N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $78,480
- Median hourly wage: $37.73
- Total employment: 130 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Visalia 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 Visalia, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $78,640
- Median hourly wage: $37.81
- Total employment: 810 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Dietitians and nutritionists
- Median annual wage: $79,280
- Median hourly wage: $38.12
- Total employment: 80 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
industryviews // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school
- Median annual wage: $79,420
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Iam_Anupong // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $79,570
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 290 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Teachers and instructors, all other
- Median annual wage: $80,040
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 730 people (4.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling
- Median annual wage: $80,200
- Median hourly wage: $38.56
- Total employment: 30 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $80,620
- Median hourly wage: $38.76
- Total employment: 340 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $80,700
- Median hourly wage: $38.80
- Total employment: 100 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
science photo // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Food scientists and technologists
- Median annual wage: $81,350
- Median hourly wage: $39.11
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $83,650
- Median hourly wage: $40.22
- Total employment: 50 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $86,930
- Median hourly wage: $41.79
- Total employment: 620 people (3.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Patrizio Martorana // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
- Median annual wage: $89,110
- Median hourly wage: $42.84
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sabthai // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Budget analysts
- Median annual wage: $90,660
- Median hourly wage: $43.59
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $94,910
- Median hourly wage: $45.63
- Total employment: 150 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $95,320
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,540 people (9.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $96,000
- Median hourly wage: $46.15
- Total employment: 100 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $96,070
- Median hourly wage: $46.19
- Total employment: 100 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Labor relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $96,220
- Median hourly wage: $46.26
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ermolaev Alexander // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Special education teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $96,520
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 150 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $96,920
- Median hourly wage: $46.60
- Total employment: 400 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $97,580
- Median hourly wage: $46.92
- Total employment: 80 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $98,060
- Median hourly wage: $47.15
- Total employment: 1,950 people (11.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $99,400
- Median hourly wage: $47.79
- Total employment: 60 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $99,530
- Median hourly wage: $47.85
- Total employment: 200 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $99,810
- Median hourly wage: $47.99
- Total employment: 150 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $100,940
- Median hourly wage: $48.53
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $101,340
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 2,520 people (14.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $101,610
- Median hourly wage: $48.85
- Total employment: 190 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $101,870
- Median hourly wage: $48.98
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Median annual wage: $102,630
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $103,560
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 460 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $103,740
- Median hourly wage: $49.88
- Total employment: 190 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $107,180
- Median hourly wage: $51.53
- Total employment: 30 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $107,530
- Median hourly wage: $51.70
- Total employment: 240 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $111,200
- Median hourly wage: $53.46
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $111,280
- Median hourly wage: $53.50
- Total employment: 140 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $118,430
- Median hourly wage: $56.94
- Total employment: 100 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $120,160
- Median hourly wage: $57.77
- Total employment: 2,740 people (16.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $120,910
- Median hourly wage: $58.13
- Total employment: 530 people (3.13 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: $121,250
- Median hourly wage: $58.30
- Total employment: 70 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $123,480
- Median hourly wage: $59.36
- Total employment: 230 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $124,410
- Median hourly wage: $59.81
- Total employment: 190 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $126,440
- Median hourly wage: $60.79
- Total employment: 120 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $131,560
- Median hourly wage: $63.25
- Total employment: 400 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $133,550
- Median hourly wage: $64.21
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $147,030
- Median hourly wage: $70.69
- Total employment: 150 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $148,110
- Median hourly wage: $71.21
- Total employment: 120 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $163,560
- Median hourly wage: $78.63
- Total employment: 60 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $170,690
- Median hourly wage: $82.06
- Total employment: 200 people (1.17 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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