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1 / 50#50. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Median annual wage: $115,020
- Median hourly wage: $55.30
- Total employment: 940 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $117,340
- Median hourly wage: $56.41
- Total employment: 1,690 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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3 / 50#48. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $119,580
- Median hourly wage: $57.49
- Total employment: 1,160 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $119,610
- Median hourly wage: $57.50
- Total employment: 13,090 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $119,780
- Median hourly wage: $57.59
- Total employment: 1,270 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $121,940
- Median hourly wage: $58.62
- Total employment: 12,240 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $122,000
- Median hourly wage: $58.66
- Total employment: 7,910 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $122,520
- Median hourly wage: $58.90
- Total employment: 300 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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9 / 50#42. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $122,950
- Median hourly wage: $59.11
- Total employment: 300 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $123,460
- Median hourly wage: $59.36
- Total employment: 8,840 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $124,270
- Median hourly wage: $59.75
- Total employment: 10,030 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $124,970
- Median hourly wage: $60.08
- Total employment: 900 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
H_Ko // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Materials scientists
- Median annual wage: $126,240
- Median hourly wage: $60.69
- Total employment: 170 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $126,520
- Median hourly wage: $60.83
- Total employment: 15,260 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $126,790
- Median hourly wage: $60.96
- Total employment: 37,030 people (5.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $127,460
- Median hourly wage: $61.28
- Total employment: Not available
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17 / 50#34. Producers and directors
- Median annual wage: $127,590
- Median hourly wage: $61.34
- Total employment: 24,110 people (3.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $127,610
- Median hourly wage: $61.35
- Total employment: 102,370 people (16.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $127,680
- Median hourly wage: $61.39
- Total employment: 2,110 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $128,730
- Median hourly wage: $61.89
- Total employment: 10,430 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Emergency management directors
- Median annual wage: $128,860
- Median hourly wage: $61.95
- Total employment: 310 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FrameStockFootages // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Special effects artists and animators
- Median annual wage: $129,260
- Median hourly wage: $62.15
- Total employment: 4,780 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $131,280
- Median hourly wage: $63.11
- Total employment: 4,420 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $132,490
- Median hourly wage: $63.70
- Total employment: 560 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $133,440
- Median hourly wage: $64.16
- Total employment: 107,340 people (17.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Art directors
- Median annual wage: $133,550
- Median hourly wage: $64.21
- Total employment: 6,930 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $134,900
- Median hourly wage: $64.86
- Total employment: 7,870 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $135,820
- Median hourly wage: $65.30
- Total employment: 2,030 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $137,910
- Median hourly wage: $66.30
- Total employment: 4,520 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $138,200
- Median hourly wage: $66.44
- Total employment: 5,010 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators
- Median annual wage: $140,660
- Median hourly wage: $67.62
- Total employment: 1,360 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $140,890
- Median hourly wage: $67.74
- Total employment: 2,160 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $142,120
- Median hourly wage: $68.33
- Total employment: 2,760 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Taty77 // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
- Median annual wage: $142,520
- Median hourly wage: $68.52
- Total employment: 340 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $143,860
- Median hourly wage: $69.16
- Total employment: 6,090 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $145,300
- Median hourly wage: $69.86
- Total employment: 1,730 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $146,630
- Median hourly wage: $70.50
- Total employment: 3,460 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $148,870
- Median hourly wage: $71.57
- Total employment: 920 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $152,460
- Median hourly wage: $73.30
- Total employment: 1,020 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $155,330
- Median hourly wage: $74.68
- Total employment: 54,650 people (8.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Petroleum engineers
- Median annual wage: $161,320
- Median hourly wage: $77.56
- Total employment: 300 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $161,970
- Median hourly wage: $77.87
- Total employment: 8,890 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $163,100
- Median hourly wage: $78.42
- Total employment: 19,180 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $165,340
- Median hourly wage: $79.49
- Total employment: 32,970 people (5.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $171,620
- Median hourly wage: $82.51
- Total employment: 2,620 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $171,920
- Median hourly wage: $82.65
- Total employment: 35,320 people (5.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $181,400
- Median hourly wage: $87.21
- Total employment: 8,850 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $191,410
- Median hourly wage: $92.02
- Total employment: 24,260 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $231,500
- Median hourly wage: $111.30
- Total employment: 12,420 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 6,570 people (1.06 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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