30 highest-paying jobs in Las Vegas for high school graduates

The average college graduate in 2019 earned $78,000 a year, while the average high school graduate takes home just $45,000, according to research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. To put it in perspective, the average annual wage for workers in the U.S. that same year was $51,916.27.

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.

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#30. Insurance sales agents

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $64,460 (#147 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 2,100

National

- Annual mean salary: $69,100

- Employment: 409,950

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,540)

—- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($105,840)

—- Fond du Lac, WI ($105,190)

- Job description: Sell life, property, casualty, health, automotive, or other types of insurance. May refer clients to independent brokers, work as an independent broker, or be employed by an insurance company.

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

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $64,530 (#127 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 7,400

National

- Annual mean salary: $70,490

- Employment: 977,070

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($115,620)

—- Lawrence, KS ($97,910)

—- Boulder, CO ($94,870)

- Job description: Sell services to individuals or businesses. May describe options or resolve client problems.

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

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

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $65,270 (#65 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 110

National

- Annual mean salary: $62,400

- Employment: 50,660

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- Santa Rosa, CA ($95,240)

—- Madison, WI ($90,020)

—- Salinas, CA ($87,650)

- Job description: Install, repair, and maintain mechanical regulating and controlling devices, such as electric meters, gas regulators, thermostats, safety and flow valves, and other mechanical governors.

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#27. Food service managers

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $66,510 (#74 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 2,070

National

- Annual mean salary: $61,000

- Employment: 197,010

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($97,610)

—- Trenton, NJ ($95,640)

—- Waterbury, CT ($88,100)

- Job description: Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.

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#26. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $67,110 (#38 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 1,130

National

- Annual mean salary: $65,230

- Employment: 503,390

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($92,040)

—- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($89,100)

—- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($86,180)

- Job description: Provide high-level administrative support by conducting research, preparing statistical reports, and handling information requests, as well as performing routine administrative functions such as preparing correspondence, receiving visitors, arranging conference calls, and scheduling meetings. May also train and supervise lower-level clerical staff.

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

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $67,680 (#287 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 1,390

National

- Annual mean salary: $90,120

- Employment: 240,290

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN ($124,150)

—- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($122,460)

—- Leominster-Gardner, MA ($119,130)

- Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate activities of sales workers other than retail sales workers. May perform duties such as budgeting, accounting, and personnel work, in addition to supervisory duties.

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#24. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $69,400 (#142 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 720

National

- Annual mean salary: $74,410

- Employment: 114,930

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($114,820)

—- Redding, CA ($112,850)

—- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($111,810)

- Job description: Install or repair cables or wires used in electrical power or distribution systems. May erect poles and light or heavy duty transmission towers.

goodluz // Shutterstock

#23. Real estate sales agents

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $69,660 (#36 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 1,860

National

- Annual mean salary: $62,990

- Employment: 168,740

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- Salinas, CA ($106,280)

—- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($101,300)

—- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($98,580)

- Job description: Rent, buy, or sell property for clients. Perform duties such as study property listings, interview prospective clients, accompany clients to property site, discuss conditions of sale, and draw up real estate contracts. Includes agents who represent buyer.

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#22. Correctional officers and jailers

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $70,380 (#12 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 1,830

National

- Annual mean salary: $52,340

- Employment: 405,870

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- Bakersfield, CA ($85,850)

—- Stockton-Lodi, CA ($84,790)

—- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($83,050)

- Job description: Guard inmates in penal or rehabilitative institutions in accordance with established regulations and procedures. May guard prisoners in transit between jail, courtroom, prison, or other point. Includes deputy sheriffs and police who spend the majority of their time guarding prisoners in correctional institutions.

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#21. Electricians

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $70,500 (#43 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 5,230

National

- Annual mean salary: $61,550

- Employment: 656,510

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,680)

—- Trenton, NJ ($90,210)

—- Kankakee, IL ($88,530)

- Job description: Install, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures. Ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes. May install or service street lights, intercom systems, or electrical control systems.

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

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $70,640 (#139 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 5,210

National

- Annual mean salary: $73,500

- Employment: 1,278,670

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- Danbury, CT ($112,810)

—- Napa, CA ($101,850)

—- Santa Fe, NM ($93,680)

- Job description: Sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses or groups of individuals. Work requires substantial knowledge of items sold.

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

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $71,230 (#132 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 4,360

National

- Annual mean salary: $72,990

- Employment: 614,080

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($107,870)

—- Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA ($103,930)

—- Santa Rosa, CA ($100,620)

- Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate activities of construction or extraction workers.

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

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $73,540 (#130 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 2,630

National

- Annual mean salary: $73,100

- Employment: 475,000

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($95,680)

—- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($93,140)

—- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,810)

- Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of mechanics, installers, and repairers. May also advise customers on recommended services. Excludes team or work leaders.

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#17. Airfield operations specialists

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $75,730 (#5 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 70

National

- Annual mean salary: $58,360

- Employment: 10,590

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- Sacramento—Roseville—Arden-Arcade, CA ($80,910)

—- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($77,920)

—- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($77,840)

- Job description: Ensure the safe takeoff and landing of commercial and military aircraft. Duties include coordination between air-traffic control and maintenance personnel, dispatching, using airfield landing and navigational aids, implementing airfield safety procedures, monitoring and maintaining flight records, and applying knowledge of weather information.

Canva

#16. Traffic technicians

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $76,870 (#2 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 70

National

- Annual mean salary: $53,140

- Employment: 7,430

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($88,490)

—- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($76,870)

—- Pittsburgh, PA ($65,580)

- Job description: Conduct field studies to determine traffic volume, speed, effectiveness of signals, adequacy of lighting, and other factors influencing traffic conditions, under direction of traffic engineer.

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#15. Lodging managers

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $76,930 (#25 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 350

National

- Annual mean salary: $65,270

- Employment: 31,790

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY ($108,990)

—- Reno, NV ($106,060)

—- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($105,560)

- Job description: Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that provides lodging and other accommodations.

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#14. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $79,080 (#27 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 1,090

National

- Annual mean salary: $70,650

- Employment: 287,150

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($97,980)

—- Waterbury, CT ($92,160)

—- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($88,750)

- Job description: Review settled claims to determine that payments and settlements are made in accordance with company practices and procedures. Confer with legal counsel on claims requiring litigation. May also settle insurance claims.

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

#13. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $80,060 (#6 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 330

National

- Annual mean salary: $51,890

- Employment: 119,380

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($99,130)

—- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($89,730)

—- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($86,080)

- Job description: Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.

Canva

#12. Construction and building inspectors

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $80,440 (#14 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 680

National

- Annual mean salary: $66,470

- Employment: 113,770

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,820)

—- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($102,920)

—- Salinas, CA ($98,360)

- Job description: Inspect structures using engineering skills to determine structural soundness and compliance with specifications, building codes, and other regulations. Inspections may be general in nature or may be limited to a specific area, such as electrical systems or plumbing.

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#11. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $82,650 (#269 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 630

National

- Annual mean salary: $105,100

- Employment: 132,210

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($163,580)

—- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($137,680)

—- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($136,410)

- Job description: Plan, direct, or coordinate transportation, storage, or distribution activities in accordance with organizational policies and applicable government laws or regulations. Includes logistics managers.

Canva

#10. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $84,840 (#2 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: data not available

National

- Annual mean salary: $48,500

- Employment: 40,240

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,100)

—- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($84,840)

—- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,360)

- Job description: Operate or tend machinery at surface mining site, equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets to excavate and load loose materials.

Prath // Shutterstock

#9. Detectives and criminal investigators

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $91,130 (#76 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 410

National

- Annual mean salary: $89,300

- Employment: 105,980

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($127,380)

—- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($127,090)

—- Anchorage, AK ($126,530)

- Job description: Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.

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#8. Real estate brokers

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $92,220 (#14 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 420

National

- Annual mean salary: $81,630

- Employment: 44,610

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($134,770)

—- Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ ($129,820)

—- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($116,510)

- Job description: Operate real estate office, or work for commercial real estate firm, overseeing real estate transactions. Other duties usually include selling real estate or renting properties and arranging loans.

Canva

#7. Transportation inspectors

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $96,830 (#16 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 110

National

- Annual mean salary: $81,320

- Employment: 27,360

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- Portland-South Portland, ME ($119,270)

—- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($117,900)

—- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($104,370)

- Job description: Inspect equipment or goods in connection with the safe transport of cargo or people. Includes rail transportation inspectors, such as freight inspectors, rail inspectors, and other inspectors of transportation vehicles not elsewhere classified.

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

#6. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $98,840 (#11 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 200

National

- Annual mean salary: $67,600

- Employment: 53,420

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- Sacramento—Roseville—Arden-Arcade, CA ($115,020)

—- Trenton, NJ ($113,630)

—- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($113,070)

- Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate activities of correctional officers and jailers.

Pixabay

#5. Gambling managers

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $102,700 (#1 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 270

National

- Annual mean salary: $85,440

- Employment: 3,240

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($102,700)

—- Reno, NV ($102,190)

—- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($101,990)

- Job description: Plan, direct, or coordinate gambling operations in a casino. May formulate house rules.

michaeljung // Shutterstock

#4. Power plant operators

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $104,930 (#4 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: data not available

National

- Annual mean salary: $81,890

- Employment: 32,960

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- Sacramento—Roseville—Arden-Arcade, CA ($114,420)

—- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($107,830)

—- Redding, CA ($106,030)

- Job description: Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

#3. Power distributors and dispatchers

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $105,550 (#7 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 90

National

- Annual mean salary: $93,260

- Employment: 9,940

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- Sacramento—Roseville—Arden-Arcade, CA ($141,200)

—- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($126,870)

—- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($120,200)

- Job description: Coordinate, regulate, or distribute electricity or steam.

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#2. Commercial pilots

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

- Annual mean salary: $112,820 (#30 highest pay among all metros)

- Employment: 510

National

- Annual mean salary: $110,830

- Employment: 37,120

- Metros with highest average pay:

—- Sioux City, IA-NE-SD ($153,990)

—- Medford, OR ($152,730)

—- Sacramento—Roseville—Arden-Arcade, CA ($152,290)

- Job description: Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. Requires Commercial Pilot certificate. Includes charter pilots with similar certification, and air ambulance and air tour pilots. Excludes regional, national, and international airline pilots.