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1 / 50#50. Loan officers
- Median annual wage: $77,000
- Median hourly wage: $37.02
- Total employment: 60 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Napa 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 Napa, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Human resources specialists
- Median annual wage: $78,660
- Median hourly wage: $37.82
- Total employment: 320 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
guruXOX // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Producers and directors
- Median annual wage: $78,770
- Median hourly wage: $37.87
- Total employment: 30 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $79,630
- Median hourly wage: $38.29
- Total employment: 170 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $79,980
- Median hourly wage: $38.45
- Total employment: 100 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PanuShot // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Financial specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $80,100
- Median hourly wage: $38.51
- Total employment: 50 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $80,130
- Median hourly wage: $38.52
- Total employment: 160 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Iam_Anupong // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $80,580
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $80,920
- Median hourly wage: $38.90
- Total employment: 420 people (5.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $81,320
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 480 people (6.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $83,190
- Median hourly wage: $40.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mongta Studio // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Cost estimators
- Median annual wage: $84,130
- Median hourly wage: $40.45
- Total employment: 110 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Soil and plant scientists
- Median annual wage: $87,070
- Median hourly wage: $41.86
- Total employment: 80 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Dietitians and nutritionists
- Median annual wage: $90,190
- Median hourly wage: $43.36
- Total employment: 40 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Fundraisers
- Median annual wage: $90,950
- Median hourly wage: $43.73
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists
- Median annual wage: $92,300
- Median hourly wage: $44.37
- Total employment: 30 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $94,170
- Median hourly wage: $45.27
- Total employment: 40 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $94,360
- Median hourly wage: $45.37
- Total employment: 90 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $94,750
- Median hourly wage: $45.55
- Total employment: 30 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $94,780
- Median hourly wage: $45.57
- Total employment: 560 people (7.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $95,420
- Median hourly wage: $45.88
- Total employment: 110 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Patrizio Martorana // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
- Median annual wage: $97,620
- Median hourly wage: $46.93
- Total employment: 50 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $98,120
- Median hourly wage: $47.17
- Total employment: 40 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
B Brown // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $100,720
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 240 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $101,430
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 170 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $101,560
- Median hourly wage: $48.83
- Total employment: 260 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $103,820
- Median hourly wage: $49.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling
- Median annual wage: $104,480
- Median hourly wage: $50.23
- Total employment: 30 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $105,290
- Median hourly wage: $50.62
- Total employment: 100 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $106,720
- Median hourly wage: $51.31
- Total employment: 330 people (4.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $108,170
- Median hourly wage: $52.01
- Total employment: 100 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Teachers and instructors, all other
- Median annual wage: $108,980
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $112,950
- Median hourly wage: $54.31
- Total employment: 140 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $115,440
- Median hourly wage: $55.50
- Total employment: 150 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $116,070
- Median hourly wage: $55.80
- Total employment: 30 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $122,820
- Median hourly wage: $59.05
- Total employment: 160 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $124,890
- Median hourly wage: $60.05
- Total employment: 1,320 people (16.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $126,440
- Median hourly wage: $60.79
- Total employment: 550 people (7.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $131,050
- Median hourly wage: $63.01
- Total employment: 120 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $133,370
- Median hourly wage: $64.12
- Total employment: 160 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Education administrators, all other
- Median annual wage: $135,550
- Median hourly wage: $65.17
- Total employment: 40 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $145,750
- Median hourly wage: $70.07
- Total employment: 230 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $154,990
- Median hourly wage: $74.51
- Total employment: 240 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $156,950
- Median hourly wage: $75.46
- Total employment: 120 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $159,180
- Median hourly wage: $76.53
- Total employment: 30 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $161,570
- Median hourly wage: $77.68
- Total employment: 330 people (4.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $162,260
- Median hourly wage: $78.01
- Total employment: 120 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $170,760
- Median hourly wage: $82.10
- Total employment: 110 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $177,270
- Median hourly wage: $85.23
- Total employment: 30 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 130 people (1.67 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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