Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Rehabilitation counselors
- Median annual wage: $45,610
- Median hourly wage: $21.93
- Total employment: 200 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Santa Maria that require a graduate degree
Earning top dollar often requires more education than an undergraduate degree. Of course, doctors, lawyers, and professors all need extra years of focused study in their respective fields, but they're not alone. Graduate degrees in industries like business, engineering, and mathematics build specialized knowledge that can fast-track one's career—and salary.
In 2024, master's degree holders earned a weekly median of $1,840, a 19% premium over undergraduate degree holders. Meanwhile, doctorates earned $2,278, and professional degree holders earned $2,363.
However, wages can vary widely by occupation. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Santa Maria that require a graduate degree in Santa Maria. 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.
Beyond offering higher pay, a master's degree may also provide greater job security. The unemployment rate for a master's degree holder was 2.2% in 2024, compared to 2.5% for undergraduate degree holders. Unemployment is close to 1% among those with doctorates and professional degrees.
According to a May 2025 report from ResumeGenius, many employers believe a graduate degree showcases an employee's drive and commitment, leading to better job prospects. But that comes at a price. Between 2000 and 2020, median annual tuition and fees for graduate degree programs increased by 233%. Unsurprisingly, median cumulative grad school debt also increased, rising 47% to $50,000.
Depending on the career field, the expense may be difficult to justify. Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce found that full-time workers with graduate degrees in STEM fields earned $128,000 annually, almost twice as much as their counterparts in humanities and the arts. Meanwhile, a humanities graduate degree brought only 10% more earnings than a bachelor's degree.
Keep reading to find out how much graduate degree holders can earn in different roles.
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Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Counselors, all other
- Median annual wage: $59,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 110 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daxiao Productions // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Marriage and family therapists
- Median annual wage: $72,150
- Median hourly wage: $34.69
- Total employment: 240 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Median annual wage: $72,380
- Median hourly wage: $34.80
- Total employment: 800 people (3.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Median annual wage: $77,830
- Median hourly wage: $37.42
- Total employment: 160 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Ground Picture // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $78,170
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $79,400
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,390 people (6.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Median annual wage: $84,660
- Median hourly wage: $40.70
- Total employment: 760 people (3.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $93,430
- Median hourly wage: $44.92
- Total employment: 190 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $98,410
- Median hourly wage: $47.31
- Total employment: 330 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Median annual wage: $98,670
- Median hourly wage: $47.44
- Total employment: 120 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $101,040
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $101,980
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 130 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $102,300
- Median hourly wage: $49.18
- Total employment: 140 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ESB Professional // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $102,620
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $103,310
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $103,700
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $104,140
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $105,750
- Median hourly wage: $50.84
- Total employment: 210 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $107,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Library science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $108,720
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aodaodaodaod // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Sociologists
- Median annual wage: $111,750
- Median hourly wage: $53.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $113,660
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $119,920
- Median hourly wage: $57.65
- Total employment: 140 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $121,330
- Median hourly wage: $58.33
- Total employment: 290 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $122,060
- Median hourly wage: $58.69
- Total employment: 140 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $124,450
- Median hourly wage: $59.83
- Total employment: 190 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $126,390
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $127,030
- Median hourly wage: $61.07
- Total employment: 130 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $128,700
- Median hourly wage: $61.87
- Total employment: 160 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Daniel Besic // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $129,620
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $131,170
- Median hourly wage: $63.06
- Total employment: 180 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $134,820
- Median hourly wage: $64.82
- Total employment: 30 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $141,020
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 410 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $142,330
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stokkete // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $150,840
- Median hourly wage: $72.52
- Total employment: 130 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $156,850
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $157,860
- Median hourly wage: $75.89
- Total employment: 130 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $158,380
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $160,190
- Median hourly wage: $77.01
- Total employment: Not available
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $163,460
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $163,950
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $165,810
- Median hourly wage: $79.72
- Total employment: 260 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $166,630
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Geography teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $169,670
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $170,380
- Median hourly wage: $81.91
- Total employment: 600 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $171,150
- Median hourly wage: $82.28
- Total employment: 210 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Pediatricians, general (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
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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