Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $81,110
- Median hourly wage: $39.00
- Total employment: 910 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Baton Rouge 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 Baton Rouge, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $81,190
- Median hourly wage: $39.03
- Total employment: 810 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Education administrators, all other
- Median annual wage: $81,540
- Median hourly wage: $39.20
- Total employment: 100 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $84,680
- Median hourly wage: $40.71
- Total employment: 2,130 people (5.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $85,300
- Median hourly wage: $41.01
- Total employment: 950 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $85,390
- Median hourly wage: $41.05
- Total employment: Not available
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7 / 50#44. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $86,080
- Median hourly wage: $41.39
- Total employment: 580 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $86,330
- Median hourly wage: $41.51
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $87,110
- Median hourly wage: $41.88
- Total employment: 70 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $88,410
- Median hourly wage: $42.50
- Total employment: 100 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Hydrologists
- Median annual wage: $89,860
- Median hourly wage: $43.20
- Total employment: Not available
fizkes // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $92,120
- Median hourly wage: $44.29
- Total employment: 90 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $95,670
- Median hourly wage: $46.00
- Total employment: 130 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $96,320
- Median hourly wage: $46.31
- Total employment: Not available
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15 / 50#36. Emergency management directors
- Median annual wage: $96,510
- Median hourly wage: $46.40
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $97,320
- Median hourly wage: $46.79
- Total employment: 1,160 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $98,900
- Median hourly wage: $47.55
- Total employment: 440 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $99,930
- Median hourly wage: $48.04
- Total employment: 1,940 people (4.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $99,990
- Median hourly wage: $48.07
- Total employment: 220 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $100,060
- Median hourly wage: $48.11
- Total employment: 280 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VE.Studio // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $100,580
- Median hourly wage: $48.36
- Total employment: 130 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $101,170
- Median hourly wage: $48.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $101,610
- Median hourly wage: $48.85
- Total employment: 110 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $102,050
- Median hourly wage: $49.06
- Total employment: 470 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $103,310
- Median hourly wage: $49.67
- Total employment: 3,960 people (9.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $104,880
- Median hourly wage: $50.42
- Total employment: 180 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $104,990
- Median hourly wage: $50.48
- Total employment: 150 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $105,160
- Median hourly wage: $50.56
- Total employment: 1,280 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $106,210
- Median hourly wage: $51.06
- Total employment: 7,930 people (19.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $106,570
- Median hourly wage: $51.23
- Total employment: 1,040 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $106,740
- Median hourly wage: $51.32
- Total employment: 1,250 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $107,700
- Median hourly wage: $51.78
- Total employment: 160 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $110,460
- Median hourly wage: $53.11
- Total employment: 880 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
REDPIXEL.PL // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Commercial and industrial designers
- Median annual wage: $114,850
- Median hourly wage: $55.22
- Total employment: Not available
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Financial examiners
- Median annual wage: $117,230
- Median hourly wage: $56.36
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $117,490
- Median hourly wage: $56.49
- Total employment: 1,790 people (4.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $120,630
- Median hourly wage: $58.00
- Total employment: 2,180 people (5.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $121,200
- Median hourly wage: $58.27
- Total employment: 240 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $121,990
- Median hourly wage: $58.65
- Total employment: 900 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $126,390
- Median hourly wage: $60.76
- Total employment: 80 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $126,580
- Median hourly wage: $60.86
- Total employment: 260 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $127,350
- Median hourly wage: $61.23
- Total employment: 450 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $127,860
- Median hourly wage: $61.47
- Total employment: 220 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $130,350
- Median hourly wage: $62.67
- Total employment: 370 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $130,650
- Median hourly wage: $62.81
- Total employment: 110 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $132,450
- Median hourly wage: $63.68
- Total employment: Not available
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $132,850
- Median hourly wage: $63.87
- Total employment: 480 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $148,210
- Median hourly wage: $71.25
- Total employment: 130 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $154,800
- Median hourly wage: $74.42
- Total employment: 520 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $173,350
- Median hourly wage: $83.34
- Total employment: 440 people (1.08 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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