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Highest-paying jobs in San Diego that require a bachelor's degree

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Between rising tuition and a tight job market, getting a bachelor's degree is an increasingly daunting prospect these days. Per a May 2024 Pew Research Center survey, just 1 in 4 adults believe a college degree is necessary to secure a high-paying job.

Many second-guess the value of college because of the cost. For the 2024-2025 school year, annual tuition and fees averaged more than $11,600 at in-state public universities, a nearly 3% increase from the previous year. Tuition at private schools increased by roughly 4% in the same time period.

Besides financial concerns, there are career opportunities to consider. Though the job market in the United States shifts from month to month, the unemployment rate for recent college graduates aged 22 to 27 reached 5.8% in March 2025, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. For context, that's more than double the unemployment rate of all college graduates.

These factors all contribute to the belief that college may not be the answer for everyone. However, research shows that a bachelor's degree still pays off in the long run. As of 2024, the most recent year with available data, the $60,000 median salary for a recent college graduate is $20,000 more than the median earnings for someone with only a high school diploma.

Although high school grads can make a decent salary without taking on student loan debt, lifetime earnings range between $630,000 and $900,000 more for those with a bachelor's degree. Graduate degree holders, meanwhile, may earn $1.1 million to $1.5 million more than high school graduates.

With this in mind, many different jobs make a degree worth the cost of tuition. Stacker ranked the highest-paying jobs that require a bachelor's degree in San Diego, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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#50. Software quality assurance analysts and testers

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1 / 50

#50. Software quality assurance analysts and testers

- Median annual wage: $109,590
- Median hourly wage: $52.69
- Total employment: 2,260 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#49. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors

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2 / 50

#49. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors

- Median annual wage: $110,100
- Median hourly wage: $52.93
- Total employment: 260 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#48. Database administrators

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3 / 50

#48. Database administrators

- Median annual wage: $111,320
- Median hourly wage: $53.52
- Total employment: 810 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#47. Art directors

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4 / 50

#47. Art directors

- Median annual wage: $112,400
- Median hourly wage: $54.04
- Total employment: 860 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#44. Web and digital interface designers (tie)

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6 / 50

#44. Web and digital interface designers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $114,400
- Median hourly wage: $55.00
- Total employment: 1,470 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#44. Industrial engineers (tie)

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7 / 50

#44. Industrial engineers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $114,400
- Median hourly wage: $55.00
- Total employment: 3,110 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Hydrologists

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8 / 50

#43. Hydrologists

- Median annual wage: $115,540
- Median hourly wage: $55.55
- Total employment: 40 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#42. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers

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9 / 50

#42. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers

- Median annual wage: $116,790
- Median hourly wage: $56.15
- Total employment: 510 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#41. Architects, except landscape and naval

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10 / 50

#41. Architects, except landscape and naval

- Median annual wage: $118,410
- Median hourly wage: $56.93
- Total employment: 1,450 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#40. Computer occupations, all other

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11 / 50

#40. Computer occupations, all other

- Median annual wage: $121,560
- Median hourly wage: $58.44
- Total employment: 8,210 people (5.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. Sales engineers

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12 / 50

#39. Sales engineers

- Median annual wage: $122,890
- Median hourly wage: $59.08
- Total employment: 450 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#38. Materials engineers

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13 / 50

#38. Materials engineers

- Median annual wage: $124,130
- Median hourly wage: $59.68
- Total employment: 230 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Sales managers

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14 / 50

#37. Sales managers

- Median annual wage: $125,430
- Median hourly wage: $60.31
- Total employment: 8,250 people (5.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#35. Data scientists

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16 / 50

#35. Data scientists

- Median annual wage: $127,200
- Median hourly wage: $61.15
- Total employment: 2,550 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#34. Fundraising managers

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17 / 50

#34. Fundraising managers

- Median annual wage: $127,450
- Median hourly wage: $61.27
- Total employment: 520 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Construction managers

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18 / 50

#33. Construction managers

- Median annual wage: $128,380
- Median hourly wage: $61.72
- Total employment: 3,740 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. Personal financial advisors

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19 / 50

#32. Personal financial advisors

- Median annual wage: $128,400
- Median hourly wage: $61.73
- Total employment: 2,810 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#31. Marine engineers and naval architects

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20 / 50

#31. Marine engineers and naval architects

- Median annual wage: $128,420
- Median hourly wage: $61.74
- Total employment: 80 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#30. Mechanical engineers

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21 / 50

#30. Mechanical engineers

- Median annual wage: $128,660
- Median hourly wage: $61.86
- Total employment: 3,320 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Electrical engineers

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22 / 50

#29. Electrical engineers

- Median annual wage: $128,750
- Median hourly wage: $61.90
- Total employment: 2,200 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. Physical scientists, all other

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23 / 50

#28. Physical scientists, all other

- Median annual wage: $129,540
- Median hourly wage: $62.28
- Total employment: 200 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Engineers, all other

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24 / 50

#27. Engineers, all other

- Median annual wage: $130,550
- Median hourly wage: $62.77
- Total employment: 3,240 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#26. Information security analysts

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25 / 50

#26. Information security analysts

- Median annual wage: $130,900
- Median hourly wage: $62.93
- Total employment: 1,240 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#25. Computer network architects

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26 / 50

#25. Computer network architects

- Median annual wage: $131,200
- Median hourly wage: $63.08
- Total employment: 1,260 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Industrial production managers

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27 / 50

#24. Industrial production managers

- Median annual wage: $131,810
- Median hourly wage: $63.37
- Total employment: 2,260 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Aerospace engineers

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28 / 50

#23. Aerospace engineers

- Median annual wage: $132,320
- Median hourly wage: $63.62
- Total employment: 750 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#22. Registered nurses

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29 / 50

#22. Registered nurses

- Median annual wage: $133,090
- Median hourly wage: $63.99
- Total employment: 27,660 people (18.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#20. Database architects

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31 / 50

#20. Database architects

- Median annual wage: $137,990
- Median hourly wage: $66.34
- Total employment: 390 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#19. Emergency management directors

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32 / 50

#19. Emergency management directors

- Median annual wage: $138,970
- Median hourly wage: $66.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#18. Advertising and promotions managers

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33 / 50

#18. Advertising and promotions managers

- Median annual wage: $139,220
- Median hourly wage: $66.93
- Total employment: 160 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#17. Public relations managers

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34 / 50

#17. Public relations managers

- Median annual wage: $139,860
- Median hourly wage: $67.24
- Total employment: 630 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#16. Training and development managers

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35 / 50

#16. Training and development managers

- Median annual wage: $144,560
- Median hourly wage: $69.50
- Total employment: 570 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#15. Compensation and benefits managers

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36 / 50

#15. Compensation and benefits managers

- Median annual wage: $151,190
- Median hourly wage: $72.69
- Total employment: 200 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#14. Electronics engineers, except computer

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37 / 50

#14. Electronics engineers, except computer

- Median annual wage: $153,110
- Median hourly wage: $73.61
- Total employment: 3,690 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#13. Purchasing managers

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38 / 50

#13. Purchasing managers

- Median annual wage: $156,050
- Median hourly wage: $75.02
- Total employment: 720 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. Software developers

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39 / 50

#12. Software developers

- Median annual wage: $159,240
- Median hourly wage: $76.56
- Total employment: 21,080 people (13.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#11. Medical and health services managers

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40 / 50

#11. Medical and health services managers

- Median annual wage: $160,640
- Median hourly wage: $77.23
- Total employment: 5,830 people (3.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#10. Human resources managers

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41 / 50

#10. Human resources managers

- Median annual wage: $163,220
- Median hourly wage: $78.47
- Total employment: 2,260 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#9. Managers, all other

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42 / 50

#9. Managers, all other

- Median annual wage: $167,000
- Median hourly wage: $80.29
- Total employment: 10,130 people (6.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#8. Financial managers

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43 / 50

#8. Financial managers

- Median annual wage: $168,300
- Median hourly wage: $80.91
- Total employment: 8,120 people (5.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#7. Computer hardware engineers

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44 / 50

#7. Computer hardware engineers

- Median annual wage: $169,230
- Median hourly wage: $81.36
- Total employment: 3,200 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#6. Marketing managers

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45 / 50

#6. Marketing managers

- Median annual wage: $171,590
- Median hourly wage: $82.49
- Total employment: 4,390 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#5. Architectural and engineering managers

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46 / 50

#5. Architectural and engineering managers

- Median annual wage: $185,550
- Median hourly wage: $89.21
- Total employment: 3,690 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#4. Computer and information systems managers

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47 / 50

#4. Computer and information systems managers

- Median annual wage: $193,370
- Median hourly wage: $92.96
- Total employment: 7,620 people (4.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#3. Natural sciences managers

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48 / 50

#3. Natural sciences managers

- Median annual wage: $199,590
- Median hourly wage: $95.96
- Total employment: 2,630 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#2. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers

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49 / 50

#2. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers

- Median annual wage: $205,650
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 180 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. Chief executives

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50 / 50

#1. Chief executives

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 3,260 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.

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