Highest paying jobs in Grand Junction that require a bachelor's degree

While college and university tuition costs may be skyrocketing, a bachelor's degree remains essential to many high-paying jobs across the United States.

Annual tuition and fees at four-year colleges rose 10 to 14% on average from 2010-11 to 2021-22, National Center for Education Statistics data shows. For many students, this means taking out loans. Federal student loan recipients who earned a bachelor's degree in 2016 borrowed an average of over $45,000 to earn their degree, as measured four years after graduation.

While expensive, bachelor's degrees provide higher earnings potential for U.S. workers. A Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis from 2021 shows that bachelor's degree holders make $277 more weekly than the median for all jobs, and $525 more than those whose highest education level is a high school diploma. What's more, the unemployment rate is lower for bachelor's degree holders at 3.5%, compared to 4.7% for all U.S. workers.

To be sure, not all jobs that require a bachelor's pay well. So, if you're going to get an undergraduate degree, what jobs will pay enough to make it worthwhile?

Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Grand Junction that require a bachelor's degree. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.

Keep reading to discover the highest-paying jobs that require a bachelor's degree in Grand Junction.

This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.

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Rido // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Social workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $50,100
- Median hourly wage: $24.09
- Total employment: 100 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

2 / 50

#49. Elementary school teachers, except special education

- Median annual wage: $51,490
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 610 people (9.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

B Brown // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education

- Median annual wage: $51,630
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 390 people (6.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DGLimages // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school

- Median annual wage: $51,780
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Training and development specialists

- Median annual wage: $51,980
- Median hourly wage: $24.99
- Total employment: 150 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

6 / 50

#45. Special education teachers, middle school

- Median annual wage: $52,130
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

7 / 50

#44. Coaches and scouts

- Median annual wage: $53,290
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GLRL // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Buyers and purchasing agents

- Median annual wage: $53,870
- Median hourly wage: $25.90
- Total employment: 150 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Market research analysts and marketing specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,300
- Median hourly wage: $27.07
- Total employment: 300 people (4.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

guruXOX // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Producers and directors

- Median annual wage: $56,340
- Median hourly wage: $27.09
- Total employment: 30 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $59,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.48
- Total employment: 100 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Public relations specialists

- Median annual wage: $59,960
- Median hourly wage: $28.83
- Total employment: 70 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists

- Median annual wage: $60,860
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 70 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rido // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Human resources specialists

- Median annual wage: $61,220
- Median hourly wage: $29.43
- Total employment: 270 people (4.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Fundraisers

- Median annual wage: $61,620
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 30 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Freedy // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Surveyors

- Median annual wage: $62,500
- Median hourly wage: $30.05
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Educational instruction and library workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $62,730
- Median hourly wage: $30.16
- Total employment: Not available

ImageFlow // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Accountants and auditors

- Median annual wage: $63,920
- Median hourly wage: $30.73
- Total employment: 590 people (9.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

19 / 50

#32. Compliance officers

- Median annual wage: $64,290
- Median hourly wage: $30.91
- Total employment: 100 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Teachers and instructors, all other

- Median annual wage: $66,050
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Dietitians and nutritionists

- Median annual wage: $67,910
- Median hourly wage: $32.65
- Total employment: 30 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

comzeal images // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#28. Loan officers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $70,620
- Median hourly wage: $33.95
- Total employment: 140 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

boonchoke // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Business operations specialists, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $70,620
- Median hourly wage: $33.95
- Total employment: 600 people (9.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

24 / 50

#27. Property appraisers and assessors

- Median annual wage: $71,410
- Median hourly wage: $34.33
- Total employment: 50 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Mongta Studio // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Cost estimators

- Median annual wage: $71,890
- Median hourly wage: $34.56
- Total employment: 150 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

26 / 50

#25. Civil engineers

- Median annual wage: $76,510
- Median hourly wage: $36.78
- Total employment: 170 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Industrial engineers

- Median annual wage: $76,590
- Median hourly wage: $36.82
- Total employment: 50 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

28 / 50

#23. Mechanical engineers

- Median annual wage: $76,770
- Median hourly wage: $36.91
- Total employment: 90 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Social and community service managers

- Median annual wage: $79,150
- Median hourly wage: $38.05
- Total employment: Not available

Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Occupational health and safety specialists

- Median annual wage: $79,720
- Median hourly wage: $38.33
- Total employment: 60 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Logisticians

- Median annual wage: $79,870
- Median hourly wage: $38.40
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Registered nurses

- Median annual wage: $81,480
- Median hourly wage: $39.17
- Total employment: 1,850 people (28.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Data scientists

- Median annual wage: $82,060
- Median hourly wage: $39.45
- Total employment: 30 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Project management specialists

- Median annual wage: $82,220
- Median hourly wage: $39.53
- Total employment: 360 people (5.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products

- Median annual wage: $86,580
- Median hourly wage: $41.63
- Total employment: 100 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Network and computer systems administrators

- Median annual wage: $87,090
- Median hourly wage: $41.87
- Total employment: 110 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Computer occupations, all other

- Median annual wage: $89,940
- Median hourly wage: $43.24
- Total employment: 50 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

38 / 50

#13. Construction managers

- Median annual wage: $91,300
- Median hourly wage: $43.90
- Total employment: 290 people (4.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Computer network architects

- Median annual wage: $92,180
- Median hourly wage: $44.32
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Management analysts

- Median annual wage: $92,580
- Median hourly wage: $44.51
- Total employment: 180 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

41 / 50

#10. Computer systems analysts

- Median annual wage: $96,940
- Median hourly wage: $46.61
- Total employment: 50 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

42 / 50

#9. General and operations managers

- Median annual wage: $98,490
- Median hourly wage: $47.35
- Total employment: 1,060 people (16.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Software developers

- Median annual wage: $106,930
- Median hourly wage: $51.41
- Total employment: 130 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Medical and health services managers

- Median annual wage: $109,000
- Median hourly wage: $52.41
- Total employment: 200 people (3.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

45 / 50

#6. Personal financial advisors

- Median annual wage: $122,380
- Median hourly wage: $58.84
- Total employment: 80 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Managers, all other

- Median annual wage: $124,220
- Median hourly wage: $59.72
- Total employment: 150 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

47 / 50

#4. Financial managers

- Median annual wage: $126,720
- Median hourly wage: $60.92
- Total employment: 130 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Computer and information systems managers

- Median annual wage: $128,530
- Median hourly wage: $61.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Marketing managers

- Median annual wage: $132,110
- Median hourly wage: $63.52
- Total employment: 30 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

50 / 50

#1. Sales managers

- Median annual wage: $193,510
- Median hourly wage: $93.03
- Total employment: 110 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Highest paying jobs in Grand Junction that require a bachelor's degree

#50. Social workers, all other

#49. Elementary school teachers, except special education

#48. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education

#47. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school

#46. Training and development specialists

#45. Special education teachers, middle school

#44. Coaches and scouts

#43. Buyers and purchasing agents

#42. Market research analysts and marketing specialists

#41. Producers and directors

#40. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians

#39. Public relations specialists

#38. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists

#37. Human resources specialists

#36. Fundraisers

#35. Surveyors

#34. Educational instruction and library workers, all other

#33. Accountants and auditors

#32. Compliance officers

#31. Teachers and instructors, all other

#30. Dietitians and nutritionists

#28. Loan officers (tie)

#28. Business operations specialists, all other (tie)

#27. Property appraisers and assessors

#26. Cost estimators

#25. Civil engineers

#24. Industrial engineers

#23. Mechanical engineers

#22. Social and community service managers

#21. Occupational health and safety specialists

#20. Logisticians

#19. Registered nurses

#18. Data scientists

#17. Project management specialists

#16. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products

#15. Network and computer systems administrators

#14. Computer occupations, all other

#13. Construction managers

#12. Computer network architects

#11. Management analysts

#10. Computer systems analysts

#9. General and operations managers

#8. Software developers

#7. Medical and health services managers

#6. Personal financial advisors

#5. Managers, all other

#4. Financial managers

#3. Computer and information systems managers

#2. Marketing managers

#1. Sales managers

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