DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Athletic trainers
- Median annual wage: $59,270
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Birmingham that require a graduate degree
Earning top dollar typically requires more education than an undergraduate degree can provide. Doctors, lawyers, and professors need extra years of focused study for their chosen fields, but they're not alone. Graduate degrees in fields like business, teaching, and public health build specialized knowledge that can fast-track a career—and one's salary.
Many hiring managers view a master's degree as the equivalent of two years of work experience, giving graduate degree holders a leg up. In 2024, master's degree holders earned a weekly median of $1,840, a 19% premium over undergraduate degree holders. Doctorates earned $2,278, and professional degree holders earned $2,363.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Birmingham that require a graduate degree in Birmingham. This includes doctorates, master's degrees, and professional degrees. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
Job security is another benefit. The unemployment rate for a master's degree holder is 2.2%, compared to 2.5% for undergraduate degree holders. Doctorates and professional degree holders' unemployment rate is close to 1%.
Employers believe a graduate degree showcases an employee's drive and commitment, but that comes at a price. Between 2000 and 2020, median annual tuition and fees for graduate degree programs increased by 233%. Unsurprisingly, median student debt has also increased, rising 47% to $50,000.
Depending on the career field, some prospective students may find it difficult to justify the expense. Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce found that full-time workers in STEM fields earned $128,000 annually, almost twice as much as their degreed counterparts in humanities and the arts. A graduate degree in humanities also only brought a 10% earnings premium over someone with a bachelor's degree.
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2 / 50#49. Marriage and family therapists
- Median annual wage: $60,090
- Median hourly wage: $28.89
- Total employment: 80 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
voronaman // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $60,420
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $60,840
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $61,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 190 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $61,520
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 160 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $61,810
- Median hourly wage: $29.72
- Total employment: 830 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,030
- Median hourly wage: $29.82
- Total employment: 680 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $63,970
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $64,270
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VH-studio // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Median annual wage: $64,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.16
- Total employment: 900 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel Besic // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $65,520
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $65,750
- Median hourly wage: $31.61
- Total employment: 870 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $65,810
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Library science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $66,110
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $67,650
- Median hourly wage: $32.52
- Total employment: 450 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $68,910
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $74,030
- Median hourly wage: $35.59
- Total employment: 90 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Curators
- Median annual wage: $75,830
- Median hourly wage: $36.46
- Total employment: 30 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $79,040
- Median hourly wage: $38.00
- Total employment: 120 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $79,860
- Median hourly wage: $38.39
- Total employment: 480 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
KSai23 // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Chiropractors
- Median annual wage: $80,520
- Median hourly wage: $38.71
- Total employment: 90 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,810
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,970 people (3.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Audiologists
- Median annual wage: $83,200
- Median hourly wage: $40.00
- Total employment: 140 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $85,880
- Median hourly wage: $41.29
- Total employment: 850 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $86,070
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $92,460
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $92,660
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 220 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $97,520
- Median hourly wage: $46.88
- Total employment: 950 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $98,160
- Median hourly wage: $47.19
- Total employment: 380 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $98,280
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 640 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $100,320
- Median hourly wage: $48.23
- Total employment: 340 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $100,640
- Median hourly wage: $48.39
- Total employment: 530 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $102,430
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $106,290
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 370 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $107,550
- Median hourly wage: $51.71
- Total employment: 1,280 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $108,240
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 250 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $133,790
- Median hourly wage: $64.32
- Total employment: 30 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $135,960
- Median hourly wage: $65.36
- Total employment: 1,750 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $137,050
- Median hourly wage: $65.89
- Total employment: 110 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $152,240
- Median hourly wage: $73.19
- Total employment: 2,240 people (4.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $155,180
- Median hourly wage: $74.61
- Total employment: 650 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Elnur // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Podiatrists
- Median annual wage: $161,420
- Median hourly wage: $77.61
- Total employment: 40 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $204,950
- Median hourly wage: $98.53
- Total employment: Not available
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $231,480
- Median hourly wage: $111.29
- Total employment: 1,340 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $236,160
- Median hourly wage: $113.54
- Total employment: Not available
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Dermatologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 140 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 363 metros.
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