DGLimages // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Median annual wage: $102,760
- Median hourly wage: $49.40
- Total employment: 900 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in San Jose that require a graduate degree
Earning top dollar typically requires more education than an undergraduate degree can provide. Doctors, lawyers, and professors need extra years of focused study for their chosen fields, but they're not alone. Graduate degrees in fields like business, teaching, and public health build specialized knowledge that can fast-track a career—and one's salary.
Many hiring managers view a master's degree as the equivalent of two years of work experience, giving graduate degree holders a leg up. In 2024, master's degree holders earned a weekly median of $1,840, a 19% premium over undergraduate degree holders. Doctorates earned $2,278, and professional degree holders earned $2,363.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in San Jose that require a graduate degree in San Jose. This includes doctorates, master's degrees, and professional degrees. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
Job security is another benefit. The unemployment rate for a master's degree holder is 2.2%, compared to 2.5% for undergraduate degree holders. Doctorates and professional degree holders' unemployment rate is close to 1%.
Employers believe a graduate degree showcases an employee's drive and commitment, but that comes at a price. Between 2000 and 2020, median annual tuition and fees for graduate degree programs increased by 233%. Unsurprisingly, median student debt has also increased, rising 47% to $50,000.
Depending on the career field, some prospective students may find it difficult to justify the expense. Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce found that full-time workers in STEM fields earned $128,000 annually, almost twice as much as their degreed counterparts in humanities and the arts. A graduate degree in humanities also only brought a 10% earnings premium over someone with a bachelor's degree.
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2 / 50#49. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $103,210
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 290 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $103,290
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 330 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $106,000
- Median hourly wage: $50.96
- Total employment: 790 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $115,440
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $118,390
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 210 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $119,270
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. History teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $119,920
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $120,750
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 160 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel Besic // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $121,400
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 310 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $121,600
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 460 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $124,780
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $125,570
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Biochemists and biophysicists
- Median annual wage: $126,830
- Median hourly wage: $60.98
- Total employment: 300 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $127,430
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 240 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VH-studio // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $127,940
- Median hourly wage: $61.51
- Total employment: 280 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $128,730
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 600 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $129,000
- Median hourly wage: $62.02
- Total employment: 1,940 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Audiologists
- Median annual wage: $129,330
- Median hourly wage: $62.18
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $130,220
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 150 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $130,660
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,010 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $131,800
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $133,380
- Median hourly wage: $64.13
- Total employment: 310 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $134,720
- Median hourly wage: $64.77
- Total employment: 700 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $135,860
- Median hourly wage: $65.32
- Total employment: 630 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other
- Median annual wage: $137,240
- Median hourly wage: $65.98
- Total employment: 220 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $137,250
- Median hourly wage: $65.98
- Total employment: 1,350 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. General internal medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $140,900
- Median hourly wage: $67.74
- Total employment: 600 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $149,340
- Median hourly wage: $71.80
- Total employment: 380 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $153,130
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 140 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $154,420
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 250 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $155,990
- Median hourly wage: $75.00
- Total employment: 1,600 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Genetic counselors
- Median annual wage: $159,960
- Median hourly wage: $76.90
- Total employment: 90 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $164,500
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,810 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $169,330
- Median hourly wage: $81.41
- Total employment: 110 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $175,050
- Median hourly wage: $84.16
- Total employment: 340 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $177,740
- Median hourly wage: $85.45
- Total employment: 420 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $181,230
- Median hourly wage: $87.13
- Total employment: 1,480 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $191,880
- Median hourly wage: $92.25
- Total employment: 2,190 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $196,250
- Median hourly wage: $94.35
- Total employment: 1,950 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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luchschenF // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $214,520
- Median hourly wage: $103.14
- Total employment: 430 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $215,600
- Median hourly wage: $103.65
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $225,730
- Median hourly wage: $108.52
- Total employment: 1,280 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
4 PM production // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 1,350 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Physicians, pathologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 150 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Nurse anesthetists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Lawyers (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 6,270 people (5.53 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 363 metros.
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