These are the best U.S. employers for high school graduates

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Lowe's and Walgreens are three completely different companies with one thing in common: They're each one of the top places to work as a high school graduate.

That's according to a new study from Harvard Business School, the Schultz Family Foundation and research firm the Burning Glass Institute which examined the hiring trends of 400 large U.S. companies, with a focus on how often those employers hire entry-level workers and promote internally. 

In a statement to CBS MoneyWatch, Walgreens said it's proud to be recognized for its "competitive wages and benefits, plus opportunities for learning and growth." 

"Being named the best place for high school graduates to start a career further validates our commitment to our team members' development and career growth, which includes a 90% internal promotion rate goal, along with competitive compensation and world-class benefits," Ilene Eskenazi, chief human resources officer at Chipotle, told CBS MoneyWatch. One of the company's proudest accomplishments is that former cooks and cashiers at their restaurants now hold leadership roles, she added.

Lowe's didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. 

Along with Chipotle, Lowe's and Walgreens, researchers listed Best Buy, Chewy, Foot Locker, Gap, Goodyear, PNC Financial and Starbucks among the top 10 best employers for high school graduates. 

Growing frustration over cost of college

A larger pool of job candidates without college degrees may be entering the labor market as Americans have grown increasingly frustrated with the rising cost of higher education. A July poll from Gallup and the Lumina Foundation found that Americans believe the U.S. higher education system is headed in the "wrong direction." 

At the same time, opportunities for high school graduates are increasing as one in three U.S. companies have eliminated bachelor's degree requirements from some job postings this year, according to college prep company Intelligent. 

Careers in retail have become a strong pathway to upward mobility, the Burning Glass researchers said, noting that Home Depot, Dollar Tree and Macy's are also among the best employers. Taking a job at a bank or insurance company can also lift high school graduates into upper levels of employment, the study found, naming State Farm, Nationwide and KeyCorp as promising options.