Highest-paying jobs in Columbia for high school graduates

Stacker
#50. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $51,630
- Median hourly wage: $24.82
- Total employment: 390 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $51,780
- Median hourly wage: $24.89
- Total employment: 3,290 people (8.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#48. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $52,210
- Median hourly wage: $25.10
- Total employment: 990 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#47. Logging equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $52,580
- Median hourly wage: $25.28
- Total employment: 60 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#46. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $53,790
- Median hourly wage: $25.86
- Total employment: 80 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#45. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $54,080
- Median hourly wage: $26.00
- Total employment: 820 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $54,210
- Median hourly wage: $26.06
- Total employment: 370 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Brokerage clerks

- Median annual wage: $55,070
- Median hourly wage: $26.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $55,410
- Median hourly wage: $26.64
- Total employment: 510 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $56,200
- Median hourly wage: $27.02
- Total employment: 270 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#40. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,390
- Median hourly wage: $27.11
- Total employment: 610 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

- Median annual wage: $56,560
- Median hourly wage: $27.19
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Chemical equipment operators and tenders (tie)

- Median annual wage: $56,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.20
- Total employment: 510 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants (tie)

- Median annual wage: $56,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.20
- Total employment: 1,230 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $58,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.23
- Total employment: 710 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#35. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $59,190
- Median hourly wage: $28.46
- Total employment: 250 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#34. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $59,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.48
- Total employment: 1,480 people (3.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $59,670
- Median hourly wage: $28.69
- Total employment: 310 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $60,050
- Median hourly wage: $28.87
- Total employment: 510 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#31. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $60,320
- Median hourly wage: $29.00
- Total employment: 660 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#30. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $60,520
- Median hourly wage: $29.10
- Total employment: 60 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $60,750
- Median hourly wage: $29.21
- Total employment: 2,700 people (7.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $60,830
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 70 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $60,950
- Median hourly wage: $29.31
- Total employment: 70 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#26. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $61,220
- Median hourly wage: $29.43
- Total employment: 1,090 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#25. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,370
- Median hourly wage: $29.51
- Total employment: 130 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $62,220
- Median hourly wage: $29.91
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $62,430
- Median hourly wage: $30.01
- Total employment: 1,150 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#22. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $63,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.45
- Total employment: 230 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#21. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $63,620
- Median hourly wage: $30.59
- Total employment: 1,350 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#20. Chemical plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $63,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.62
- Total employment: 30 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $64,040
- Median hourly wage: $30.79
- Total employment: 3,290 people (8.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#18. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $64,350
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 220 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $64,380
- Median hourly wage: $30.95
- Total employment: 4,710 people (12.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $66,010
- Median hourly wage: $31.74
- Total employment: 100 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#15. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $66,440
- Median hourly wage: $31.94
- Total employment: 500 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $66,920
- Median hourly wage: $32.18
- Total employment: 520 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#13. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $68,220
- Median hourly wage: $32.80
- Total employment: 1,460 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. Plant and system operators, all other

- Median annual wage: $69,800
- Median hourly wage: $33.56
- Total employment: 30 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $72,020
- Median hourly wage: $34.63
- Total employment: 1,630 people (4.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $72,980
- Median hourly wage: $35.09
- Total employment: 1,720 people (4.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#9. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $73,900
- Median hourly wage: $35.53
- Total employment: 230 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#8. Miscellaneous construction and related workers

- Median annual wage: $74,760
- Median hourly wage: $35.94
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $74,920
- Median hourly wage: $36.02
- Total employment: 1,770 people (4.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#6. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $76,520
- Median hourly wage: $36.79
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#5. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $77,820
- Median hourly wage: $37.41
- Total employment: 210 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $79,480
- Median hourly wage: $38.21
- Total employment: 270 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $102,940
- Median hourly wage: $49.49
- Total employment: 460 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#2. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $104,050
- Median hourly wage: $50.03
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $106,850
- Median hourly wage: $51.37
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 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