Highest-paying jobs in Wichita for high school graduates

Stacker
#50. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

- Median annual wage: $52,950
- Median hourly wage: $25.46
- Total employment: 90 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#49. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $53,680
- Median hourly wage: $25.81
- Total employment: 1,300 people (4.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#48. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $54,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.96
- Total employment: 90 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#47. Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $54,070
- Median hourly wage: $26.00
- Total employment: 90 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#46. Service unit operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $54,230
- Median hourly wage: $26.07
- Total employment: 70 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#45. Tile and stone setters

- Median annual wage: $54,350
- Median hourly wage: $26.13
- Total employment: 50 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#44. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $55,140
- Median hourly wage: $26.51
- Total employment: 70 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $57,190
- Median hourly wage: $27.50
- Total employment: 670 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#42. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $57,470
- Median hourly wage: $27.63
- Total employment: 690 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#41. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers

- Median annual wage: $57,970
- Median hourly wage: $27.87
- Total employment: 10,100 people (32.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#40. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $58,080
- Median hourly wage: $27.92
- Total employment: 910 people (2.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $58,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.22
- Total employment: 1,130 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#38. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $58,880
- Median hourly wage: $28.31
- Total employment: 1,250 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $59,270
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 220 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $59,780
- Median hourly wage: $28.74
- Total employment: 2,460 people (8.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#35. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 80 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#34. Wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $60,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.01
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $61,250
- Median hourly wage: $29.45
- Total employment: 70 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,710
- Median hourly wage: $29.67
- Total employment: 490 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $61,740
- Median hourly wage: $29.68
- Total employment: 2,570 people (8.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#30. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $61,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Total employment: 230 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $61,910
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 340 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $62,160
- Median hourly wage: $29.89
- Total employment: 1,580 people (5.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $62,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 220 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#26. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $62,460
- Median hourly wage: $30.03
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#25. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,840
- Median hourly wage: $30.21
- Total employment: 400 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $63,700
- Median hourly wage: $30.62
- Total employment: 630 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $64,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.97
- Total employment: 1,380 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $65,340
- Median hourly wage: $31.41
- Total employment: 2,540 people (8.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#21. Bailiffs

- Median annual wage: $66,100
- Median hourly wage: $31.78
- Total employment: 80 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#20. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $66,770
- Median hourly wage: $32.10
- Total employment: 150 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $67,180
- Median hourly wage: $32.30
- Total employment: 240 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#18. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

- Median annual wage: $67,880
- Median hourly wage: $32.63
- Total employment: 3,360 people (10.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $68,440
- Median hourly wage: $32.91
- Total employment: 160 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#16. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $72,580
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 540 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#15. Gas plant operators

- Median annual wage: $75,140
- Median hourly wage: $36.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $75,550
- Median hourly wage: $36.32
- Total employment: 1,890 people (6.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $75,900
- Median hourly wage: $36.49
- Total employment: 1,970 people (6.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $76,660
- Median hourly wage: $36.86
- Total employment: 1,320 people (4.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#11. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $76,750
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 300 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#10. Layout workers, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $76,980
- Median hourly wage: $37.01
- Total employment: 570 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#9. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $78,520
- Median hourly wage: $37.75
- Total employment: 180 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#8. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $81,500
- Median hourly wage: $39.18
- Total employment: 2,420 people (7.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $83,370
- Median hourly wage: $40.08
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#6. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $87,410
- Median hourly wage: $42.02
- Total employment: 260 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $89,230
- Median hourly wage: $42.90
- Total employment: 380 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $90,970
- Median hourly wage: $43.74
- Total employment: 380 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $96,600
- Median hourly wage: $46.44
- Total employment: 200 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $100,380
- Median hourly wage: $48.26
- Total employment: 220 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $120,640
- Median hourly wage: $58.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock