Highest-paying jobs in Blacksburg for high school graduates

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#50. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

- Median annual wage: $45,950
- Median hourly wage: $22.09
- Total employment: 610 people (8.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#49. Office and administrative support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $46,090
- Median hourly wage: $22.16
- Total employment: 50 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#48. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $46,450
- Median hourly wage: $22.33
- Total employment: 330 people (4.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#47. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $46,510
- Median hourly wage: $22.36
- Total employment: 60 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $46,650
- Median hourly wage: $22.43
- Total employment: 90 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $46,720
- Median hourly wage: $22.46
- Total employment: 80 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $47,450
- Median hourly wage: $22.81
- Total employment: 370 people (4.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $47,720
- Median hourly wage: $22.94
- Total employment: 70 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#42. Opticians, dispensing

- Median annual wage: $47,910
- Median hourly wage: $23.03
- Total employment: 30 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#41. Maintenance and repair workers, general

- Median annual wage: $48,230
- Median hourly wage: $23.19
- Total employment: 960 people (12.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#40. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $48,310
- Median hourly wage: $23.23
- Total employment: 110 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $48,380
- Median hourly wage: $23.26
- Total employment: 250 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#38. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $48,540
- Median hourly wage: $23.34
- Total employment: Not available

#37. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $48,700
- Median hourly wage: $23.42
- Total employment: 420 people (5.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#36. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators

- Median annual wage: $49,060
- Median hourly wage: $23.59
- Total employment: 2,610 people (35.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#35. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers

- Median annual wage: $49,170
- Median hourly wage: $23.64
- Total employment: 130 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#34. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $49,270
- Median hourly wage: $23.69
- Total employment: 110 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $49,430
- Median hourly wage: $23.76
- Total employment: 90 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $49,470
- Median hourly wage: $23.78
- Total employment: 300 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $50,140
- Median hourly wage: $24.11
- Total employment: 300 people (3.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#30. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services

- Median annual wage: $50,480
- Median hourly wage: $24.27
- Total employment: 70 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $50,670
- Median hourly wage: $24.36
- Total employment: 150 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $50,750
- Median hourly wage: $24.40
- Total employment: 210 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $51,010
- Median hourly wage: $24.52
- Total employment: Not available

#26. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $52,090
- Median hourly wage: $25.04
- Total employment: 180 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $53,960
- Median hourly wage: $25.94
- Total employment: 220 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $56,110
- Median hourly wage: $26.98
- Total employment: 80 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $57,030
- Median hourly wage: $27.42
- Total employment: 720 people (9.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#22. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $57,140
- Median hourly wage: $27.47
- Total employment: 440 people (5.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#21. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $57,500
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 80 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#20. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 60 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#19. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 300 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $58,510
- Median hourly wage: $28.13
- Total employment: 320 people (4.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#17. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $59,650
- Median hourly wage: $28.68
- Total employment: 190 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#16. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $61,930
- Median hourly wage: $29.78
- Total employment: 330 people (4.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#15. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $61,970
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 240 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $62,600
- Median hourly wage: $30.10
- Total employment: 610 people (8.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#13. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $64,410
- Median hourly wage: $30.97
- Total employment: 80 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $64,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.15
- Total employment: 150 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#11. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $65,420
- Median hourly wage: $31.45
- Total employment: 70 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#10. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $66,370
- Median hourly wage: $31.91
- Total employment: 70 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $67,160
- Median hourly wage: $32.29
- Total employment: 280 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $74,350
- Median hourly wage: $35.74
- Total employment: 530 people (7.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $77,100
- Median hourly wage: $37.07
- Total employment: 400 people (5.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $79,540
- Median hourly wage: $38.24
- Total employment: 110 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $81,540
- Median hourly wage: $39.20
- Total employment: 80 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $82,790
- Median hourly wage: $39.80
- Total employment: 40 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#3. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials

- Median annual wage: $83,580
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $93,070
- Median hourly wage: $44.74
- Total employment: 30 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $93,240
- Median hourly wage: $44.83
- Total employment: 90 people (1.16 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