MAVA Regional Vocational & Agricultural School Superintendents, Non-Regional Board of Directors, & MassCTE Executive Board,
Thought you or members of your staff might find this piece of interest.
Enjoy the beautiful day.
David
Highest-paying jobs in Boston for high school graduates
- Published: Jun. 05, 2025, 5:30 a.m.
By
For decades, common wisdom held that earning a bachelor’s degree would guarantee a high-paying career. Higher education does still seem to be an advantage: A college graduate’s average annual salary of $60,000 in 2024 is roughly $20,000 more than that of a high school graduate, and those with bachelor’s degrees can typically expect to earn between $630,000 and $900,000 more over the course of a lifetime.
However, recent shifts in higher education and the job market have people wondering — with good reason — whether or not a bachelor’s degree will really pay off.
According to a 2024 study from the Pew Research Center, 29% of Americans believe obtaining a college degree isn’t worthwhile, a trend reflected in shrinking attendance at universities across the nation. Meanwhile, annual college costs have skyrocketed to an average of $38,270 per student in 2025, often necessitating student loans with steep interest rates.
With these factors in mind, it’s natural for recent high school graduates to consider vocational opportunities outside of college. Those who do may be pleasantly surprised — many companies have stopped requiring bachelor’s degrees for entry-, mid- and even senior-level positions. And while college graduates’ average earnings may be higher, a 2024 report from Launchpad Jobs found that around 1 in 5 nondegree holders out-earn the $70,000 median wages of someone with a bachelor’s degree.
Of course, salaries for high school grads vary widely based on job, industry, and location. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Boston for high school graduates. The analysis included jobs that listed a high school diploma or had no formal education requirement. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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#50. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
– Median annual wage: $76,980
– Median hourly wage: $37.01
– Total employment: 29,130 people (10.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Tank car, truck, and ship loaders
– Median annual wage: $77,440
– Median hourly wage: $37.23
– Total employment: 130 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
– Median annual wage: $77,720
– Median hourly wage: $37.37
– Total employment: 60 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Advertising sales agents
– Median annual wage: $78,120
– Median hourly wage: $37.56
– Total employment: 1,300 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
– Median annual wage: $78,200
– Median hourly wage: $37.60
– Total employment: 15,620 people (5.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Police and sheriff’s patrol officers
– Median annual wage: $78,610
– Median hourly wage: $37.80
– Total employment: 11,420 people (4.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
– Median annual wage: $78,660
– Median hourly wage: $37.82
– Total employment: 8,720 people (3.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Artists and related workers, all other (tie)
– Median annual wage: $79,560
– Median hourly wage: $38.25
– Total employment: 40 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Construction and building inspectors (tie)
– Median annual wage: $79,560
– Median hourly wage: $38.25
– Total employment: 2,950 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
– Median annual wage: $79,660
– Median hourly wage: $38.30
– Total employment: 350 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
– Median annual wage: $79,860
– Median hourly wage: $38.39
– Total employment: 25,020 people (9.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Riggers
– Median annual wage: $79,920
– Median hourly wage: $38.43
– Total employment: 180 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
– Median annual wage: $81,130
– Median hourly wage: $39.01
– Total employment: 12,790 people (4.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
– Median annual wage: $81,830
– Median hourly wage: $39.34
– Total employment: 1,640 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Correctional officers and jailers
– Median annual wage: $81,850
– Median hourly wage: $39.35
– Total employment: 4,450 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Electricians
– Median annual wage: $83,450
– Median hourly wage: $40.12
– Total employment: 12,540 people (4.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials
– Median annual wage: $83,570
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: 120 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
– Median annual wage: $83,640
– Median hourly wage: $40.21
– Total employment: 11,320 people (4.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Earth drillers, except oil and gas
– Median annual wage: $84,110
– Median hourly wage: $40.44
– Total employment: 100 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
– Median annual wage: $84,680
– Median hourly wage: $40.71
– Total employment: 330 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
– Median annual wage: $84,800
– Median hourly wage: $40.77
– Total employment: 200 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Plasterers and stucco masons
– Median annual wage: $85,810
– Median hourly wage: $41.26
– Total employment: 110 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
– Median annual wage: $86,030
– Median hourly wage: $41.36
– Total employment: 3,200 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Food service managers
– Median annual wage: $86,840
– Median hourly wage: $41.75
– Total employment: 3,000 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
– Median annual wage: $88,090
– Median hourly wage: $42.35
– Total employment: 9,160 people (3.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Real estate sales agents
– Median annual wage: $91,290
– Median hourly wage: $43.89
– Total employment: Not available
#24. Brickmasons and blockmasons
– Median annual wage: $91,880
– Median hourly wage: $44.17
– Total employment: 730 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Transportation inspectors
– Median annual wage: $92,870
– Median hourly wage: $44.65
– Total employment: 410 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Property, real estate, and community association managers
– Median annual wage: $93,490
– Median hourly wage: $44.95
– Total employment: 4,970 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Lodging managers
– Median annual wage: $93,550
– Median hourly wage: $44.98
– Total employment: 350 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
– Median annual wage: $93,730
– Median hourly wage: $45.06
– Total employment: 1,080 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Hoist and winch operators
– Median annual wage: $96,030
– Median hourly wage: $46.17
– Total employment: Not available
#18. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
– Median annual wage: $96,450
– Median hourly wage: $46.37
– Total employment: 240 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Postmasters and mail superintendents
– Median annual wage: $98,550
– Median hourly wage: $47.38
– Total employment: 180 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
– Median annual wage: $99,430
– Median hourly wage: $47.80
– Total employment: 14,540 people (5.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
– Median annual wage: $103,680
– Median hourly wage: $49.85
– Total employment: 1,780 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Gas plant operators
– Median annual wage: $104,370
– Median hourly wage: $50.18
– Total employment: 240 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Glaziers
– Median annual wage: $105,080
– Median hourly wage: $50.52
– Total employment: 1,170 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Power distributors and dispatchers
– Median annual wage: $106,210
– Median hourly wage: $51.06
– Total employment: 210 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
– Median annual wage: $107,100
– Median hourly wage: $51.49
– Total employment: 3,570 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Power plant operators
– Median annual wage: $107,650
– Median hourly wage: $51.76
– Total employment: 690 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Tapers
– Median annual wage: $107,680
– Median hourly wage: $51.77
– Total employment: 240 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Real estate brokers
– Median annual wage: $108,910
– Median hourly wage: $52.36
– Total employment: Not available
#7. Detectives and criminal investigators
– Median annual wage: $111,460
– Median hourly wage: $53.59
– Total employment: 1,050 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
– Median annual wage: $115,240
– Median hourly wage: $55.41
– Total employment: 5,060 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
– Median annual wage: $115,430
– Median hourly wage: $55.50
– Total employment: 1,420 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
– Median annual wage: $115,760
– Median hourly wage: $55.66
– Total employment: 3,160 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Structural iron and steel workers
– Median annual wage: $116,900
– Median hourly wage: $56.20
– Total employment: 1,450 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Pile driver operators
– Median annual wage: $118,960
– Median hourly wage: $57.19
– Total employment: 170 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
– Median annual wage: $143,180
– Median hourly wage: $68.84
– Total employment: Not available