Highest paying jobs in Chicago that require a bachelor's degree
While college and university tuition costs may be skyrocketing, a bachelor's degree remains essential to many high-paying jobs across the United States.
Annual tuition and fees at four-year colleges rose 10 to 14% on average from 2010-11 to 2021-22, National Center for Education Statistics data shows. For many students, this means taking out loans. Federal student loan recipients who earned a bachelor's degree in 2016 borrowed an average of over $45,000 to earn their degree, as measured four years after graduation.
While expensive, bachelor's degrees provide higher earnings potential for U.S. workers. A Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis from 2021 shows that bachelor's degree holders make $277 more weekly than the median for all jobs, and $525 more than those whose highest education level is a high school diploma. What's more, the unemployment rate is lower for bachelor's degree holders at 3.5%, compared to 4.7% for all U.S. workers.
To be sure, not all jobs that require a bachelor's pay well. So, if you're going to get an undergraduate degree, what jobs will pay enough to make it worthwhile?
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Chicago that require a bachelor's degree. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
Keep reading to discover the highest-paying jobs that require a bachelor's degree in Chicago.
This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.
#50. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $99,780
- Median hourly wage: $47.97
- Total employment: 3,150 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $99,880
- Median hourly wage: $48.02
- Total employment: 21,610 people (4.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $100,110
- Median hourly wage: $48.13
- Total employment: 140 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $100,150
- Median hourly wage: $48.15
- Total employment: 1,330 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $100,510
- Median hourly wage: $48.32
- Total employment: 3,940 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $100,990
- Median hourly wage: $48.56
- Total employment: 290 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $101,190
- Median hourly wage: $48.65
- Total employment: 3,440 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $101,430
- Median hourly wage: $48.76
- Total employment: 140,130 people (31.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Emergency management directors
- Median annual wage: $101,530
- Median hourly wage: $48.81
- Total employment: Not available
#41. Art directors
- Median annual wage: $101,970
- Median hourly wage: $49.02
- Total employment: 3,680 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Median annual wage: $102,860
- Median hourly wage: $49.45
- Total employment: 420 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents
- Median annual wage: $102,920
- Median hourly wage: $49.48
- Total employment: 610 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $103,330
- Median hourly wage: $49.68
- Total employment: 41,360 people (9.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $104,100
- Median hourly wage: $50.05
- Total employment: 10,550 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $104,210
- Median hourly wage: $50.10
- Total employment: 1,930 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $104,370
- Median hourly wage: $50.18
- Total employment: 5,100 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $104,610
- Median hourly wage: $50.30
- Total employment: 4,530 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes
- Median annual wage: $104,990
- Median hourly wage: $50.48
- Total employment: 140 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $105,520
- Median hourly wage: $50.73
- Total employment: Not available
#31. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $105,870
- Median hourly wage: $50.90
- Total employment: 480 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $106,610
- Median hourly wage: $51.25
- Total employment: 11,490 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $107,690
- Median hourly wage: $51.78
- Total employment: 2,360 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $108,070
- Median hourly wage: $51.96
- Total employment: 140 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Materials scientists
- Median annual wage: $108,240
- Median hourly wage: $52.04
- Total employment: 410 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $108,610
- Median hourly wage: $52.22
- Total employment: 3,420 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $109,240
- Median hourly wage: $52.52
- Total employment: 1,530 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $111,050
- Median hourly wage: $53.39
- Total employment: 830 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $111,760
- Median hourly wage: $53.73
- Total employment: 2,250 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $115,400
- Median hourly wage: $55.48
- Total employment: 11,980 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $119,240
- Median hourly wage: $57.33
- Total employment: 730 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $120,950
- Median hourly wage: $58.15
- Total employment: 7,970 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $122,990
- Median hourly wage: $59.13
- Total employment: 580 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $126,260
- Median hourly wage: $60.70
- Total employment: 40,840 people (9.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $127,340
- Median hourly wage: $61.22
- Total employment: 2,960 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $128,110
- Median hourly wage: $61.59
- Total employment: 18,080 people (4.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $129,790
- Median hourly wage: $62.40
- Total employment: 1,580 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $130,320
- Median hourly wage: $62.65
- Total employment: 1,610 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $131,390
- Median hourly wage: $63.17
- Total employment: 10,450 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $131,650
- Median hourly wage: $63.29
- Total employment: 60 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $131,720
- Median hourly wage: $63.33
- Total employment: 6,240 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $132,860
- Median hourly wage: $63.87
- Total employment: 19,440 people (4.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $134,270
- Median hourly wage: $64.55
- Total employment: 3,420 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $134,970
- Median hourly wage: $64.89
- Total employment: 23,710 people (5.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $135,860
- Median hourly wage: $65.32
- Total employment: 1,240 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $136,250
- Median hourly wage: $65.51
- Total employment: 35,030 people (7.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Petroleum engineers
- Median annual wage: $138,270
- Median hourly wage: $66.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $156,860
- Median hourly wage: $75.41
- Total employment: 6,330 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $164,520
- Median hourly wage: $79.09
- Total employment: 18,960 people (4.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $224,390
- Median hourly wage: $107.88
- Total employment: 5,160 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Median annual wage: $225,340
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 6,400 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
