Highest paying jobs in Durham 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 Durham 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 Durham.
This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.
#50. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $101,090
- Median hourly wage: $48.60
- Total employment: 110 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $101,200
- Median hourly wage: $48.65
- Total employment: 150 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $101,220
- Median hourly wage: $48.66
- Total employment: 2,760 people (8.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $101,380
- Median hourly wage: $48.74
- Total employment: 190 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $101,480
- Median hourly wage: $48.79
- Total employment: 1,660 people (5.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Financial examiners
- Median annual wage: $101,550
- Median hourly wage: $48.82
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $102,760
- Median hourly wage: $49.41
- Total employment: 910 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Web and digital interface designers
- Median annual wage: $103,000
- Median hourly wage: $49.52
- Total employment: 570 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $103,080
- Median hourly wage: $49.56
- Total employment: 1,130 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Life scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $103,510
- Median hourly wage: $49.76
- Total employment: 250 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $103,980
- Median hourly wage: $49.99
- Total employment: 280 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $105,230
- Median hourly wage: $50.59
- Total employment: 630 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Soil and plant scientists
- Median annual wage: $105,300
- Median hourly wage: $50.63
- Total employment: 210 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $105,390
- Median hourly wage: $50.67
- Total employment: 870 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $105,470
- Median hourly wage: $50.71
- Total employment: 770 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Labor relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $105,520
- Median hourly wage: $50.73
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $106,070
- Median hourly wage: $50.99
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $106,640
- Median hourly wage: $51.27
- Total employment: 260 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Art directors
- Median annual wage: $107,090
- Median hourly wage: $51.49
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $108,470
- Median hourly wage: $52.15
- Total employment: 170 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $109,600
- Median hourly wage: $52.69
- Total employment: 1,140 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Environmental engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $110,240
- Median hourly wage: $53.00
- Total employment: 110 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Medical and health services managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $110,240
- Median hourly wage: $53.00
- Total employment: 1,570 people (4.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $111,020
- Median hourly wage: $53.37
- Total employment: 500 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Technical writers
- Median annual wage: $112,140
- Median hourly wage: $53.91
- Total employment: 370 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $112,270
- Median hourly wage: $53.98
- Total employment: 1,480 people (4.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $112,600
- Median hourly wage: $54.14
- Total employment: 90 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Commercial and industrial designers
- Median annual wage: $113,420
- Median hourly wage: $54.53
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $123,550
- Median hourly wage: $59.40
- Total employment: 310 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $123,580
- Median hourly wage: $59.41
- Total employment: 140 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $124,260
- Median hourly wage: $59.74
- Total employment: 650 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $124,960
- Median hourly wage: $60.08
- Total employment: 710 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $125,360
- Median hourly wage: $60.27
- Total employment: 6,410 people (19.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $126,270
- Median hourly wage: $60.71
- Total employment: 200 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $127,560
- Median hourly wage: $61.33
- Total employment: 30 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $129,990
- Median hourly wage: $62.50
- Total employment: 8,330 people (25.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $130,830
- Median hourly wage: $62.90
- Total employment: 600 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $131,920
- Median hourly wage: $63.42
- Total employment: 1,840 people (5.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $132,500
- Median hourly wage: $63.70
- Total employment: 270 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $132,560
- Median hourly wage: $63.73
- Total employment: 280 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $134,330
- Median hourly wage: $64.58
- Total employment: 530 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $138,410
- Median hourly wage: $66.54
- Total employment: 650 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $141,240
- Median hourly wage: $67.91
- Total employment: 1,390 people (4.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $144,440
- Median hourly wage: $69.44
- Total employment: 260 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $150,060
- Median hourly wage: $72.14
- Total employment: 750 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $158,350
- Median hourly wage: $76.13
- Total employment: 3,070 people (9.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $159,170
- Median hourly wage: $76.52
- Total employment: 1,750 people (5.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $163,620
- Median hourly wage: $78.66
- Total employment: 1,000 people (3.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $165,840
- Median hourly wage: $79.73
- Total employment: 1,810 people (5.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 100 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
