Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $98,160
- Median hourly wage: $47.19
- Total employment: 46,330 people (19.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Phoenix 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 Phoenix, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
You may also like: People from these metros are looking to buy homes in Phoenix
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
2 / 50#48. Biological scientists, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $98,490
- Median hourly wage: $47.35
- Total employment: 240 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Social scientists and related workers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $98,490
- Median hourly wage: $47.35
- Total employment: 290 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $98,620
- Median hourly wage: $47.41
- Total employment: 1,020 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $99,550
- Median hourly wage: $47.86
- Total employment: 1,200 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants with outdoor seating in Phoenix by diners
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $100,010
- Median hourly wage: $48.08
- Total employment: 18,410 people (7.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $101,020
- Median hourly wage: $48.57
- Total employment: 4,780 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $102,280
- Median hourly wage: $49.17
- Total employment: 8,280 people (3.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $102,300
- Median hourly wage: $49.18
- Total employment: 3,640 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $102,460
- Median hourly wage: $49.26
- Total employment: 1,530 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Phoenix in the last week
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $103,890
- Median hourly wage: $49.95
- Total employment: 3,100 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $106,600
- Median hourly wage: $51.25
- Total employment: 910 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $108,430
- Median hourly wage: $52.13
- Total employment: 300 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $109,230
- Median hourly wage: $52.51
- Total employment: 3,210 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $109,390
- Median hourly wage: $52.59
- Total employment: 240 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How much house does $500,000 buy you in Phoenix?
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $109,820
- Median hourly wage: $52.80
- Total employment: 2,980 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $110,100
- Median hourly wage: $52.93
- Total employment: 5,400 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Taty77 // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
- Median annual wage: $110,540
- Median hourly wage: $53.15
- Total employment: 230 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $111,550
- Median hourly wage: $53.63
- Total employment: 7,600 people (3.25 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: $113,680
- Median hourly wage: $54.66
- Total employment: 140 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated cafes in the Phoenix area by diners
PanuShot // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $114,860
- Median hourly wage: $55.22
- Total employment: 40 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $115,020
- Median hourly wage: $55.30
- Total employment: 940 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $115,210
- Median hourly wage: $55.39
- Total employment: 50 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Life scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $115,370
- Median hourly wage: $55.47
- Total employment: 110 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $115,590
- Median hourly wage: $55.57
- Total employment: 4,130 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Lowest-paying jobs in Phoenix
Tonhom1009 // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Median annual wage: $120,310
- Median hourly wage: $57.84
- Total employment: 280 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $123,850
- Median hourly wage: $59.54
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $124,050
- Median hourly wage: $59.64
- Total employment: 8,070 people (3.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $124,410
- Median hourly wage: $59.81
- Total employment: 140 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $125,050
- Median hourly wage: $60.12
- Total employment: 90 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated seafood restaurants in Phoenix
Mark_Kostich // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $127,800
- Median hourly wage: $61.44
- Total employment: 30 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $128,990
- Median hourly wage: $62.02
- Total employment: 3,490 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $129,260
- Median hourly wage: $62.15
- Total employment: 2,650 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $129,270
- Median hourly wage: $62.15
- Total employment: 490 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $129,600
- Median hourly wage: $62.31
- Total employment: 26,950 people (11.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Best high schools in the Phoenix metro area
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $130,390
- Median hourly wage: $62.69
- Total employment: 3,160 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $131,410
- Median hourly wage: $63.18
- Total employment: 10,700 people (4.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $131,930
- Median hourly wage: $63.43
- Total employment: 3,040 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $132,410
- Median hourly wage: $63.66
- Total employment: 710 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $134,000
- Median hourly wage: $64.43
- Total employment: 6,040 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Best places to live in the Phoenix metro area
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $135,360
- Median hourly wage: $65.08
- Total employment: 11,470 people (4.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $136,660
- Median hourly wage: $65.70
- Total employment: 1,970 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $137,370
- Median hourly wage: $66.04
- Total employment: 3,570 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $138,270
- Median hourly wage: $66.48
- Total employment: 1,190 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $139,260
- Median hourly wage: $66.95
- Total employment: 1,210 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Phoenix
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $163,220
- Median hourly wage: $78.47
- Total employment: 3,200 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $163,970
- Median hourly wage: $78.83
- Total employment: 11,700 people (4.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $164,980
- Median hourly wage: $79.32
- Total employment: 2,160 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $169,560
- Median hourly wage: $81.52
- Total employment: 1,130 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Median annual wage: $198,800
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,990 people (0.85 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.
You may also like: Mortgage rates fall to 10‑month low, offering relief for Phoenix buyers
