
Highest paying jobs in Portland, Oregon that require a bachelor's degree
Highest paying jobs in Portland, Oregon 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
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#50. Civil engineers
- Annual mean salary: $95,020
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,410
National
- Annual mean salary: $95,490
- Employment: 304,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($119,720)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($116,550)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($115,120)

#49. Legislators
- Annual mean salary: $95,110
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,110
- Employment: 44,590
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Yakima, WA ($139,690)
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($136,400)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($132,460)
#48. Chemical engineers
- Annual mean salary: $95,300
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#47. Environmental engineers
- Annual mean salary: $95,710
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)
#46. Emergency management directors
- Annual mean salary: $95,860
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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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#45. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Annual mean salary: $95,880
- #138 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,000
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)

#44. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
- Annual mean salary: $96,550
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
National
- Annual mean salary: $103,550
- Employment: 23,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($161,290)
--- Corpus Christi, TX ($156,870)
--- Midland, TX ($156,270)
#43. Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors
- Annual mean salary: $96,640
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,650
- Employment: 38,260
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($96,640)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($92,290)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($89,740)
#42. Hydrologists
- Annual mean salary: $96,960
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $94,780
- Employment: 6,390
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($148,150)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($136,920)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($125,470)

#41. Labor relations specialists
- Annual mean salary: $97,520
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 930
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,070
- Employment: 63,810
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($104,620)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($98,470)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($97,520)
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#40. Mechanical engineers
- Annual mean salary: $98,220
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,630
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)

#39. Management analysts
- Annual mean salary: $98,800
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,790
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)

#38. Materials scientists
- Annual mean salary: $99,760
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#37. Special effects artists and animators
- Annual mean salary: $100,100
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,220
- Employment: 20,430
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($119,040)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($112,930)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($100,100)
#36. Registered nurses
- Annual mean salary: $101,710
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 23,090
National
- Annual mean salary: $82,750
- Employment: 3,047,530
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($155,230)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($151,640)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($146,360)
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#35. Aerospace engineers
- Annual mean salary: $102,380
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)

#34. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
- Annual mean salary: $102,550
- #19 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)
#33. Industrial engineers
- Annual mean salary: $103,470
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,400
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)
#32. Computer programmers
- Annual mean salary: $104,000
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,230
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)
#31. Advertising and promotions managers
- Annual mean salary: $104,580
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)
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#30. Electrical engineers
- Annual mean salary: $105,640
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,300
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)

#29. Computer systems analysts
- Annual mean salary: $107,010
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,620
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)

#28. Industrial production managers
- Annual mean salary: $107,390
- #292 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,700
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)

#27. Actuaries
- Annual mean salary: $110,900
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#26. Materials engineers
- Annual mean salary: $111,370
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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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#25. Information security analysts
- Annual mean salary: $112,270
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,010
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)
#24. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $113,120
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)

#23. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $114,380
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,450
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)

#22. Art directors
- Annual mean salary: $114,810
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590
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)
#21. Atmospheric and space scientists
- Annual mean salary: $114,860
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#20. General and operations managers
- Annual mean salary: $117,470
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 25,010
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)

#19. Software developers
- Annual mean salary: $118,830
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 15,630
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)
#18. Computer network architects
- Annual mean salary: $119,170
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,210
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. Training and development managers
- Annual mean salary: $122,840
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)

#16. Sales engineers
- Annual mean salary: $125,670
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680
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)
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#15. Compensation and benefits managers
- Annual mean salary: $126,760
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)

#14. Purchasing managers
- Annual mean salary: $128,110
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
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)
#13. Construction managers
- Annual mean salary: $128,500
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,670
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)

#12. Human resources managers
- Annual mean salary: $129,720
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,660
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)
#11. Natural sciences managers
- Annual mean salary: $134,850
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
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)
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#10. Personal financial advisors
- Annual mean salary: $135,090
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,090
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)
#9. Marketing managers
- Annual mean salary: $135,110
- #116 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,220
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)

#8. Sales managers
- Annual mean salary: $135,380
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,940
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. Computer hardware engineers
- Annual mean salary: $136,800
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,430
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)

#6. Medical and health services managers
- Annual mean salary: $137,410
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,600
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)
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#5. Financial managers
- Annual mean salary: $140,590
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,300
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. Computer and information systems managers
- Annual mean salary: $146,450
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,390
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)
#3. Architectural and engineering managers
- Annual mean salary: $151,960
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,770
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)

#2. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Annual mean salary: $169,820
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 670
National
- Annual mean salary: $198,190
- Employment: 81,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($255,250)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($243,380)
--- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($242,540)
#1. Chief executives
- Annual mean salary: $283,080
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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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