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1 / 50#50. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $86,710
- Median hourly wage: $41.69
- Total employment: 1,280 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Birmingham 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 Birmingham, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $86,790
- Median hourly wage: $41.73
- Total employment: 350 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $87,760
- Median hourly wage: $42.19
- Total employment: 300 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 / 50#47. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $92,840
- Median hourly wage: $44.64
- Total employment: 1,000 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $92,920
- Median hourly wage: $44.67
- Total employment: Not available
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6 / 50#45. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $93,210
- Median hourly wage: $44.81
- Total employment: 1,430 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $94,170
- Median hourly wage: $45.27
- Total employment: 590 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $94,430
- Median hourly wage: $45.40
- Total employment: 870 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $96,100
- Median hourly wage: $46.20
- Total employment: 1,130 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $96,190
- Median hourly wage: $46.25
- Total employment: Not available
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11 / 50#40. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $96,450
- Median hourly wage: $46.37
- Total employment: 100 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Atmospheric and space scientists
- Median annual wage: $96,530
- Median hourly wage: $46.41
- Total employment: 30 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $96,590
- Median hourly wage: $46.44
- Total employment: 440 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Social workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $97,180
- Median hourly wage: $46.72
- Total employment: 130 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $97,840
- Median hourly wage: $47.04
- Total employment: 870 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $98,270
- Median hourly wage: $47.25
- Total employment: 90 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $98,290
- Median hourly wage: $47.26
- Total employment: 890 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $99,040
- Median hourly wage: $47.61
- Total employment: 2,290 people (4.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $99,330
- Median hourly wage: $47.76
- Total employment: 140 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $99,370
- Median hourly wage: $47.77
- Total employment: 3,130 people (6.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $100,330
- Median hourly wage: $48.24
- Total employment: 1,570 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $100,800
- Median hourly wage: $48.46
- Total employment: 1,730 people (3.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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23 / 50#28. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $100,950
- Median hourly wage: $48.54
- Total employment: 580 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $101,020
- Median hourly wage: $48.57
- Total employment: 410 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $101,640
- Median hourly wage: $48.87
- Total employment: 600 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
- Median annual wage: $103,280
- Median hourly wage: $49.65
- Total employment: 50 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $104,280
- Median hourly wage: $50.13
- Total employment: 110 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Credit analysts
- Median annual wage: $105,510
- Median hourly wage: $50.72
- Total employment: 190 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $106,040
- Median hourly wage: $50.98
- Total employment: 620 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $106,130
- Median hourly wage: $51.03
- Total employment: 50 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $106,890
- Median hourly wage: $51.39
- Total employment: 3,800 people (7.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
32 / 50#18. Facilities managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $106,960
- Median hourly wage: $51.42
- Total employment: 220 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Managers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $106,960
- Median hourly wage: $51.42
- Total employment: 560 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $109,360
- Median hourly wage: $52.58
- Total employment: 740 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $112,080
- Median hourly wage: $53.89
- Total employment: 60 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $112,480
- Median hourly wage: $54.08
- Total employment: 180 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $113,180
- Median hourly wage: $54.42
- Total employment: 280 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $114,660
- Median hourly wage: $55.13
- Total employment: 50 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $114,760
- Median hourly wage: $55.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $117,820
- Median hourly wage: $56.65
- Total employment: 8,610 people (16.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $120,950
- Median hourly wage: $58.15
- Total employment: 40 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $121,870
- Median hourly wage: $58.59
- Total employment: 550 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $123,340
- Median hourly wage: $59.30
- Total employment: 660 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $127,850
- Median hourly wage: $61.47
- Total employment: 820 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $132,700
- Median hourly wage: $63.80
- Total employment: 70 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $135,100
- Median hourly wage: $64.95
- Total employment: 1,960 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $143,230
- Median hourly wage: $68.86
- Total employment: 190 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $151,750
- Median hourly wage: $72.96
- Total employment: 2,370 people (4.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $157,790
- Median hourly wage: $75.86
- Total employment: 550 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $171,680
- Median hourly wage: $82.54
- Total employment: 230 people (0.44 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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