The Most Promising Jobs for High School Graduates in 2023

Is Gen Z choosing work over school? College enrollment has dropped by 190,000 fewer students since 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. And it seems the declining trend could continue in coming years, thanks to the pandemic, the economy, and student debt risk. The financial news and information site Tradingpedia analyzed data from Indeed.com and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine which jobs will be in high demand for high school students graduating this year, including some that don't require a completed degree. Some may surprise you. 

Related: Best Jobs That Don't Require a 4-Year College Degree

Average Wage: $89,190

Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 17%

Educational Requirement: High school diploma or equivalent

No college is needed to get into gambling management, a field that's projected to see a whopping 20,000 job openings over the next decade. This role requires a responsible person who can oversee operations at a casino to keep business running smoothly. It's also one of the higher paying options on this list.

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Average Wage: $67,770

Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 18%

Educational Requirement: High school diploma or equivalent

Interested in the hotel industry? There should be nearly 10,000 new jobs for lodging managers in the next 10 years. A lodging manager inspects hotels to make sure they are clean and look nice. 

Related: 7 Easy Jobs For Workers Who Are 'Burnt Out'

Average Wage: $62,280

Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 21%

Educational Requirement: High school diploma or equivalent

Flight attendants are projected to be in high demand in the coming decade, with an estimated increase of over 22,000 jobs, one of the highest amounts from the report. The opportunity to travel and see the world is obviously a big perk. 

Related: What Flight Attendants Want You To Know About Flying Now

Average Wage: $61,840

Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 18%

Educational Requirement: No formal educational requirement

Rotary drill operators help ensure that drills on a job site are working properly, as well as operating the drills. There is projected to be over 2,000 new jobs created in this field in the next decade.

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Average Wage: $59,960

Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 16%

Educational Requirement: High school diploma or equivalent

As hearing aids have gone over-the-counter, the field of helping people get fitted for them is growing. A specialist may give hearing tests and then design and fit hearing aids for the customer's ears. There should be around 1,800 new jobs on the horizon. 

Related: Say What? Hearing Aids Now Available Without a Prescription

Average Wage: $58,780

Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 14%

Educational Requirement: High school diploma or equivalent

There's expected to be a large number of job openings in this field coming up — around 69,700, the highest number on this list for high school grads. This field requires workers to be able to repair and maintain various machines.

Average Wage: $55,660

Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 18% 

Educational Requirement: No formal educational requirement

More than 6,000 new job openings are on the horizon for this role. The job entails figuring out and resolving issues with drills. No high school diploma is required.

Average Wage: $52,140

Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 17%

Educational Requirement: No formal educational requirement

The expectation is there will be around 1,400 new job openings for this role in the next decade. The job requires working on construction sites and making sure that oil and gas derricks are running properly.

Average Wage: $54,400

Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 22%

Educational Requirement: No formal educational requirement

Love being outside and farming? No high school diploma is needed to work in this role, which involves hiring and managing agricultural workers. There isn't expected to be a huge number of job openings coming up — only around 300 — but it's still a growing role.

Average Wage: $116,930 

Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 36 percent

Educational Requirement: No formal educational requirement

Being an athlete made the list thanks to expected job growth, high salary, and no education requirement. There may be about 5,700 new jobs expected to open up, but this is still a difficult career path for many to get into.

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