#17. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $67,280
– #235 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 7,250

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)

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

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $69,010
– #184 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 11,340

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)

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#15. Food service managers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $71,330
– #42 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,440

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)

#14. Flight attendants

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $72,130
– #2 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 230

National
– Annual mean salary: $59,150
– Employment: 116,260
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kansas City, MO-KS ($94,320)
— Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($72,130)
— Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL ($67,620)

#13. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $72,790
– #246 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,280

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)

#12. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $73,600
– #1 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 190

National
– Annual mean salary: $40,140
– Employment: 16,590
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($73,600)
— Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($63,500)
— Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($62,260)

#11. Power distributors and dispatchers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $77,550
– #43 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $93,260
– Employment: 9,940
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($131,560)
— Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($129,570)
— Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($123,540)

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#10. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $79,040
– #43 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 350

National
– Annual mean salary: $86,200
– Employment: 24,730
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($130,290)
— Kansas City, MO-KS ($113,590)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($113,480)

#9. Detectives and criminal investigators

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $85,460
– #122 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,010

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)

#8. Power plant operators

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $86,510
– #59 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

National
– Annual mean salary: $81,890
– Employment: 32,960
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fresno, CA ($129,650)
— Wenatchee, WA ($123,180)
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($114,660)

#7. Lodging managers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $91,950
– #9 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 370

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)

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

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $93,070
– #67 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 4,120

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)

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#5. Transportation inspectors

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $93,120
– #15 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $81,320
– Employment: 27,360
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Portland-South Portland, ME ($112,260)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($111,930)
— Anchorage, AK ($108,140)

#4. Postmasters and mail superintendents

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $97,930
– #1 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $79,660
– Employment: 13,880
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($97,930)
— Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($96,450)
— San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($94,460)

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $99,070
– #111 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 910

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)

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $99,470
– #158 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,040

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)

#1. Commercial pilots

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $113,940
– #48 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 320

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)

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