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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR 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. Electricians

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $44,180
– #501 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,860

National
– Annual mean salary: $61,550
– Employment: 656,510
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,900)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($91,090)
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($86,600)

#49. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $44,260
– #391 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 360

National
– Annual mean salary: $54,040
– Employment: 103,730
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Madera, CA ($76,040)
— Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,800)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($73,360)

#48. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $44,750
– #331 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 390

National
– Annual mean salary: $51,890
– Employment: 119,380
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,980)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($92,370)
— Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($87,990)

#47. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $45,090
– #217 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

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)

#46. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $45,100
– #246 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 330

National
– Annual mean salary: $48,290
– Employment: 133,870
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,600)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,240)
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($60,930)

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#45. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $45,130
– #463 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 900

National
– Annual mean salary: $61,100
– Employment: 417,440
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,580)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($89,500)
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($89,190)

#44. Lodging managers

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $45,640
– #218 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

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)

#43. Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $45,660
– #34 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $43,580
– Employment: 24,600
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($56,580)
— Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($56,370)
— Madison, WI ($54,930)

#42. Structural iron and steel workers

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $45,780
– #160 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160

National
– Annual mean salary: $58,650
– Employment: 71,490
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($95,020)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($88,250)
— Western Washington nonmetropolitan area ($84,570)

#41. Surveying and mapping technicians

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $46,110
– #181 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

National
– Annual mean salary: $49,770
– Employment: 53,370
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($84,710)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($77,840)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($76,960)

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#40. Medical appliance technicians

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $46,280
– #28 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30

National
– Annual mean salary: $45,630
– Employment: 13,710
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Flagstaff, AZ ($59,800)
— San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX ($58,690)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,910)

#39. Community health workers

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $46,590
– #107 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $46,000
– Employment: 58,670
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,110)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($65,530)
— Bend-Redmond, OR ($61,820)

#38. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $46,750
– #350 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 960

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)

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

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $46,810
– #400 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 390

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)

#36. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $47,220
– #299 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 390

National
– Annual mean salary: $61,860
– Employment: 122,480
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,680)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($90,370)
— Salinas, CA ($88,050)

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#35. Crane and tower operators

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $47,520
– #187 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

#34. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $48,090
– #25 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $54,700
– Employment: 18,680
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($97,000)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($88,350)
— Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($75,440)

#33. Cargo and freight agents

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $48,170
– #65 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

National
– Annual mean salary: $47,170
– Employment: 96,510
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($80,300)
— Yakima, WA ($68,030)
— Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($64,030)

#32. Logging equipment operators

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $48,180
– #31 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

National
– Annual mean salary: $43,570
– Employment: 25,560
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Santa Rosa, CA ($64,000)
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($62,910)
— Longview, WA ($62,780)

#31. Chefs and head cooks

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $48,500
– #288 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

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)

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#30. Construction and building inspectors

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $50,340
– #381 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 410

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)

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

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $50,700
– #87 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 420

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)

#28. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $51,100
– #334 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 450

National
– Annual mean salary: $57,000
– Employment: 147,680
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fairbanks, AK ($86,740)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($82,520)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($79,470)

#27. Postal service clerks

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $51,280
– #320 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 170

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)

#26. Food service managers

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $51,460
– #435 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 760

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)

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#25. Occupational health and safety technicians

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $52,040
– #85 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30

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)

#24. Industrial machinery mechanics

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $52,090
– #424 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 950

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)

#23. Millwrights

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $52,560
– #148 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $59,080
– Employment: 44,400
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kennewick-Richland, WA ($91,590)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,580)
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($80,780)

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

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $53,040
– #381 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 4,550

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)

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

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $53,560
– #447 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,880

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. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $53,780
– #106 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 430

National
– Annual mean salary: $52,000
– Employment: 362,090
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Idaho Falls, ID ($74,970)
— Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($71,160)
— West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($67,770)

#19. Postal service mail carriers

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $54,480
– #130 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 790

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)

#18. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $54,760
– #342 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 680

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)

#17. Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $57,460
– #3 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30

National
– Annual mean salary: $48,050
– Employment: 18,650
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Springfield, MA-CT ($70,330)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($62,120)
— Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR ($57,460)

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

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $59,610
– #72 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

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

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $59,760
– #430 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,390

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)

#14. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $60,120
– #338 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,250

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)

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

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $60,240
– #452 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,480

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)

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

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $61,580
– #414 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 3,160

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)

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

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $62,300
– #476 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,430

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)

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#10. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $63,170
– #361 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 560

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)

#9. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $65,950
– #123 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

National
– Annual mean salary: $62,400
– Employment: 50,660
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($98,380)
— Salt Lake City, UT ($94,070)
— Santa Rosa, CA ($92,800)

#8. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $68,210
– #374 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 510

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)

#7. Insurance sales agents

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $71,110
– #91 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,440

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)

#6. Transportation inspectors

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $71,430
– #62 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

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#5. Detectives and criminal investigators

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $73,460
– #213 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 240

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)

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

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $77,990
– #258 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 670

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)

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $90,420
– #284 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 240

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)

#2. Power distributors and dispatchers

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $99,420
– #17 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 120

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)

#1. Commercial pilots

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
– Annual mean salary: $125,920
– #25 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

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)