25 Best Jobs for High School Graduates

Careers for high school graduates

Scoring a good job doesn’t always require obtaining a bachelor’s degree or associate degree. In the latest U.S. News Best Jobs rankings, these 25 careers offer good work-life balance and strong job growth while only requiring a high school diploma. Take note: Entry to some of these fields requires on-the-job training, apprenticeships and state licensure. Data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Read on to see the 25 best jobs for high school graduates.

25. Sales Representative

Median Salary: $62,070

Expected Job Growth by 2030:4.5%

Instead of selling to consumers, these professionals sell goods and services to businesses, government agencies and other organizations.

A sales representative, also sometimes referred to as a sales executive, is an important job at a company. They may sell a range of products, from office supplies to laboratory equipment, for example, and they are often key personnel when it comes to building a business.

Some businesses prefer or require sales representatives to have a college degree, but many do not. Expertise in the business and product — and the ability to sell it — is the main thing employers looking for, as well as willingness to travel.

Learn more about sales representatives.

24. Plumber

Median Salary: $56,330

Expected Job Growth by 2030:5%

Plumbers assemble, install and repair pipes and pipe systems in buildings from factories and homes to schools and airports. Plumbers typically complete an intense apprenticeship program. This is a paid program offered by unions or businesses that typically lasts four to five years and combines classroom instruction with hands-on work. Plumbers must be licensed to work independently and are often be required to receive continuing education to keep that license.

While it’s technically a day job during the workweek, emergencies can happen at any time, so evening and weekend work is a possibility.

Learn more about plumbers.

23. Bus Driver

Median Salary:$45,900

Expected Job Growth by 2030:21%

Bus drivers often serve members of their community and get them from here to there safely. Other types of bus drivers include school bus drivers and tour bus drivers.

In this job, it helps to have an easygoing personality and not have a temper. But at the same time, you need to be tough enough to handle hothead passengers and erratic drivers trying to cut you off.

Learn more about bus drivers.

22. Maid and Housekeeper

Median Salary: $26,220

Expected Job Growth by 2030:11.3%

This may not be a glamorous job, but as the pandemic reminded everyone, it’s a very important occupation and one that is arguably far more appreciated and valued than it used to be.

If you’re good at your job, there’s also a lot of security. Few business owners, if any, will feel that they can afford to eliminate or downsize their cleaning staff.

There are a lot of job opportunities, too, from cleaning hotels to households as well as nursing homes, hospitals, schools and office buildings.

Learn more about maids and housekeepers.

21. Choreographer

Median Salary: $43,680

Expected Job Growth by 2030:32.1%

Choreography involves a lot of hard work. You’re on your feet a lot, and the hours can sometimes be long or include evenings and weekends. But when your projects are finished, you get a lot of satisfaction in seeing performers wow an audience and hearing the crowd’s applause.

Not all gigs culminate in glamorous, large-scale shows. You might be a choreographer at a children’s dance studio in a small town. Still, wherever you work, you’re helping dancers achieve their dreams. And odds are, you love to dance, too, and so you get to do what you love. This can be a very meaningful, rewarding profession.

Learn more about choreographers.

20. Waiter and Waitress

Median Salary:$23,740

Expected Job Growth by 2030:20.1%

When you serve a glass of lemonade, is it half full or half empty? In other words, you can look at this as a very demanding job serving the masses, some of whom won’t tip or behave well. Or you can look at it as a great job because you take care of restaurant customers who are looking for a respite from their hard-working day.

In truth, both viewpoints are probably right. Servers do a lot, including handing out menus, fetching drinks, taking orders, serving dessert and processing checks. It’s a lot of work, but if all goes well, they are handsomely tipped for their customer service.

Learn more about waiters and waitresses.

19. Pharmacy Technician

Median Salary:$35,100

Expected Job Growth by 2030:4%

This is a very important job that involves measuring, mixing, counting and labeling medicine. A pharmacist oversees everything, but this isn’t a job for the absent-minded.

It’s a great fit for anyone who likes helping people get healthy and stay healthy — and for those who enjoy interacting with and assisting members of the public, some of whom will be stressed and frustrated if their medicine costs far more than they were expecting.

Learn more about pharmacy technicians.

18. Maintenance and Repair Worker

Median Salary:$40,850

Expected Job Growth by 2030:8.1%

These jacks-of-all-trades take care of a range of systems, from electrical circuits to plumbing and painting. Most maintenance and repair workers develop expertise through apprenticeships and are licensed to work independently.

If you enjoy fixing things, this can be a fulfilling job, assuming there’s a wide variety of equipment or machines to repair. For instance, working at a college, an apartment complex or an airport means working on a lot of different things — sometimes indoors and sometimes outside — and each day may bring new challenges.

Learn more about maintenance and repair workers.

17. Flight Attendant

Median Salary:$59,050

Expected Job Growth by 2030:30.4%

Flight attendants make a good salary but will arguably never be paid enough. They often deal with cranky passengers, and they stay plenty busy on crowded flights. And when something goes wrong on a flight, passengers first look to flight attendants for guidance.

Of course, on the plus side, flight attendants get to travel the world or the country, and no day is ever the same.

Learn more about flight attendants.

16. Community Health Worker

Median Salary:$42,000

Expected Job Growth by 2030:21%

Community health workers often work for nonprofits, and often at medical facilities like a clinic. The job involves persuading members of the public to monitor their health more carefully than they probably are. It may involve helping elderly seniors find transportation to a doctor’s office, or even encouraging college students to donate blood.

These workers do a lot of good every day — for individuals and the community at large.

Learn more about community health workers.

15. Taxi Driver

Median Salary:$32,320

Expected Job Growth by 2030:25.5%

These days, the barrier to become a taxi driver is lower than ever, and the demand for drivers is high. Drivers may work for a taxi company in a big city or use their own car to work with ride-hailing apps such as Lyft or Uber.

Taxi drivers, of course, take passengers wherever they want to go, usually within, say, 50 miles, since at some point it becomes cheaper for the passenger to take a bus or a plane.

Those who like people and enjoy driving may love this job.

Learn more about taxi drivers.

14. Medical Secretary

Median Salary$37,350

Expected Job Growth by 203010.6%

Medical secretaries manage a doctor’s office. They’re the people who greet patients, collect copays, and schedule appointments. They answer questions in person and on the phone and relay messages to doctors.

Another important role: Medical secretaries set the tone for the doctor’s office and ensure that operations run smoothly.

Learn more about medical secretaries.

13. Bartender

Median Salary:$24,960

Expected Job Growth by 2030:32.5%

There is a reason some people go to bartending school — there’s a lot to learn. Most bartending schools generally last a couple of weeks and teach students how to properly mix drinks such as martinis, margaritas, cosmopolitans and whiskey sours.

Generally, customers are always happy to see a bartender. It’s an excellent job for a people person, and those who are good at their job should make a lot of tips.

Learn more about bartenders.

12. Delivery Truck Driver

Median Salary:$37,050

Expected Job Growth by 20309.8%

Delivery truck drivers transport a wide variety goods from place to place, and while there is plenty of buzz about self-driving trucks, these workers are still in high demand. With online shopping heating up, job opportunities should remain plentiful.

This job can have long hours and punishing schedules. On the other hand, delivery truck drivers to travel a lot and potentially see different parts of the country.

Learn more about delivery truck drivers.

11. Solar Photovoltaic Installer

Median Salary:$46,470

Expected Job Growth by 2030:52.1%

These clean-energy experts build, install and repair solar panels on buildings. Many installers take courses at community colleges, technical schools or as part of an apprenticeship program, although a high school diploma is typically the only educational requirement to get started in this career. Some companies offer on-the-job training.

It’s a job that is mostly conducted outside. Installers also tend to travel locally and regionally since they always go to the customer rather than vice versa.

With environmental concerns in the face of climate change, this is a career that looks poised for growth. For PV installers, the future looks bright.

Learn more about solar photovoltaic installers.

10. Restaurant Cook

Median Salary:$28,800

Expected Job Growth by 2030:48.9%

Restaurant cooks do it all: braise, blanch, whisk, garnish and grill. They often cook many meals at once, and without them, a restaurant would fall apart pretty quickly.

This is a job in which you don’t need a college degree. You do, however, need to know a lot about food to do well. If you have formal training and can produce complicated meals, you’ll probably work at more upscale restaurants and see a higher paycheck.

It can be a tough gig that often involves working evenings and weekends. But if you do your job well, a lot of people will be passing compliments on to the chef.

Learn more about restaurant cooks.

9. Security Guard

Median Salary:$31,050

Expected Job Growth by 2030:14.6%

This is an important job that’s sometimes dangerous, which is why many security guards carry weapons.

After all, the job is to provide security, which could involve encountering criminals, including shoplifters. Security guards also help a lot of people in situations like reuniting a lost child with a parent.

Security guards work in a range of dynamic environments, including grocery stores, malls, casinos or concert venues.

Learn more about security guards.

8. Electrician

Median Salary:$56,900

Expected Job Growth by 2030:9.1%

Electricians install and repair electrical power and other systems in businesses, factories and homes. Training happens on the job or at a technical school, with many states requiring licensure.

This is a job that can be dangerous, which explains the extensive training (often, four years as an apprentice). Plus, there’s a lot that an electrician can be asked to do, from designing, installing, maintaining and repairing equipment and electrical systems of businesses and factories to installing, maintaining and repairing the electrical systems of residences.

Mostly, electricians work days, but evenings and weekends are common. So is overtime, according to the BLS.

Learn more about electricians.

7. Insurance Sales Agent

Median Salary:$52,180 per year

Expected Job Growth by 2030:7%

Insurance agents sell auto, health, home and life insurance. Commercial insurance agents also sell property damage and liability policies, employee and executive coverage and product liability. Insurance is a heavily regulated field, and agents must be licensed by their state.

This is a job that’s often open to high school graduates, although many insurance agents are college graduates as well. It’s a great fit for someone who is analytical, detail-oriented and a good communicator. After all, insurance agents have to both sell to people and understand the product.

The field tends to have a lot of turnover because many new agents struggle to earn sufficient commission income and may switch to other occupations. What happens then to the agent’s clients? They go to another insurance agent who has managed to stick it out. So it can be a tough field to break into, but once you do, you may thrive.

Learn more about insurance sales agents.

6. Landscaper and Groundskeeper

Median Salary:$31,730

Expected Job Growth by 2030:7.6%

Landscapers and groundskeepers make sure gardens and lawns look great and remain healthy at parks, golf courses, private homes, college campuses and office buildings. They stay busy working outdoors by planting, watering, mowing, fertilizing and weeding. Usually, no formal education is necessary for this career, and workers learn on the job. Another upside: It doesn’t often require working weekends, or nights.

Licenses may be required for people whose jobs involve using pesticides and fertilizers.

Learn more about landscapers and groundskeepers.

5. Recreation and Fitness Worker

Median Salary:$31,250

Expected Job Growth by 2030:27%

Recreation and fitness workers include everyone from aerobics instructors to camp counselors. A park director or a cruise director might be considered a recreation and fitness worker. These professionals may lead people on a hike, guide vacationers in riding horseback or instruct students in yoga.

Those in managerial positions may need an associate degree or a college degree, but many others receive on-the-job training. One additional benefit of this career is that in helping people stay active and healthy, recreation and fitness workers likely stay active and healthy as well.

Learn more about recreation and fitness workers.

4. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse

Median Salary:$48,820

Expected Job Growth by 2030:9.3%

For this job, you’ll generally need a year of training, often at a technical school or community college and sometimes a hospital.

But once you’ve got your certification or license, you will be in demand. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses do it all, from dressing wounds to delivering medicine, massaging muscles and starting IVs. You won’t diagnose conditions, but you’re often the bridge between the patient and doctor and can give the physician a heads up if you notice something troubling.

Learn more about licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses.

3. Personal Care Aide

Median Salary:$27,080

Expected Job Growth by 2030:32.6%

Personal care aides help people with chronic conditions accomplish everyday tasks like making the bed and bathing. Some positions require high school diplomas or certificates from community college programs. Additional training, perhaps at a certified home health or hospice agency, may include CPR certification.

These professionals might work in a client’s home, a group home or perhaps at a day service program at a nursing facility.

It can be a challenging job that is physically taxing, and it may involve working with people with moods across the spectrum. But in helping society’s most vulnerable citizens, this is a job to feel very good about.

Learn more about personal care aides.

2. Home Health Aide

Median Salary:$27,080

Expected Job Growth by 2030:32.6%

These workers, who support patients in day-to-day tasks like cooking and household chores, are in high demand as baby boomers age. Some roles require high school diplomas, competency exams or certificates, plus passing a background check. Additional training may include CPR certification.

Home health aides often have numerous clients they are scheduled to visit in a given day, although they may also work for extended periods of time for one person in a home.

Learn more about home health aides.

1. Patrol Officer

Median Salary: $65,540

Expected Job Growth by 2030:7.2%

This job isn’t always like what’s portrayed on TV. Often, patrol officers spend a lot of time writing reports and updating records. They may be on patrol, looking for trouble and not finding it. But sometimes they do. Patrol officers sometimes work odd hours, and there’s always the chance of being in a dangerous situation at any moment.

Is there potential to get stressed out? Absolutely. But this profession can also be very rewarding. Every day, patrol officers get a chance to make someone’s life better and maybe much better. You may wind up saving lives, and your very presence may make somebody feel reassured.

Learn more about patrol officers.

25 Best Jobs for High School Graduates:

These high school diploma jobs that pay well may require some career training:

— Sales Representative.

— Plumber.

— Bus Driver.

— Maid and Housekeeper.

— Choreographer.

— Waiter or Waitress.

— Pharmacy Technician.

— Maintenance and Repair Worker.

— Flight Attendant.