Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $86,980
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 270 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Hartford 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 Hartford that require a graduate degree in Hartford. 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.
Petekub // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Economists
- Median annual wage: $92,460
- Median hourly wage: $44.45
- Total employment: 130 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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3 / 50#48. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Median annual wage: $93,650
- Median hourly wage: $45.02
- Total employment: 200 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 / 50#47. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $94,750
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. History teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $95,480
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 130 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $95,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $96,300
- Median hourly wage: $46.30
- Total employment: 160 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $98,790
- Median hourly wage: $47.49
- Total employment: 330 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $98,800
- Median hourly wage: $47.50
- Total employment: 380 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $99,390
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 320 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $99,570
- Median hourly wage: $47.87
- Total employment: 740 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $100,920
- Median hourly wage: $48.52
- Total employment: 690 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $101,610
- Median hourly wage: $48.85
- Total employment: 970 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleksii Didok // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Judicial law clerks
- Median annual wage: $102,710
- Median hourly wage: $49.38
- Total employment: 120 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $103,890
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 3,210 people (5.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $104,080
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 140 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $104,170
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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18 / 50#33. Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $104,290
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $104,370
- Median hourly wage: $50.18
- Total employment: 1,390 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $105,440
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $106,910
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 370 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $108,430
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
KSai23 // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Chiropractors
- Median annual wage: $109,580
- Median hourly wage: $52.68
- Total employment: 70 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Anthropology and archeology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $109,670
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $112,600
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
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26 / 50#25. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $124,450
- Median hourly wage: $59.83
- Total employment: 40 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $125,330
- Median hourly wage: $60.26
- Total employment: 540 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $128,180
- Median hourly wage: $61.63
- Total employment: Not available
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $130,530
- Median hourly wage: $62.76
- Total employment: 1,050 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $130,760
- Median hourly wage: $62.87
- Total employment: 30 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $131,480
- Median hourly wage: $63.21
- Total employment: 310 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $136,880
- Median hourly wage: $65.81
- Total employment: 1,460 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $138,270
- Median hourly wage: $66.48
- Total employment: 110 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $139,920
- Median hourly wage: $67.27
- Total employment: 1,540 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $142,090
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,500 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other
- Median annual wage: $149,070
- Median hourly wage: $71.67
- Total employment: Not available
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37 / 50#14. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $155,470
- Median hourly wage: $74.75
- Total employment: 3,390 people (5.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Obstetricians and gynecologists
- Median annual wage: $184,150
- Median hourly wage: $88.53
- Total employment: 120 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Elnur // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Podiatrists
- Median annual wage: $198,580
- Median hourly wage: $95.47
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $211,590
- Median hourly wage: $101.73
- Total employment: 520 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $216,840
- Median hourly wage: $104.25
- Total employment: 350 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Surgeons, all other
- Median annual wage: $217,970
- Median hourly wage: $104.80
- Total employment: 140 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $222,320
- Median hourly wage: $106.89
- Total employment: 580 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $223,670
- Median hourly wage: $107.53
- Total employment: 180 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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45 / 50#6. Neurologists
- Median annual wage: $231,420
- Median hourly wage: $111.26
- Total employment: 80 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $232,210
- Median hourly wage: $111.64
- Total employment: 1,080 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Orthodontists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Komsan Loonprom // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 160 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 250 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Djols // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 290 people (0.49 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.
