
Highest paying jobs in Boston that require a bachelor's degree
Highest paying jobs in Boston that require a bachelor's degree
While college and university tuition costs may be skyrocketing, many still believe a bachelor’s degree is essential to landing a high-paying job in the United States. Stacker compiled a list of the highest paying jobs that typically require a bachelors in Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.
Whether highly technical, scientific, or based in finance or the arts, all the jobs require keeping up to date with the latest developments in culture, commerce, or tech.
Keep reading to discover the highest-paying jobs that require a bachelor degree in Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH.
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#50. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Annual mean salary: $103,720
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,070
National
- Annual mean salary: $91,900
- Employment: 100,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($120,430)
--- Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL ($115,450)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,780)
#49. Environmental engineers
- Annual mean salary: $104,630
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,210
National
- Annual mean salary: $100,220
- Employment: 42,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($131,700)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($127,470)
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($127,160)

#48. Cost estimators
- Annual mean salary: $104,660
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,050
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,740
- Employment: 208,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($104,660)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($99,450)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($98,550)
#47. Network and computer systems administrators
- Annual mean salary: $105,240
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,360
National
- Annual mean salary: $91,250
- Employment: 316,760
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($135,440)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($116,370)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($110,930)

#46. Materials engineers
- Annual mean salary: $108,040
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
National
- Annual mean salary: $101,950
- Employment: 21,530
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boulder, CO ($135,680)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($134,720)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($129,400)
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#45. Chemists
- Annual mean salary: $108,330
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,160
National
- Annual mean salary: $89,130
- Employment: 80,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($131,290)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($115,790)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($108,330)

#44. Financial examiners
- Annual mean salary: $108,630
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,010
National
- Annual mean salary: $96,180
- Employment: 60,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($128,280)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($125,590)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($124,070)
#43. Marine engineers and naval architects
- Annual mean salary: $109,300
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $97,820
- Employment: 7,380
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($153,630)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($126,010)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($109,390)

#42. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
- Annual mean salary: $109,790
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $100,450
- Employment: 7,370
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boulder, CO ($152,290)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($150,970)
--- Oklahoma City, OK ($149,070)
#41. Industrial engineers
- Annual mean salary: $110,020
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 10,950
National
- Annual mean salary: $95,200
- Employment: 293,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($142,770)
--- Midland, TX ($129,440)
--- Billings, MT ($126,170)
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#40. Computer programmers
- Annual mean salary: $110,410
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,480
National
- Annual mean salary: $96,650
- Employment: 152,610
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($144,130)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($126,220)
--- Dalton, GA ($123,500)
#39. Mechanical engineers
- Annual mean salary: $110,450
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,800
National
- Annual mean salary: $97,000
- Employment: 278,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($137,540)
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($128,790)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($127,030)
#38. Chemical engineers
- Annual mean salary: $110,460
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
National
- Annual mean salary: $121,840
- Employment: 24,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($173,640)
--- Anchorage, AK ($159,010)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($152,820)

#37. Computer systems analysts
- Annual mean salary: $113,610
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 12,500
National
- Annual mean salary: $102,210
- Employment: 505,150
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($141,290)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($131,650)
--- Huntsville, AL ($118,690)
#36. Emergency management directors
- Annual mean salary: $114,050
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $84,800
- Employment: 10,320
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($142,000)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($124,780)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($123,170)
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#35. Information security analysts
- Annual mean salary: $114,070
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,790
National
- Annual mean salary: $113,270
- Employment: 157,220
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($150,820)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($149,250)
--- Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($135,080)

#34. Sales engineers
- Annual mean salary: $114,450
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,570
National
- Annual mean salary: $118,630
- Employment: 59,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salisbury, MD-DE ($169,330)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($158,740)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($158,320)
#33. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $115,980
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
National
- Annual mean salary: $99,700
- Employment: 22,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($127,700)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($123,690)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($122,770)

#32. Art directors
- Annual mean salary: $116,280
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,080
National
- Annual mean salary: $115,430
- Employment: 42,080
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($163,790)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($157,310)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($146,040)
#31. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Annual mean salary: $116,420
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,500
National
- Annual mean salary: $101,020
- Employment: 17,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Flagstaff, AZ ($151,560)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($122,950)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($120,340)
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#30. Computer hardware engineers
- Annual mean salary: $117,660
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,600
National
- Annual mean salary: $136,230
- Employment: 73,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($185,210)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($183,320)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($161,580)

#29. Management analysts
- Annual mean salary: $118,370
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 25,420
National
- Annual mean salary: $100,530
- Employment: 768,450
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Dothan, AL ($135,020)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($127,320)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($125,250)
#28. Atmospheric and space scientists
- Annual mean salary: $118,420
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $96,880
- Employment: 8,520
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($118,860)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($118,420)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($114,860)
#27. Electrical engineers
- Annual mean salary: $120,330
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,760
National
- Annual mean salary: $107,890
- Employment: 186,020
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($148,870)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($133,640)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($124,680)
#26. Microbiologists
- Annual mean salary: $121,530
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,480
National
- Annual mean salary: $87,820
- Employment: 19,430
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Knoxville, TN ($125,380)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($121,530)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($115,340)
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#25. Nuclear engineers
- Annual mean salary: $121,720
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $121,760
- Employment: 12,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($153,790)
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($143,500)
--- Niles-Benton Harbor, MI ($141,090)

#24. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $122,430
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,520
National
- Annual mean salary: $102,750
- Employment: 266,160
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($150,760)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($141,470)
--- Iowa City, IA ($138,870)
#23. Aerospace engineers
- Annual mean salary: $124,810
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 690
National
- Annual mean salary: $122,970
- Employment: 56,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA ($166,060)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($149,490)
--- Boulder, CO ($148,990)
#22. Construction managers
- Annual mean salary: $124,890
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,440
National
- Annual mean salary: $108,210
- Employment: 284,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($160,710)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($149,050)
--- Napa, CA ($145,430)

#21. Software developers
- Annual mean salary: $129,400
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 55,690
National
- Annual mean salary: $120,990
- Employment: 1,364,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($167,420)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($158,320)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($148,220)
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#20. Advertising and promotions managers
- Annual mean salary: $130,670
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 780
National
- Annual mean salary: $142,860
- Employment: 22,520
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($193,980)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($182,520)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($166,620)

#19. Materials scientists
- Annual mean salary: $133,380
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
National
- Annual mean salary: $104,790
- Employment: 6,690
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($142,410)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($135,480)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($133,380)
#18. Computer network architects
- Annual mean salary: $134,140
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,150
National
- Annual mean salary: $120,650
- Employment: 168,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,600)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($152,900)
--- Rapid City, SD ($145,810)
#17. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Annual mean salary: $134,790
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,710
National
- Annual mean salary: $115,490
- Employment: 107,170
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($152,060)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($138,480)
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($136,310)

#16. Actuaries
- Annual mean salary: $139,510
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
National
- Annual mean salary: $125,300
- Employment: 23,040
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($245,520)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($144,550)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($144,320)
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#15. Personal financial advisors
- Annual mean salary: $140,520
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,940
National
- Annual mean salary: $119,960
- Employment: 263,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($172,780)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($161,010)
--- East Stroudsburg, PA ($158,790)

#14. Medical and health services managers
- Annual mean salary: $146,490
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 13,570
National
- Annual mean salary: $119,840
- Employment: 436,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($162,110)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($157,340)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($156,370)

#13. Industrial production managers
- Annual mean salary: $147,150
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,990
National
- Annual mean salary: $117,780
- Employment: 192,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($155,640)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($153,860)
--- Fort Collins, CO ($153,470)

#12. Training and development managers
- Annual mean salary: $147,490
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,110
National
- Annual mean salary: $128,800
- Employment: 35,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($180,360)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($176,270)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($166,410)
#11. General and operations managers
- Annual mean salary: $149,640
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 85,750
National
- Annual mean salary: $115,250
- Employment: 2,984,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($165,340)
--- Trenton, NJ ($165,030)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($159,210)
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#10. Compensation and benefits managers
- Annual mean salary: $150,690
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 640
National
- Annual mean salary: $139,470
- Employment: 15,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($190,560)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($187,770)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,130)

#9. Purchasing managers
- Annual mean salary: $152,170
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,770
National
- Annual mean salary: $134,590
- Employment: 69,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($181,030)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,010)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($174,760)

#8. Sales managers
- Annual mean salary: $155,730
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 15,830
National
- Annual mean salary: $142,390
- Employment: 453,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($198,960)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($196,910)
--- Boulder, CO ($182,820)
#7. Marketing managers
- Annual mean salary: $164,210
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 13,920
National
- Annual mean salary: $153,440
- Employment: 278,690
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($210,280)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($198,870)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($191,310)

#6. Human resources managers
- Annual mean salary: $165,700
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,580
National
- Annual mean salary: $136,590
- Employment: 166,530
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($190,020)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($186,930)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($175,410)
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#5. Financial managers
- Annual mean salary: $166,890
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 25,760
National
- Annual mean salary: $153,460
- Employment: 681,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($209,100)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($201,330)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($188,900)
#4. Architectural and engineering managers
- Annual mean salary: $170,870
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,970
National
- Annual mean salary: $158,970
- Employment: 187,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,000)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($206,050)
--- Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL ($198,430)
#3. Computer and information systems managers
- Annual mean salary: $172,010
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 19,180
National
- Annual mean salary: $162,930
- Employment: 485,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,030)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($211,470)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($202,800)
#2. Natural sciences managers
- Annual mean salary: $222,360
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,680
National
- Annual mean salary: $156,110
- Employment: 74,760
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($222,360)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($219,240)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($216,750)
#1. Chief executives
- Annual mean salary: $269,560
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,660
National
- Annual mean salary: $213,020
- Employment: 200,480
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($313,440)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($298,960)
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($296,480)
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