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1 / 50#50. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Median annual wage: $136,720
- Median hourly wage: $65.73
- Total employment: 620 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in San Francisco that require a bachelor's degree
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 Francisco, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Hydrologists
- Median annual wage: $137,270
- Median hourly wage: $65.99
- Total employment: 50 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $139,580
- Median hourly wage: $67.11
- Total employment: 7,910 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $140,050
- Median hourly wage: $67.33
- Total employment: 920 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Atmospheric and space scientists
- Median annual wage: $141,370
- Median hourly wage: $67.96
- Total employment: 70 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $142,000
- Median hourly wage: $68.27
- Total employment: 580 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $145,440
- Median hourly wage: $69.92
- Total employment: 10,950 people (4.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $145,640
- Median hourly wage: $70.02
- Total employment: 4,670 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $148,480
- Median hourly wage: $71.38
- Total employment: 1,230 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kardasov Films // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Marine engineers and naval architects
- Median annual wage: $148,650
- Median hourly wage: $71.47
- Total employment: 50 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $152,090
- Median hourly wage: $73.12
- Total employment: 42,330 people (17.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $154,420
- Median hourly wage: $74.24
- Total employment: 1,430 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $155,480
- Median hourly wage: $74.75
- Total employment: 5,340 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $156,140
- Median hourly wage: $75.07
- Total employment: 5,060 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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15 / 50#36. Emergency management directors
- Median annual wage: $156,950
- Median hourly wage: $75.46
- Total employment: 150 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $157,380
- Median hourly wage: $75.66
- Total employment: 18,680 people (7.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Web developers
- Median annual wage: $157,490
- Median hourly wage: $75.72
- Total employment: 2,730 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $157,510
- Median hourly wage: $75.73
- Total employment: 8,830 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Art directors
- Median annual wage: $158,690
- Median hourly wage: $76.29
- Total employment: 2,050 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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20 / 50#31. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $160,000
- Median hourly wage: $76.92
- Total employment: 210 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $160,180
- Median hourly wage: $77.01
- Total employment: 1,610 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $160,870
- Median hourly wage: $77.34
- Total employment: 5,660 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Web and digital interface designers
- Median annual wage: $160,980
- Median hourly wage: $77.39
- Total employment: 7,930 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $163,190
- Median hourly wage: $78.46
- Total employment: 3,190 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Taty77 // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
- Median annual wage: $163,490
- Median hourly wage: $78.60
- Total employment: 50 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $163,840
- Median hourly wage: $78.77
- Total employment: 2,860 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $166,300
- Median hourly wage: $79.95
- Total employment: 9,350 people (3.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $167,300
- Median hourly wage: $80.43
- Total employment: 460 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $168,160
- Median hourly wage: $80.85
- Total employment: 4,010 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $168,460
- Median hourly wage: $80.99
- Total employment: 1,190 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $168,750
- Median hourly wage: $81.13
- Total employment: 11,210 people (4.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $170,700
- Median hourly wage: $82.07
- Total employment: 1,540 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $172,160
- Median hourly wage: $82.77
- Total employment: 1,090 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $172,920
- Median hourly wage: $83.14
- Total employment: 5,090 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $174,610
- Median hourly wage: $83.95
- Total employment: 17,890 people (7.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $174,910
- Median hourly wage: $84.09
- Total employment: 76,900 people (31.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mark_Kostich // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $176,360
- Median hourly wage: $84.79
- Total employment: 40 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $176,740
- Median hourly wage: $84.97
- Total employment: 610 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $178,850
- Median hourly wage: $85.99
- Total employment: 2,040 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erickson Stock // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Mathematical science occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $186,360
- Median hourly wage: $89.60
- Total employment: 130 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $188,020
- Median hourly wage: $90.40
- Total employment: 40,750 people (16.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $203,030
- Median hourly wage: $97.61
- Total employment: 22,980 people (9.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $206,420
- Median hourly wage: $99.24
- Total employment: 5,890 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $208,580
- Median hourly wage: $100.28
- Total employment: 6,380 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $211,730
- Median hourly wage: $101.79
- Total employment: 18,380 people (7.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $212,520
- Median hourly wage: $102.17
- Total employment: 12,820 people (5.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $221,810
- Median hourly wage: $106.64
- Total employment: 26,640 people (11.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $222,840
- Median hourly wage: $107.13
- Total employment: 5,160 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Chief executives (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 6,170 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 2,490 people (1.03 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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