Highest paying jobs in Kansas City for high school graduates
4 PM production // Shutterstock
Highest paying jobs in Kansas City for high school graduates
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 Kansas City, MO-KS using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.
Keep reading to see which jobs in your city pay the most for high school graduates.
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Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
#50. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $57,280
– #143 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 270
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)
DenisKlimov // Shutterstock
#49. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $57,360
– #31 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80
National
– Annual mean salary: $59,620
– Employment: 10,020
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN ($79,660)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($72,800)
— Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($71,910)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
#48. Private detectives and investigators
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $57,470
– #47 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110
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)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
#47. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $57,720
– #237 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 5,860
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)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
#46. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $57,890
– #56 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 680
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)
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Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock
#45. Insulation workers, mechanical
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $57,920
– #22 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200
National
– Annual mean salary: $55,470
– Employment: 27,700
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($109,380)
— Syracuse, NY ($97,670)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($93,740)
Canva
#44. Glaziers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $58,880
– #34 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 300
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)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
#43. Industrial machinery mechanics
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $59,240
– #160 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,380
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)
Onk-Q // Shutterstock
#42. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $59,650
– #15 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130
National
– Annual mean salary: $54,700
– Employment: 18,680
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($97,000)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($88,350)
— Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($75,440)
Canva
#41. Construction and building inspectors
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $59,830
– #195 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 650
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)
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Unsplash
#40. Structural iron and steel workers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $59,990
– #62 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 300
National
– Annual mean salary: $58,650
– Employment: 71,490
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($95,020)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($88,250)
— Western Washington nonmetropolitan area ($84,570)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#39. Lodging managers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $60,880
– #123 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140
National
– Annual mean salary: $65,270
– Employment: 31,790
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area ($122,290)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($121,090)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($111,410)
Canva
#38. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $61,270
– #133 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 3,050
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)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
#37. Sheet metal workers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $61,900
– #77 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,160
National
– Annual mean salary: $55,320
– Employment: 128,220
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fairbanks, AK ($101,150)
— Kennewick-Richland, WA ($94,930)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($93,840)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
#36. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $61,980
– #151 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 320
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)
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goodluz // Shutterstock
#35. Real estate sales agents
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $62,620
– #109 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,270
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)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#34. Advertising sales agents
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $62,760
– #56 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,040
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)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
#33. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $62,790
– #146 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 3,640
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)
John Leung // Shutterstock
#32. Brickmasons and blockmasons
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $62,810
– #58 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 540
National
– Annual mean salary: $58,420
– Employment: 59,940
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($95,980)
— Decatur, IL ($92,670)
— Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($89,340)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
#31. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $62,860
– #64 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70
National
– Annual mean salary: $68,170
– Employment: 29,550
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,300)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,930)
— South Illinois nonmetropolitan area ($101,630)
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Hulton Archive // Getty Images
#30. Electricians
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $63,150
– #156 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 4,550
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)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
#29. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $64,020
– #80 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 10,390
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)
Canva
#28. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $64,750
– #14 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 350
National
– Annual mean salary: $46,400
– Employment: 44,560
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,510)
— Nevada nonmetropolitan area ($81,690)
— Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($78,180)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
#27. Food service managers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $66,960
– #79 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 880
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)
Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images
#26. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $67,550
– #111 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 10,030
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)
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Jat306 // Shutterstock
#25. Millwrights
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $68,140
– #26 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 580
National
– Annual mean salary: $59,080
– Employment: 44,400
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kennewick-Richland, WA ($91,590)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,580)
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($80,780)
Canva
#24. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $68,470
– #5 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available
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)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
#23. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $68,830
– #130 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 4,200
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)
Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock
#22. Occupational health and safety technicians
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $69,910
– #19 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 170
National
– Annual mean salary: $57,870
– Employment: 20,950
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Evansville, IN-KY ($77,880)
— Anchorage, AK ($77,690)
— Oklahoma City, OK ($77,100)
Unsplash
#21. Crane and tower operators
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $71,110
– #30 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 290
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)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#20. Insurance sales agents
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $71,210
– #90 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 4,640
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)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
#19. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $71,280
– #219 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 3,620
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)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#18. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $71,890
– #127 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,610
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)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
#17. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $73,730
– #84 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 9,390
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)
Canva
#16. Transportation inspectors
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $74,060
– #58 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 ($112,260)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($111,930)
— Anchorage, AK ($108,140)
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Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock
#15. Gas plant operators
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $74,990
– #29 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70
National
– Annual mean salary: $73,290
– Employment: 14,990
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($98,750)
— Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($97,080)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
#14. Real estate brokers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $77,070
– #48 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available
National
– Annual mean salary: $81,630
– Employment: 44,610
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($152,460)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($133,810)
— Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($132,320)
sculpies // Shutterstock
#13. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $78,120
– #87 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 4,060
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)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
#12. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $78,660
– #36 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30
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)
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
#11. Postmasters and mail superintendents
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $81,540
– #67 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50
National
– Annual mean salary: $79,660
– Employment: 13,880
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($97,930)
— Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($96,450)
— San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($94,460)
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Prath // Shutterstock
#10. Detectives and criminal investigators
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $84,280
– #136 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 820
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)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
#9. Power plant operators
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $87,060
– #55 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 240
National
– Annual mean salary: $81,890
– Employment: 32,960
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fresno, CA ($129,650)
— Wenatchee, WA ($123,180)
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($114,660)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $87,270
– #101 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,030
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)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
#7. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $89,050
– #101 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,280
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)
Canva
#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $89,260
– #193 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,060
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)
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4 PM production // Shutterstock
#5. Flight attendants
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $94,320
– #1 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available
National
– Annual mean salary: $59,150
– Employment: 116,260
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kansas City, MO-KS ($94,320)
— Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($72,130)
— Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL ($67,620)
Lovely Bird // Shutterstock
#4. Power distributors and dispatchers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $97,230
– #22 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80
National
– Annual mean salary: $93,260
– Employment: 9,940
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($131,560)
— Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($129,570)
— Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($123,540)
Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons
#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $99,260
– #161 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,120
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)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
#2. Commercial pilots
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $108,720
– #65 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 320
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)
Canva
#1. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
Kansas City, MO-KS
– Annual mean salary: $113,590
– #2 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available
National
– Annual mean salary: $86,200
– Employment: 24,730
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($130,290)
— Kansas City, MO-KS ($113,590)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($113,480)
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