possohh // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Emergency management directors
- Median annual wage: $85,530
- Median hourly wage: $41.12
- Total employment: 30 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Allentown 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 Allentown, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $89,960
- Median hourly wage: $43.25
- Total employment: 60 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $92,260
- Median hourly wage: $44.36
- Total employment: 150 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $92,370
- Median hourly wage: $44.41
- Total employment: 310 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $93,060
- Median hourly wage: $44.74
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $93,220
- Median hourly wage: $44.82
- Total employment: 430 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $94,950
- Median hourly wage: $45.65
- Total employment: 320 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $95,200
- Median hourly wage: $45.77
- Total employment: 1,630 people (4.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $95,230
- Median hourly wage: $45.79
- Total employment: 470 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $96,890
- Median hourly wage: $46.58
- Total employment: 200 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $97,110
- Median hourly wage: $46.69
- Total employment: 10,510 people (28.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $97,330
- Median hourly wage: $46.79
- Total employment: 8,640 people (23.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,340
- Median hourly wage: $46.80
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $97,380
- Median hourly wage: $46.82
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,430
- Median hourly wage: $46.84
- Total employment: 530 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $98,040
- Median hourly wage: $47.13
- Total employment: 670 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $98,790
- Median hourly wage: $47.49
- Total employment: 360 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $99,460
- Median hourly wage: $47.82
- Total employment: 380 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $99,480
- Median hourly wage: $47.83
- Total employment: 360 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $100,470
- Median hourly wage: $48.30
- Total employment: 520 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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H_Ko // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Materials scientists
- Median annual wage: $101,570
- Median hourly wage: $48.83
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $101,770
- Median hourly wage: $48.93
- Total employment: 1,010 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $102,410
- Median hourly wage: $49.24
- Total employment: 200 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $102,530
- Median hourly wage: $49.30
- Total employment: 80 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $106,310
- Median hourly wage: $51.11
- Total employment: 1,840 people (4.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,590
- Median hourly wage: $51.24
- Total employment: 1,130 people (3.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,640
- Median hourly wage: $51.27
- Total employment: 30 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $107,610
- Median hourly wage: $51.74
- Total employment: 260 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $109,360
- Median hourly wage: $52.58
- Total employment: 150 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $109,590
- Median hourly wage: $52.69
- Total employment: 440 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $110,870
- Median hourly wage: $53.31
- Total employment: 30 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $112,340
- Median hourly wage: $54.01
- Total employment: 1,360 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $116,210
- Median hourly wage: $55.87
- Total employment: 70 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $116,990
- Median hourly wage: $56.24
- Total employment: 200 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $118,950
- Median hourly wage: $57.19
- Total employment: 100 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $119,580
- Median hourly wage: $57.49
- Total employment: 120 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $120,490
- Median hourly wage: $57.93
- Total employment: 730 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $125,220
- Median hourly wage: $60.20
- Total employment: 210 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $125,570
- Median hourly wage: $60.37
- Total employment: 1,100 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $125,900
- Median hourly wage: $60.53
- Total employment: 380 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $129,000
- Median hourly wage: $62.02
- Total employment: 90 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $130,350
- Median hourly wage: $62.67
- Total employment: 1,260 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $133,500
- Median hourly wage: $64.18
- Total employment: 170 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $137,110
- Median hourly wage: $65.92
- Total employment: 630 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $137,570
- Median hourly wage: $66.14
- Total employment: 80 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $137,630
- Median hourly wage: $66.17
- Total employment: 1,340 people (3.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $162,100
- Median hourly wage: $77.93
- Total employment: 850 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $166,700
- Median hourly wage: $80.14
- Total employment: 480 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $184,560
- Median hourly wage: $88.73
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $217,550
- Median hourly wage: $104.59
- Total employment: 470 people (1.28 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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