rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $46,620
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 480 people (8.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Sebastian 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 Sebastian, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
You may also like: Sebastian's 2025 housing market year in review
Lopolo // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $47,120
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 220 people (3.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Graphic designers
- Median annual wage: $47,750
- Median hourly wage: $22.96
- Total employment: 50 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Child, family, and school social workers
- Median annual wage: $47,990
- Median hourly wage: $23.07
- Total employment: 80 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Public relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $48,000
- Median hourly wage: $23.08
- Total employment: 60 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants in Sebastian by diners
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Meeting, convention, and event planners
- Median annual wage: $48,120
- Median hourly wage: $23.14
- Total employment: 40 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $49,210
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare
- Median annual wage: $49,990
- Median hourly wage: $24.03
- Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Training and development specialists
- Median annual wage: $51,830
- Median hourly wage: $24.92
- Total employment: 100 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Median annual wage: $55,870
- Median hourly wage: $26.86
- Total employment: 290 people (5.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in the Sebastian metro area
GLRL // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Buyers and purchasing agents
- Median annual wage: $60,720
- Median hourly wage: $29.19
- Total employment: 140 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Human resources specialists
- Median annual wage: $60,820
- Median hourly wage: $29.24
- Total employment: 200 people (3.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Interior designers
- Median annual wage: $60,920
- Median hourly wage: $29.29
- Total employment: 60 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Median annual wage: $61,320
- Median hourly wage: $29.48
- Total employment: 210 people (3.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $61,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Total employment: 120 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Sebastian that don't require a college degree
boonchoke // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $62,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.97
- Total employment: 300 people (5.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Financial specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $63,430
- Median hourly wage: $30.49
- Total employment: 30 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Property appraisers and assessors
- Median annual wage: $64,690
- Median hourly wage: $31.10
- Total employment: 30 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
comzeal images // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Loan officers
- Median annual wage: $64,920
- Median hourly wage: $31.21
- Total employment: 90 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $65,700
- Median hourly wage: $31.59
- Total employment: 90 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Biggest sources of immigrants to Sebastian
Mongta Studio // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Cost estimators
- Median annual wage: $67,870
- Median hourly wage: $32.63
- Total employment: 90 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Freedy // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Surveyors
- Median annual wage: $72,060
- Median hourly wage: $34.65
- Total employment: 40 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $72,540
- Median hourly wage: $34.87
- Total employment: 410 people (7.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $74,570
- Median hourly wage: $35.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $77,120
- Median hourly wage: $37.08
- Total employment: 50 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Sebastian by diners
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $78,530
- Median hourly wage: $37.76
- Total employment: 1,780 people (31.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $78,710
- Median hourly wage: $37.84
- Total employment: 60 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $80,580
- Median hourly wage: $38.74
- Total employment: 50 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $81,530
- Median hourly wage: $39.20
- Total employment: 1,380 people (24.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $81,570
- Median hourly wage: $39.21
- Total employment: 80 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying computer and engineering jobs in Sebastian
fizkes // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $81,840
- Median hourly wage: $39.35
- Total employment: 230 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $84,780
- Median hourly wage: $40.76
- Total employment: 230 people (3.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $86,160
- Median hourly wage: $41.42
- Total employment: 100 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $86,890
- Median hourly wage: $41.78
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling
- Median annual wage: $93,780
- Median hourly wage: $45.09
- Total employment: 30 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated ice cream shops in Sebastian by diners
Undrey // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $96,550
- Median hourly wage: $46.42
- Total employment: 60 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $97,680
- Median hourly wage: $46.96
- Total employment: 180 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $100,300
- Median hourly wage: $48.22
- Total employment: 150 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $100,370
- Median hourly wage: $48.26
- Total employment: 240 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $101,510
- Median hourly wage: $48.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Car insurance rates in Sebastian October 2025
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $101,940
- Median hourly wage: $49.01
- Total employment: 30 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $104,530
- Median hourly wage: $50.26
- Total employment: 50 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $104,750
- Median hourly wage: $50.36
- Total employment: 160 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $105,180
- Median hourly wage: $50.57
- Total employment: 170 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $114,530
- Median hourly wage: $55.06
- Total employment: 50 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in the Sebastian metro area
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $118,180
- Median hourly wage: $56.82
- Total employment: 70 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $121,330
- Median hourly wage: $58.33
- Total employment: 180 people (3.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $125,310
- Median hourly wage: $60.25
- Total employment: 180 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $134,810
- Median hourly wage: $64.81
- Total employment: 60 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $157,010
- Median hourly wage: $75.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.67 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.
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Sebastian that require a graduate degree
