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1 / 50#50. Financial specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $97,860
- Median hourly wage: $47.05
- Total employment: 200 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Huntsville 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 Huntsville, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $98,040
- Median hourly wage: $47.14
- Total employment: 1,200 people (4.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $99,470
- Median hourly wage: $47.82
- Total employment: 180 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $100,000
- Median hourly wage: $48.08
- Total employment: 260 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $100,730
- Median hourly wage: $48.43
- Total employment: 250 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $101,780
- Median hourly wage: $48.93
- Total employment: 270 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $102,780
- Median hourly wage: $49.41
- Total employment: 2,020 people (7.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $102,790
- Median hourly wage: $49.42
- Total employment: 1,250 people (4.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $103,850
- Median hourly wage: $49.93
- Total employment: 880 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $105,570
- Median hourly wage: $50.76
- Total employment: 640 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,010
- Median hourly wage: $50.97
- Total employment: 1,790 people (6.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,920
- Median hourly wage: $51.41
- Total employment: 90 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $108,260
- Median hourly wage: $52.05
- Total employment: 630 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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14 / 50#37. Budget analysts
- Median annual wage: $109,050
- Median hourly wage: $52.43
- Total employment: 580 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $110,550
- Median hourly wage: $53.15
- Total employment: 3,050 people (11.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $112,680
- Median hourly wage: $54.17
- Total employment: 110 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $117,540
- Median hourly wage: $56.51
- Total employment: 820 people (3.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
18 / 50#32. Management analysts (tie)
- Median annual wage: $118,270
- Median hourly wage: $56.86
- Total employment: 1,800 people (6.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Materials engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $118,270
- Median hourly wage: $56.86
- Total employment: 330 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $118,780
- Median hourly wage: $57.11
- Total employment: 180 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $120,540
- Median hourly wage: $57.95
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $120,910
- Median hourly wage: $58.13
- Total employment: 3,130 people (12.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $121,320
- Median hourly wage: $58.33
- Total employment: 7,010 people (26.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $122,430
- Median hourly wage: $58.86
- Total employment: 700 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $123,520
- Median hourly wage: $59.39
- Total employment: 210 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $124,960
- Median hourly wage: $60.08
- Total employment: 3,010 people (11.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $127,070
- Median hourly wage: $61.09
- Total employment: 120 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $127,120
- Median hourly wage: $61.11
- Total employment: 1,570 people (6.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $127,210
- Median hourly wage: $61.16
- Total employment: 90 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $129,020
- Median hourly wage: $62.03
- Total employment: 2,240 people (8.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $129,280
- Median hourly wage: $62.15
- Total employment: 160 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $130,660
- Median hourly wage: $62.82
- Total employment: 1,390 people (5.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
33 / 50#17. Industrial production managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $132,440
- Median hourly wage: $63.67
- Total employment: 440 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Public relations managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $132,440
- Median hourly wage: $63.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PR Image Factory // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $132,620
- Median hourly wage: $63.76
- Total employment: 330 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $133,750
- Median hourly wage: $64.30
- Total employment: 4,090 people (15.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $134,850
- Median hourly wage: $64.83
- Total employment: 790 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $135,160
- Median hourly wage: $64.98
- Total employment: 330 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $136,060
- Median hourly wage: $65.42
- Total employment: 610 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $139,110
- Median hourly wage: $66.88
- Total employment: 4,580 people (17.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $139,270
- Median hourly wage: $66.96
- Total employment: 650 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $139,800
- Median hourly wage: $67.21
- Total employment: 70 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $144,000
- Median hourly wage: $69.23
- Total employment: 490 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $148,240
- Median hourly wage: $71.27
- Total employment: 570 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $148,430
- Median hourly wage: $71.36
- Total employment: 3,120 people (11.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $154,510
- Median hourly wage: $74.29
- Total employment: 750 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $154,520
- Median hourly wage: $74.29
- Total employment: 1,800 people (6.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Median annual wage: $157,540
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $166,560
- Median hourly wage: $80.08
- Total employment: 1,560 people (6.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $205,280
- Median hourly wage: $98.69
- Total employment: 90 people (0.36 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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