Highest-paying jobs in Hickory for high school graduates

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#50. New accounts clerks

- Median annual wage: $47,640
- Median hourly wage: $22.90
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#49. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $47,720
- Median hourly wage: $22.94
- Total employment: 340 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $47,980
- Median hourly wage: $23.07
- Total employment: 620 people (3.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#47. Printing press operators

- Median annual wage: $48,010
- Median hourly wage: $23.08
- Total employment: 200 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $48,020
- Median hourly wage: $23.09
- Total employment: 130 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#45. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $48,040
- Median hourly wage: $23.10
- Total employment: 750 people (4.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#44. Roofers

- Median annual wage: $48,650
- Median hourly wage: $23.39
- Total employment: 100 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $48,680
- Median hourly wage: $23.40
- Total employment: 40 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#42. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $48,730
- Median hourly wage: $23.43
- Total employment: 650 people (4.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#41. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers

- Median annual wage: $48,790
- Median hourly wage: $23.46
- Total employment: 1,070 people (6.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#40. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $48,870
- Median hourly wage: $23.50
- Total employment: 100 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $49,150
- Median hourly wage: $23.63
- Total employment: 390 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $49,460
- Median hourly wage: $23.78
- Total employment: 100 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $49,540
- Median hourly wage: $23.82
- Total employment: 200 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#36. Dental laboratory technicians

- Median annual wage: $50,430
- Median hourly wage: $24.25
- Total employment: 30 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#35. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $50,660
- Median hourly wage: $24.36
- Total employment: 30 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#34. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $50,890
- Median hourly wage: $24.47
- Total employment: 50 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $51,320
- Median hourly wage: $24.67
- Total employment: 420 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $51,470
- Median hourly wage: $24.74
- Total employment: 320 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#31. Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $52,150
- Median hourly wage: $25.07
- Total employment: 1,400 people (9.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#30. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $52,270
- Median hourly wage: $25.13
- Total employment: 770 people (4.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $52,620
- Median hourly wage: $25.30
- Total employment: 690 people (4.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. Fabric and apparel patternmakers

- Median annual wage: $53,780
- Median hourly wage: $25.85
- Total employment: 120 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $54,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.09
- Total employment: 440 people (2.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#26. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $57,020
- Median hourly wage: $27.42
- Total employment: 100 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#25. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $57,880
- Median hourly wage: $27.83
- Total employment: 120 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $58,180
- Median hourly wage: $27.97
- Total employment: 130 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $58,640
- Median hourly wage: $28.19
- Total employment: 110 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $59,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 1,120 people (7.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#21. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $59,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.55
- Total employment: 450 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#20. Upholsterers

- Median annual wage: $59,400
- Median hourly wage: $28.56
- Total employment: 2,140 people (13.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $59,510
- Median hourly wage: $28.61
- Total employment: 780 people (5.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $59,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 1,790 people (11.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#17. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $59,930
- Median hourly wage: $28.81
- Total employment: 860 people (5.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $59,970
- Median hourly wage: $28.83
- Total employment: 740 people (4.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#15. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $60,080
- Median hourly wage: $28.89
- Total employment: 350 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#14. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $60,430
- Median hourly wage: $29.05
- Total employment: 40 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#13. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $60,950
- Median hourly wage: $29.30
- Total employment: 60 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $61,200
- Median hourly wage: $29.42
- Total employment: 230 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#11. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,530
- Median hourly wage: $30.06
- Total employment: 110 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $63,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: 1,790 people (11.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $65,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.51
- Total employment: 600 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $67,780
- Median hourly wage: $32.59
- Total employment: 660 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#7. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $68,120
- Median hourly wage: $32.75
- Total employment: 80 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $75,240
- Median hourly wage: $36.17
- Total employment: 190 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $75,460
- Median hourly wage: $36.28
- Total employment: 100 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#4. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $79,340
- Median hourly wage: $38.15
- Total employment: 70 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $84,710
- Median hourly wage: $40.73
- Total employment: 250 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#2. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $96,900
- Median hourly wage: $46.59
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $97,240
- Median hourly wage: $46.75
- Total employment: 250 people (1.59 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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