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Highest-paying jobs in Anchorage that require a bachelor's degree

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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 Anchorage, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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#50. Database administrators

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1 / 50

#50. Database administrators

- Median annual wage: $93,400
- Median hourly wage: $44.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#49. Fundraising managers

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2 / 50

#49. Fundraising managers

- Median annual wage: $94,970
- Median hourly wage: $45.66
- Total employment: 80 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#48. Sales managers

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3 / 50

#48. Sales managers

- Median annual wage: $98,040
- Median hourly wage: $47.14
- Total employment: 570 people (3.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#46. Biological scientists, all other (tie)

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4 / 50

#46. Biological scientists, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $98,220
- Median hourly wage: $47.22
- Total employment: 210 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#46. Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents (tie)

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5 / 50

#46. Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents (tie)

- Median annual wage: $98,220
- Median hourly wage: $47.22
- Total employment: 50 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#45. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers

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6 / 50

#45. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers

- Median annual wage: $99,420
- Median hourly wage: $47.80
- Total employment: 130 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#44. Operations research analysts

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7 / 50

#44. Operations research analysts

- Median annual wage: $100,710
- Median hourly wage: $48.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Administrative services managers

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8 / 50

#43. Administrative services managers

- Median annual wage: $100,840
- Median hourly wage: $48.48
- Total employment: 420 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#42. Atmospheric and space scientists

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9 / 50

#42. Atmospheric and space scientists

- Median annual wage: $101,500
- Median hourly wage: $48.80
- Total employment: 120 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#41. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors

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10 / 50

#41. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors

- Median annual wage: $101,720
- Median hourly wage: $48.90
- Total employment: Not available

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#40. Electronics engineers, except computer

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11 / 50

#40. Electronics engineers, except computer

- Median annual wage: $101,900
- Median hourly wage: $48.99
- Total employment: 250 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. Computer occupations, all other

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12 / 50

#39. Computer occupations, all other

- Median annual wage: $102,230
- Median hourly wage: $49.15
- Total employment: 500 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#38. Financial and investment analysts

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13 / 50

#38. Financial and investment analysts

- Median annual wage: $102,930
- Median hourly wage: $49.48
- Total employment: 110 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Project management specialists

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14 / 50

#37. Project management specialists

- Median annual wage: $104,040
- Median hourly wage: $50.02
- Total employment: 1,020 people (5.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#35. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers (tie)

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15 / 50

#35. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $104,770
- Median hourly wage: $50.37
- Total employment: 190 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#35. Management analysts (tie)

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16 / 50

#35. Management analysts (tie)

- Median annual wage: $104,770
- Median hourly wage: $50.37
- Total employment: 250 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#34. Aerospace engineers

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17 / 50

#34. Aerospace engineers

- Median annual wage: $105,260
- Median hourly wage: $50.61
- Total employment: 50 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Electrical engineers

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18 / 50

#33. Electrical engineers

- Median annual wage: $105,570
- Median hourly wage: $50.75
- Total employment: 290 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. Civil engineers

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19 / 50

#32. Civil engineers

- Median annual wage: $105,830
- Median hourly wage: $50.88
- Total employment: 1,040 people (5.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#30. Architects, except landscape and naval

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21 / 50

#30. Architects, except landscape and naval

- Median annual wage: $106,620
- Median hourly wage: $51.26
- Total employment: 110 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Public relations managers

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22 / 50

#29. Public relations managers

- Median annual wage: $106,660
- Median hourly wage: $51.28
- Total employment: 180 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. Therapists, all other

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23 / 50

#28. Therapists, all other

- Median annual wage: $107,070
- Median hourly wage: $51.48
- Total employment: 30 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Facilities managers

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24 / 50

#27. Facilities managers

- Median annual wage: $107,150
- Median hourly wage: $51.52
- Total employment: 380 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#26. Information security analysts

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25 / 50

#26. Information security analysts

- Median annual wage: $108,030
- Median hourly wage: $51.94
- Total employment: 130 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#25. Registered nurses

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26 / 50

#25. Registered nurses

- Median annual wage: $110,690
- Median hourly wage: $53.22
- Total employment: 4,570 people (26.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Environmental engineers

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27 / 50

#24. Environmental engineers

- Median annual wage: $110,800
- Median hourly wage: $53.27
- Total employment: 150 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Computer network architects

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28 / 50

#23. Computer network architects

- Median annual wage: $115,120
- Median hourly wage: $55.34
- Total employment: 70 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#22. Labor relations specialists

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29 / 50

#22. Labor relations specialists

- Median annual wage: $115,830
- Median hourly wage: $55.69
- Total employment: 90 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#20. Marketing managers

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31 / 50

#20. Marketing managers

- Median annual wage: $119,100
- Median hourly wage: $57.26
- Total employment: 170 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#19. Industrial production managers

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32 / 50

#19. Industrial production managers

- Median annual wage: $120,130
- Median hourly wage: $57.75
- Total employment: 120 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#18. Physical scientists, all other

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33 / 50

#18. Physical scientists, all other

- Median annual wage: $120,700
- Median hourly wage: $58.03
- Total employment: 110 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#17. General and operations managers

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34 / 50

#17. General and operations managers

- Median annual wage: $121,930
- Median hourly wage: $58.62
- Total employment: 3,330 people (19.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#16. Medical and health services managers

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35 / 50

#16. Medical and health services managers

- Median annual wage: $122,780
- Median hourly wage: $59.03
- Total employment: 790 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#15. Human resources managers

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36 / 50

#15. Human resources managers

- Median annual wage: $123,870
- Median hourly wage: $59.55
- Total employment: 270 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#14. Purchasing managers

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37 / 50

#14. Purchasing managers

- Median annual wage: $124,250
- Median hourly wage: $59.73
- Total employment: 80 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#13. Financial managers

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38 / 50

#13. Financial managers

- Median annual wage: $125,360
- Median hourly wage: $60.27
- Total employment: 1,210 people (6.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. Managers, all other

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39 / 50

#12. Managers, all other

- Median annual wage: $128,290
- Median hourly wage: $61.68
- Total employment: 1,000 people (5.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#10. Natural sciences managers

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41 / 50

#10. Natural sciences managers

- Median annual wage: $130,740
- Median hourly wage: $62.86
- Total employment: 370 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#9. Computer and information systems managers

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42 / 50

#9. Computer and information systems managers

- Median annual wage: $131,250
- Median hourly wage: $63.10
- Total employment: 490 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#8. Engineers, all other

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43 / 50

#8. Engineers, all other

- Median annual wage: $132,370
- Median hourly wage: $63.64
- Total employment: 150 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#7. Computer hardware engineers

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44 / 50

#7. Computer hardware engineers

- Median annual wage: $136,080
- Median hourly wage: $65.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#5. Architectural and engineering managers

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46 / 50

#5. Architectural and engineering managers

- Median annual wage: $159,450
- Median hourly wage: $76.66
- Total employment: 490 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#4. Industrial engineers

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47 / 50

#4. Industrial engineers

- Median annual wage: $166,350
- Median hourly wage: $79.98
- Total employment: 130 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#3. Chief executives

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48 / 50

#3. Chief executives

- Median annual wage: $170,710
- Median hourly wage: $82.07
- Total employment: 470 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#2. Petroleum engineers

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49 / 50

#2. Petroleum engineers

- Median annual wage: $205,380
- Median hourly wage: $98.74
- Total employment: 220 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers

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50 / 50

#1. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers

- Median annual wage: $226,490
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,540 people (8.8 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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