wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $107,110
- Median hourly wage: $51.50
- Total employment: 470 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Bridgeport 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 Bridgeport, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $109,060
- Median hourly wage: $52.43
- Total employment: 1,190 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $109,740
- Median hourly wage: $52.76
- Total employment: 670 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $110,960
- Median hourly wage: $53.34
- Total employment: 1,340 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $113,440
- Median hourly wage: $54.54
- Total employment: 190 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stokkete // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Music directors and composers
- Median annual wage: $114,290
- Median hourly wage: $54.95
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $115,770
- Median hourly wage: $55.66
- Total employment: 150 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $119,560
- Median hourly wage: $57.48
- Total employment: 2,190 people (5.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $119,900
- Median hourly wage: $57.65
- Total employment: 290 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $122,900
- Median hourly wage: $59.09
- Total employment: 620 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Biological scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $123,080
- Median hourly wage: $59.17
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $123,350
- Median hourly wage: $59.30
- Total employment: 1,230 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $124,750
- Median hourly wage: $59.97
- Total employment: 460 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $127,290
- Median hourly wage: $61.20
- Total employment: 100 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $129,470
- Median hourly wage: $62.25
- Total employment: 210 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $130,290
- Median hourly wage: $62.64
- Total employment: 2,040 people (5.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $130,440
- Median hourly wage: $62.71
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $132,590
- Median hourly wage: $63.75
- Total employment: 1,760 people (4.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $132,880
- Median hourly wage: $63.88
- Total employment: 13,360 people (33.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $134,220
- Median hourly wage: $64.53
- Total employment: 210 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $134,400
- Median hourly wage: $64.61
- Total employment: 540 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $134,420
- Median hourly wage: $64.62
- Total employment: 120 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $137,720
- Median hourly wage: $66.21
- Total employment: 540 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $139,660
- Median hourly wage: $67.14
- Total employment: 370 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $140,180
- Median hourly wage: $67.40
- Total employment: 70 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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creativemarc // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $141,660
- Median hourly wage: $68.11
- Total employment: 690 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $142,170
- Median hourly wage: $68.35
- Total employment: 550 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $145,100
- Median hourly wage: $69.76
- Total employment: 180 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $149,380
- Median hourly wage: $71.82
- Total employment: 270 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $149,480
- Median hourly wage: $71.86
- Total employment: 1,920 people (4.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $157,540
- Median hourly wage: $75.74
- Total employment: 3,800 people (9.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $158,170
- Median hourly wage: $76.05
- Total employment: 260 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $158,640
- Median hourly wage: $76.27
- Total employment: 480 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $159,330
- Median hourly wage: $76.60
- Total employment: 2,730 people (6.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $161,080
- Median hourly wage: $77.44
- Total employment: 130 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Median annual wage: $166,430
- Median hourly wage: $80.02
- Total employment: 3,610 people (8.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $166,660
- Median hourly wage: $80.13
- Total employment: 1,030 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $168,280
- Median hourly wage: $80.90
- Total employment: 2,220 people (5.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $170,150
- Median hourly wage: $81.80
- Total employment: 2,600 people (6.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $170,960
- Median hourly wage: $82.19
- Total employment: 130 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $175,640
- Median hourly wage: $84.44
- Total employment: 2,930 people (7.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $176,300
- Median hourly wage: $84.76
- Total employment: Not available
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $176,730
- Median hourly wage: $84.96
- Total employment: 260 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $179,510
- Median hourly wage: $86.30
- Total employment: 120 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $182,090
- Median hourly wage: $87.55
- Total employment: 160 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: $188,020
- Median hourly wage: $90.40
- Total employment: 7,100 people (17.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $188,540
- Median hourly wage: $90.65
- Total employment: 280 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $193,600
- Median hourly wage: $93.08
- Total employment: 1,050 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Financial examiners
- Median annual wage: $194,810
- Median hourly wage: $93.66
- Total employment: 180 people (0.45 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: 410 people (1.01 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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