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Highest paying jobs in Bowling Green 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 Bowling Green, KY 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.

You may also like: Highest-earning zip codes in Bowling Green metro area

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

#50. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $38,680
– #443 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

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)

Canva

#49. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $39,390
– #310 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 120

National
– Annual mean salary: $44,300
– Employment: 149,120
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($70,030)
— Waco, TX ($63,080)
— Springfield, MA-CT ($57,930)

Pixabay

#48. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $39,690
– #488 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 250

National
– Annual mean salary: $46,690
– Employment: 397,550
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fairbanks, AK ($72,500)
— Anchorage, AK ($71,840)
— West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($71,250)

MS Mikel // Shutterstock

#47. Adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $39,790
– #31 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $37,640
– Employment: 12,400
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Tulsa, OK ($54,190)
— Dayton, OH ($46,860)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($46,480)

Rob Kim // Getty Images

#46. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $39,960
– #452 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 780

National
– Annual mean salary: $47,300
– Employment: 1,063,110
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($57,830)
— Boulder, CO ($56,520)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,930)

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Sabel Blanco // Pexels

#45. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $40,030
– #190 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

National
– Annual mean salary: $45,650
– Employment: 248,070
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($69,160)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($68,140)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($64,980)

Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock

#44. Loan interviewers and clerks

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $40,960
– #267 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $42,780
– Employment: 204,100
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Salinas, CA ($59,060)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($58,140)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,710)

nullplus // Shutterstock

#43. Light truck drivers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $41,000
– #216 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 670

National
– Annual mean salary: $41,050
– Employment: 929,470
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($51,860)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($51,560)
— Waterbury, CT ($50,100)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

#42. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $41,450
– #229 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $52,750
– Employment: 160,950
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($84,640)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,320)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($77,210)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

#41. Chefs and head cooks

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $41,580
– #383 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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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#40. Maintenance and repair workers, general

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $41,760
– #269 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 730

National
– Annual mean salary: $43,790
– Employment: 1,357,630
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,230)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,870)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($56,650)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $41,770
– #446 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#38. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $42,360
– #194 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 180

National
– Annual mean salary: $53,330
– Employment: 93,060
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area ($91,300)
— Billings, MT ($88,420)
— Baton Rouge, LA ($76,050)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection // Wikimedia Commons

#37. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $42,850
– #281 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $44,860
– Employment: 188,450
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($64,510)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($64,140)
— Decatur, IL ($60,740)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $43,110
– #418 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#35. Advertising sales agents

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $43,960
– #274 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

London Metropolitan Archives/Heritage Images // Getty Images

#34. Machinists

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $44,440
– #344 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160

National
– Annual mean salary: $47,800
– Employment: 360,340
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($76,230)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($71,070)
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($69,300)

Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

#33. Carpenters

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $44,640
– #308 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 240

National
– Annual mean salary: $54,200
– Employment: 699,300
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($81,730)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,680)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,280)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

#32. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $45,120
– #420 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140

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)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#31. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $45,620
– #235 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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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Vera Larina // Shutterstock

#30. Sheet metal workers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $46,900
– #248 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $55,320
– Employment: 128,220
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fairbanks, AK ($101,150)
— Kennewick-Richland, WA ($94,930)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($93,840)

Canva

#29. Cargo and freight agents

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $47,530
– #75 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

#28. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $47,560
– #351 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 210

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)

RossHelen // Shutterstock

#27. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $47,890
– #31 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

National
– Annual mean salary: $41,480
– Employment: 99,890
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Longview, WA ($65,210)
— Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL ($58,070)
— Western Washington nonmetropolitan area ($57,790)

Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#26. Electricians

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $49,310
– #413 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 470

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)

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#25. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $49,690
– #34 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $44,750
– Employment: 69,550
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($59,130)
— Anchorage, AK ($57,900)
— Longview, WA ($57,410)

Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock

#24. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $49,980
– #3 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $38,220
– Employment: 52,760
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($60,940)
— Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($52,510)
— Bowling Green, KY ($49,980)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#23. Insurance sales agents

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $50,030
– #420 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 180

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)

Unsplash

#22. Structural iron and steel workers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $50,860
– #114 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

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)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#21. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $51,460
– #434 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

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)

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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#20. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $51,850
– #317 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

welcomia // Shutterstock

#19. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $52,050
– #304 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

rlat // Shutterstock

#18. Postal service clerks

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $52,480
– #243 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

Canva

#17. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $52,690
– #233 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 260

National
– Annual mean salary: $55,280
– Employment: 402,870
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,910)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($91,860)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($91,120)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

#16. Postal service mail carriers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $54,270
– #164 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 180

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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Pxhere

#15. Maintenance workers, machinery

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $54,590
– #91 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 120

National
– Annual mean salary: $51,960
– Employment: 65,240
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area ($77,890)
— Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($77,690)
— Savannah, GA ($76,260)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

#14. Millwrights

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $54,600
– #130 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $55,510
– #303 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 570

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)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

#12. Industrial machinery mechanics

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $55,650
– #300 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 400

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)

Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $55,750
– #403 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 280

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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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

#10. Food service managers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $56,090
– #331 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $56,930
– #491 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 720

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#8. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $60,600
– #334 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

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)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $62,060
– #400 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 610

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)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $65,530
– #386 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220

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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#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $66,000
– #390 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

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)

sculpies // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $67,020
– #294 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 230

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)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

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

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $67,230
– #430 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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)

Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $72,880
– #420 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $74,350
– #224 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

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