VH-studio // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Child, family, and school social workers
- Median annual wage: $50,150
- Median hourly wage: $24.11
- Total employment: 140 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Prescott Valley 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 Prescott Valley, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Graphic designers
- Median annual wage: $51,810
- Median hourly wage: $24.91
- Total employment: Not available
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Median annual wage: $52,680
- Median hourly wage: $25.33
- Total employment: 300 people (4.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $54,690
- Median hourly wage: $26.29
- Total employment: 160 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Fundraisers
- Median annual wage: $55,140
- Median hourly wage: $26.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $57,900
- Median hourly wage: $27.84
- Total employment: 70 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Editors
- Median annual wage: $58,240
- Median hourly wage: $28.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Meeting, convention, and event planners
- Median annual wage: $60,480
- Median hourly wage: $29.08
- Total employment: 50 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GLRL // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Buyers and purchasing agents
- Median annual wage: $60,940
- Median hourly wage: $29.30
- Total employment: 130 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Median annual wage: $61,920
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rido // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Human resources specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.01
- Total employment: 290 people (4.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
industryviews // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $63,200
- Median hourly wage: $30.39
- Total employment: 90 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Median annual wage: $63,320
- Median hourly wage: $30.44
- Total employment: 100 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Public relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $63,750
- Median hourly wage: $30.65
- Total employment: 110 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mongta Studio // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Cost estimators
- Median annual wage: $64,970
- Median hourly wage: $31.24
- Total employment: 100 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kzenon // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Training and development specialists
- Median annual wage: $65,720
- Median hourly wage: $31.60
- Total employment: 140 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $67,360
- Median hourly wage: $32.39
- Total employment: 240 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $68,050
- Median hourly wage: $32.71
- Total employment: 460 people (6.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Freedy // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Surveyors
- Median annual wage: $70,890
- Median hourly wage: $34.08
- Total employment: 30 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $74,770
- Median hourly wage: $35.95
- Total employment: 2,650 people (37.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $75,620
- Median hourly wage: $36.36
- Total employment: 80 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $77,380
- Median hourly wage: $37.20
- Total employment: 180 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $77,390
- Median hourly wage: $37.21
- Total employment: 90 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $77,650
- Median hourly wage: $37.33
- Total employment: 270 people (3.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $77,940
- Median hourly wage: $37.47
- Total employment: 70 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $78,630
- Median hourly wage: $37.80
- Total employment: 80 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $80,150
- Median hourly wage: $38.53
- Total employment: 130 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Social workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $80,720
- Median hourly wage: $38.81
- Total employment: 110 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $81,440
- Median hourly wage: $39.15
- Total employment: 80 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $89,500
- Median hourly wage: $43.03
- Total employment: 90 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $93,800
- Median hourly wage: $45.10
- Total employment: 50 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $94,430
- Median hourly wage: $45.40
- Total employment: 220 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $94,450
- Median hourly wage: $45.41
- Total employment: 60 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $95,600
- Median hourly wage: $45.96
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $96,000
- Median hourly wage: $46.16
- Total employment: 60 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $99,530
- Median hourly wage: $47.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $100,980
- Median hourly wage: $48.55
- Total employment: 1,470 people (20.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $102,590
- Median hourly wage: $49.32
- Total employment: 150 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $103,210
- Median hourly wage: $49.62
- Total employment: 280 people (3.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Taty77 // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
- Median annual wage: $104,970
- Median hourly wage: $50.47
- Total employment: 60 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $113,820
- Median hourly wage: $54.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $113,930
- Median hourly wage: $54.78
- Total employment: 70 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $114,780
- Median hourly wage: $55.19
- Total employment: 110 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $117,330
- Median hourly wage: $56.41
- Total employment: 40 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $123,360
- Median hourly wage: $59.31
- Total employment: 170 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $123,410
- Median hourly wage: $59.33
- Total employment: 170 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $128,510
- Median hourly wage: $61.78
- Total employment: 90 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $132,160
- Median hourly wage: $63.54
- Total employment: 40 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $132,170
- Median hourly wage: $63.54
- Total employment: 100 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $146,540
- Median hourly wage: $70.45
- Total employment: 80 people (1.19 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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