Highest-paying jobs in Columbia, Missouri for high school graduates

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

- Median annual wage: $48,860
- Median hourly wage: $23.49
- Total employment: 290 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#49. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $49,150
- Median hourly wage: $23.63
- Total employment: 120 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#48. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $49,510
- Median hourly wage: $23.80
- Total employment: 50 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#47. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $49,710
- Median hourly wage: $23.90
- Total employment: 70 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#46. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $50,090
- Median hourly wage: $24.08
- Total employment: 80 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#45. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

- Median annual wage: $50,180
- Median hourly wage: $24.12
- Total employment: 80 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#44. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $50,250
- Median hourly wage: $24.16
- Total employment: 50 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $50,400
- Median hourly wage: $24.23
- Total employment: 70 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#42. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $51,000
- Median hourly wage: $24.52
- Total employment: 190 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#41. Home appliance repairers

- Median annual wage: $52,830
- Median hourly wage: $25.40
- Total employment: 50 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#40. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $53,080
- Median hourly wage: $25.52
- Total employment: 130 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. Office and administrative support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $53,250
- Median hourly wage: $25.60
- Total employment: 150 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#38. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $53,670
- Median hourly wage: $25.80
- Total employment: 350 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $53,890
- Median hourly wage: $25.91
- Total employment: 490 people (4.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#36. Roofers

- Median annual wage: $54,760
- Median hourly wage: $26.33
- Total employment: 70 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#35. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $55,290
- Median hourly wage: $26.58
- Total employment: 180 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#34. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $55,520
- Median hourly wage: $26.69
- Total employment: 240 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $55,570
- Median hourly wage: $26.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $55,870
- Median hourly wage: $26.86
- Total employment: 270 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $56,170
- Median hourly wage: $27.01
- Total employment: 640 people (6.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#30. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 220 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $56,840
- Median hourly wage: $27.33
- Total employment: 90 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $57,280
- Median hourly wage: $27.54
- Total employment: 120 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $57,310
- Median hourly wage: $27.55
- Total employment: 70 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 110 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#25. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,680
- Median hourly wage: $27.73
- Total employment: 50 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $57,690
- Median hourly wage: $27.74
- Total employment: 120 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $58,600
- Median hourly wage: $28.18
- Total employment: 60 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#22. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $58,680
- Median hourly wage: $28.21
- Total employment: 300 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#21. Community health workers

- Median annual wage: $58,770
- Median hourly wage: $28.25
- Total employment: 50 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#20. Construction laborers

- Median annual wage: $59,180
- Median hourly wage: $28.45
- Total employment: 500 people (4.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $59,410
- Median hourly wage: $28.56
- Total employment: 130 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#18. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $59,630
- Median hourly wage: $28.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#17. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $60,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.15
- Total employment: 260 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#16. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $61,900
- Median hourly wage: $29.76
- Total employment: 30 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#15. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $61,960
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 90 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $62,560
- Median hourly wage: $30.08
- Total employment: 1,030 people (9.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#13. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $62,820
- Median hourly wage: $30.20
- Total employment: 260 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. Glaziers

- Median annual wage: $63,350
- Median hourly wage: $30.46
- Total employment: 50 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#11. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $64,410
- Median hourly wage: $30.97
- Total employment: 400 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#10. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $68,460
- Median hourly wage: $32.92
- Total employment: 30 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $69,740
- Median hourly wage: $33.53
- Total employment: 60 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $71,050
- Median hourly wage: $34.16
- Total employment: 320 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $72,530
- Median hourly wage: $34.87
- Total employment: 250 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#6. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $73,480
- Median hourly wage: $35.33
- Total employment: 250 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#5. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $77,230
- Median hourly wage: $37.13
- Total employment: 90 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $78,010
- Median hourly wage: $37.50
- Total employment: 260 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $80,070
- Median hourly wage: $38.50
- Total employment: 80 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $82,300
- Median hourly wage: $39.57
- Total employment: 80 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $98,690
- Median hourly wage: $47.45
- Total employment: 80 people (0.78 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.

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