eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $122,660
- Median hourly wage: $58.97
- Total employment: 580 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in New York City 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 New York City, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $124,330
- Median hourly wage: $59.77
- Total employment: 1,260 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $124,550
- Median hourly wage: $59.88
- Total employment: 3,770 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $127,150
- Median hourly wage: $61.13
- Total employment: 25,320 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $127,160
- Median hourly wage: $61.13
- Total employment: 5,960 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Undrey // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $128,490
- Median hourly wage: $61.77
- Total employment: 49,940 people (5.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $130,260
- Median hourly wage: $62.62
- Total employment: 5,020 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $130,710
- Median hourly wage: $62.84
- Total employment: 19,810 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $131,190
- Median hourly wage: $63.07
- Total employment: 9,680 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Financial examiners
- Median annual wage: $131,670
- Median hourly wage: $63.30
- Total employment: 11,310 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $131,730
- Median hourly wage: $63.33
- Total employment: 1,030 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Special education teachers, preschool
- Median annual wage: $132,930
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 4,420 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Credit analysts
- Median annual wage: $133,180
- Median hourly wage: $64.03
- Total employment: 7,820 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $135,530
- Median hourly wage: $65.16
- Total employment: 610 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $136,330
- Median hourly wage: $65.54
- Total employment: 1,390 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Art directors
- Median annual wage: $136,850
- Median hourly wage: $65.79
- Total employment: 8,760 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $137,290
- Median hourly wage: $66.01
- Total employment: 5,220 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $137,650
- Median hourly wage: $66.18
- Total employment: 380 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $138,000
- Median hourly wage: $66.35
- Total employment: 12,150 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $138,240
- Median hourly wage: $66.46
- Total employment: 7,720 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $138,360
- Median hourly wage: $66.52
- Total employment: 10,160 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $138,740
- Median hourly wage: $66.70
- Total employment: 16,930 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $140,640
- Median hourly wage: $67.62
- Total employment: 3,160 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $141,960
- Median hourly wage: $68.25
- Total employment: 11,340 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $146,270
- Median hourly wage: $70.32
- Total employment: 6,580 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $149,260
- Median hourly wage: $71.76
- Total employment: 187,400 people (20.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#23. Computer network architects (tie)
- Median annual wage: $153,820
- Median hourly wage: $73.95
- Total employment: 10,600 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Electronics engineers, except computer (tie)
- Median annual wage: $153,820
- Median hourly wage: $73.95
- Total employment: 2,110 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $156,170
- Median hourly wage: $75.08
- Total employment: 3,390 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $157,910
- Median hourly wage: $75.92
- Total employment: 33,540 people (3.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $161,970
- Median hourly wage: $77.87
- Total employment: 119,610 people (12.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Median annual wage: $166,170
- Median hourly wage: $79.89
- Total employment: 65,000 people (6.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mark_Kostich // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $166,540
- Median hourly wage: $80.07
- Total employment: 310 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $168,020
- Median hourly wage: $80.78
- Total employment: 3,950 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $168,350
- Median hourly wage: $80.94
- Total employment: 28,950 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $168,680
- Median hourly wage: $81.10
- Total employment: 28,550 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $170,150
- Median hourly wage: $81.80
- Total employment: 3,530 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $171,640
- Median hourly wage: $82.52
- Total employment: 8,780 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $173,080
- Median hourly wage: $83.21
- Total employment: 6,160 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $175,560
- Median hourly wage: $84.40
- Total employment: 49,750 people (5.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $176,290
- Median hourly wage: $84.75
- Total employment: 17,240 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $179,110
- Median hourly wage: $86.11
- Total employment: 6,910 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $183,770
- Median hourly wage: $88.35
- Total employment: 1,960 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $184,080
- Median hourly wage: $88.50
- Total employment: 7,760 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $201,120
- Median hourly wage: $96.69
- Total employment: 3,660 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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dokurose // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $211,670
- Median hourly wage: $101.77
- Total employment: 40,990 people (4.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $212,400
- Median hourly wage: $102.12
- Total employment: 56,180 people (6.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $216,520
- Median hourly wage: $104.10
- Total employment: 77,970 people (8.33 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: Not available
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: 9,680 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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