(Stacker) — The average college graduate in 2020 earned $1,305 a week, while the average high school graduate takes home just $781, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Of course, college isn’t for everyone. There are many reasons high-school graduates may choose to not continue on to college, not the least of which being cost. Average tuition costs continue to rise each year, the exception being the 2020-2021 school year, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Average tuition at a public, in-state university coming in at $9,687; tuition for out-of-state students at public schools, and for everyone at private universities, is significantly higher at $21,874 and $35,087, respectively.

Stacker compiled a list of the highest-paying jobs for high school graduates in Lafayette, La., using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

50. Carpenters

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $42,590
  • #360 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 620

National

  • Annual mean salary: $54,200
  • Employment: 699,300
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Urban Honolulu, HI ($81,730)
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,680)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,280)

49. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $42,710
  • #90 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 50

National

  • Annual mean salary: $45,490
  • Employment: 20,440
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($66,390)
    • Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($59,690)
    • Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($57,930)

48. Tax preparers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $42,940
  • #146 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 100

National

  • Annual mean salary: $52,710
  • Employment: 62,600
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Anchorage, AK ($81,880)
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($79,470)
    • Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($73,170)

47. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $43,190
  • #390 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 840

National

  • Annual mean salary: $55,280
  • Employment: 402,870
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,910)
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($91,860)
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($91,120)

46. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $43,380
  • #40 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 750

National

  • Annual mean salary: $51,830
  • Employment: 10,580
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($75,030)
    • Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($69,840)
    • West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($68,890)

45. Maintenance workers, machinery

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $43,990
  • #264 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 240

National

  • Annual mean salary: $51,960
  • Employment: 65,240
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area ($77,890)
    • Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($77,690)
    • Savannah, GA ($76,260)

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

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $44,360
  • #385 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 110

National

  • Annual mean salary: $54,040
  • Employment: 103,730
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Madera, CA ($76,040)
    • Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,800)
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($73,360)

43. Security and fire alarm systems installers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $44,470
  • #161 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 170

National

  • Annual mean salary: $52,150
  • Employment: 68,920
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Eugene, OR ($70,940)
    • Salem, OR ($68,640)
    • Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($68,520)

42. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $44,670
  • #208 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 510

National

  • Annual mean salary: $44,860
  • Employment: 188,450
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($64,510)
    • Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($64,140)
    • Decatur, IL ($60,740)

41. Private detectives and investigators

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $44,860
  • #90 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 90

National

  • Annual mean salary: $60,100
  • Employment: 32,200
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Jackson, MI ($93,360)
    • Bakersfield, CA ($91,080)
    • Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($87,760)

40. Automotive body and related repairers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $45,420
  • #312 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 200

National

  • Annual mean salary: $49,430
  • Employment: 137,120
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Ann Arbor, MI ($71,350)
    • Ames, IA ($68,340)
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,060)

39. Self-enrichment teachers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $46,140
  • #107 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 130

National

  • Annual mean salary: $47,930
  • Employment: 222,700
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,350)
    • Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($66,650)
    • Utica-Rome, NY ($63,470)

38. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $46,360
  • #485 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 1,300

National

  • Annual mean salary: $65,230
  • Employment: 503,390
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,590)
    • Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($87,760)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($87,420)

37. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $47,000
  • #127 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 1,110

National

  • Annual mean salary: $44,580
  • Employment: 549,200
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($88,150)
    • Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($80,420)
    • Odessa, TX ($70,950)

36. Chefs and head cooks

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $47,470
  • #308 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 120

National

  • Annual mean salary: $58,740
  • Employment: 101,490
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Leominster-Gardner, MA ($81,020)
    • Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area ($79,820)
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($79,600)

35. Real estate sales agents

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $48,220
  • #274 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 80

National

  • Annual mean salary: $62,990
  • Employment: 168,740
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Midland, TX ($100,060)
    • Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($99,880)
    • Worcester, MA-CT ($93,400)

34. Machinists

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $49,340
  • #153 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 1,130

National

  • Annual mean salary: $47,800
  • Employment: 360,340
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($76,230)
    • Urban Honolulu, HI ($71,070)
    • Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($69,300)

33. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $49,640
  • #113 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 1,430

National

  • Annual mean salary: $46,690
  • Employment: 397,550
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Fairbanks, AK ($72,500)
    • Anchorage, AK ($71,840)
    • West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($71,250)

32. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $49,700
  • #358 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 530

National

  • Annual mean salary: $61,100
  • Employment: 417,440
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,580)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($89,500)
    • Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($89,190)

31. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $50,310
  • #215 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 180

National

  • Annual mean salary: $52,090
  • Employment: 253,010
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,900)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($73,400)
    • Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,480)

30. Advertising sales agents

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $50,400
  • #204 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 90

National

  • Annual mean salary: $68,040
  • Employment: 110,040
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($97,840)
    • Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($97,720)
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($83,050)

29. Glaziers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $50,600
  • #76 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 40

National

  • Annual mean salary: $50,970
  • Employment: 52,190
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($78,840)
    • Salem, OR ($78,000)
    • Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area ($76,680)

28. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $50,840
  • #342 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 470

National

  • Annual mean salary: $57,000
  • Employment: 147,680
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Fairbanks, AK ($86,740)
    • Urban Honolulu, HI ($82,520)
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($79,470)

27. Crane and tower operators

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $51,660
  • #165 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 230

National

  • Annual mean salary: $64,010
  • Employment: 44,060
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($131,160)
    • Syracuse, NY ($103,350)
    • Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($99,990)

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

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $51,990
  • #46 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 80

National

  • Annual mean salary: $51,440
  • Employment: 105,400
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Huntsville, AL ($55,830)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,260)
    • Wausau, WI ($55,060)

25. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders — metal and plastic

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $52,280
  • #3 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 310

National

  • Annual mean salary: $39,800
  • Employment: 134,660
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Mankato-North Mankato, MN ($54,510)
    • Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC ($52,470)
    • Lafayette, LA ($52,280)

24. Electricians

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $52,370
  • #345 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 1,110

National

  • Annual mean salary: $61,550
  • Employment: 656,510
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,900)
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($91,090)
    • Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($86,600)

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

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $52,600
  • #395 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 2,280

National

  • Annual mean salary: $62,010
  • Employment: 1,427,260
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($82,050)
    • Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($79,520)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,430)

22. Food service managers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $53,000
  • #405 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 180

National

  • Annual mean salary: $61,000
  • Employment: 197,010
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Trenton, NJ ($91,320)
    • Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($89,860)
    • Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,750)

21. Property, real estate, and community association managers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $53,660
  • #320 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 300

National

  • Annual mean salary: $73,210
  • Employment: 219,800
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($109,540)
    • Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($106,420)
    • Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area ($105,220)

20. Postal service mail carriers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $54,100
  • #179 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 480

National

  • Annual mean salary: $53,180
  • Employment: 333,570
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Modesto, CA ($57,160)
    • Bismarck, ND ($57,090)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,820)

19. Detectives and criminal investigators

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $54,190
  • #326 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 120

National

  • Annual mean salary: $89,300
  • Employment: 105,980
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($132,210)
    • Anchorage, AK ($127,070)
    • Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($123,460)

18. Postal service clerks

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $55,530
  • #51 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 100

National

  • Annual mean salary: $51,200
  • Employment: 86,950
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Houma-Thibodaux, LA ($59,410)
    • Florence, SC ($59,360)
    • Monroe, MI ($59,320)

17. Construction and building inspectors

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $56,660
  • #275 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: data not available

National

  • Annual mean salary: $66,470
  • Employment: 113,770
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • New Haven, CT ($121,510)
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($107,330)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,190)

16. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $56,890
  • #146 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 60

National

  • Annual mean salary: $67,600
  • Employment: 53,420
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($114,400)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,220)
    • Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($112,950)

15. Industrial machinery mechanics

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $57,140
  • #242 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 710

National

  • Annual mean salary: $57,350
  • Employment: 385,980
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Fairbanks, AK ($85,900)
    • Lake Charles, LA ($85,360)
    • Anchorage, AK ($82,890)

14. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $57,530
  • #172 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 100

National

  • Annual mean salary: $62,400
  • Employment: 50,660
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($98,380)
    • Salt Lake City, UT ($94,070)
    • Santa Rosa, CA ($92,800)

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

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $57,840
  • #361 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 660

National

  • Annual mean salary: $70,490
  • Employment: 977,070
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($103,810)
    • Boulder, CO ($101,630)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($97,360)

12. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $59,840
  • #432 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 310

National

  • Annual mean salary: $97,180
  • Employment: 122,310
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($182,700)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($170,740)
    • Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($164,600)

11. Insurance sales agents

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $60,640
  • #242 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 450

National

  • Annual mean salary: $69,100
  • Employment: 409,950
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($104,230)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,470)
    • Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($95,620)

10. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $64,570
  • #423 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 910

National

  • Annual mean salary: $73,100
  • Employment: 475,000
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($93,830)
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($93,030)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,870)

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

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $64,990
  • #315 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 2,690

National

  • Annual mean salary: $73,500
  • Employment: 1,278,670
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($102,280)
    • Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($92,660)
    • Napa, CA ($92,620)

8. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $65,870
  • #226 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 800

National

  • Annual mean salary: $66,800
  • Employment: 599,900
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Baton Rouge, LA ($98,170)
    • Lake Charles, LA ($97,910)
    • West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($96,900)

7. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $66,250
  • #329 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 130

National

  • Annual mean salary: $74,410
  • Employment: 114,930
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($117,700)
    • Salinas, CA ($110,180)
    • North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area ($109,740)

6. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $70,790
  • #201 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 1,040

National

  • Annual mean salary: $72,990
  • Employment: 614,080
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($112,020)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,820)
    • Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($101,210)

5. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $71,140
  • #57 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 140

National

  • Annual mean salary: $77,610
  • Employment: 40,480
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($105,090)
    • Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($101,900)
    • St. Louis, MO-IL ($97,860)

4. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $72,670
  • #113 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 110

National

  • Annual mean salary: $70,650
  • Employment: 287,150
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Kennewick-Richland, WA ($104,350)
    • Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($95,200)
    • Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area ($92,500)

3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $86,360
  • #322 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 90

National

  • Annual mean salary: $105,100
  • Employment: 132,210
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($159,890)
    • Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,170)
    • Trenton, NJ ($144,620)

2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $92,720
  • #71 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 210

National

  • Annual mean salary: $90,120
  • Employment: 240,290
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Portland-South Portland, ME ($129,860)
    • Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($121,360)
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($121,250)

1. Commercial pilots

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $94,900
  • #125 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 120

National

  • Annual mean salary: $110,830
  • Employment: 37,120
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($185,920)
    • Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($184,260)
    • Savannah, GA ($177,450)

Article has been re-published pursuant to a CC BY-NC 4.0 License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/?ref=chooser-v1