Pressmaster // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Median annual wage: $59,190
- Median hourly wage: $28.46
- Total employment: 50 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Fairbanks 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 Fairbanks, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Social workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $60,530
- Median hourly wage: $29.10
- Total employment: 30 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $61,850
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Total employment: 30 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $62,520
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Child, family, and school social workers
- Median annual wage: $64,940
- Median hourly wage: $31.22
- Total employment: 130 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Public relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $65,980
- Median hourly wage: $31.72
- Total employment: 70 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Training and development specialists
- Median annual wage: $70,740
- Median hourly wage: $34.01
- Total employment: 50 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Fundraisers
- Median annual wage: $70,770
- Median hourly wage: $34.03
- Total employment: 30 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GLRL // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Buyers and purchasing agents
- Median annual wage: $72,600
- Median hourly wage: $34.91
- Total employment: 130 people (3.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Social scientists and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $72,980
- Median hourly wage: $35.09
- Total employment: 60 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rido // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Human resources specialists
- Median annual wage: $75,090
- Median hourly wage: $36.10
- Total employment: 160 people (4.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $75,710
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 130 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $79,800
- Median hourly wage: $38.37
- Total employment: 90 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
14 / 50#36. Teachers and instructors, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $81,950
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Deemerwha studio // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Conservation scientists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $81,950
- Median hourly wage: $39.40
- Total employment: 50 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $82,370
- Median hourly wage: $39.60
- Total employment: 200 people (5.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
James Kirkikis // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Zoologists and wildlife biologists
- Median annual wage: $83,510
- Median hourly wage: $40.15
- Total employment: 100 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sabthai // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Budget analysts
- Median annual wage: $84,640
- Median hourly wage: $40.69
- Total employment: 80 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $85,230
- Median hourly wage: $40.98
- Total employment: 80 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Patrizio Martorana // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
- Median annual wage: $85,500
- Median hourly wage: $41.11
- Total employment: 110 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $87,270
- Median hourly wage: $41.96
- Total employment: 80 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $88,050
- Median hourly wage: $42.33
- Total employment: 390 people (10.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $88,880
- Median hourly wage: $42.73
- Total employment: 90 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#26. Biological scientists, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $90,150
- Median hourly wage: $43.34
- Total employment: 70 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Logisticians (tie)
- Median annual wage: $90,150
- Median hourly wage: $43.34
- Total employment: 90 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $92,990
- Median hourly wage: $44.71
- Total employment: 90 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $94,610
- Median hourly wage: $45.49
- Total employment: 50 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Csomos Attila // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
- Median annual wage: $94,630
- Median hourly wage: $45.50
- Total employment: 80 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $97,760
- Median hourly wage: $47.00
- Total employment: 80 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $98,200
- Median hourly wage: $47.21
- Total employment: 60 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $101,500
- Median hourly wage: $48.80
- Total employment: 90 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $101,750
- Median hourly wage: $48.92
- Total employment: 120 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $102,300
- Median hourly wage: $49.18
- Total employment: 170 people (4.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $102,660
- Median hourly wage: $49.36
- Total employment: 720 people (19.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $104,450
- Median hourly wage: $50.22
- Total employment: 40 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $104,600
- Median hourly wage: $50.29
- Total employment: 220 people (6.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $108,040
- Median hourly wage: $51.94
- Total employment: 40 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $109,980
- Median hourly wage: $52.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $110,560
- Median hourly wage: $53.15
- Total employment: 630 people (17.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $112,150
- Median hourly wage: $53.92
- Total employment: 80 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $112,900
- Median hourly wage: $54.28
- Total employment: 180 people (5.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $117,060
- Median hourly wage: $56.28
- Total employment: 40 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $117,360
- Median hourly wage: $56.42
- Total employment: 200 people (5.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $118,180
- Median hourly wage: $56.82
- Total employment: 60 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $123,320
- Median hourly wage: $59.29
- Total employment: 60 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $124,590
- Median hourly wage: $59.90
- Total employment: 170 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $127,140
- Median hourly wage: $61.13
- Total employment: 40 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $133,780
- Median hourly wage: $64.32
- Total employment: 180 people (4.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $137,300
- Median hourly wage: $66.01
- Total employment: 90 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $157,860
- Median hourly wage: $75.90
- Total employment: 70 people (2.06 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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