DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Athletic trainers
- Median annual wage: $67,090
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in New Haven 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 New Haven that require a graduate degree in New Haven. 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.
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $77,550
- Median hourly wage: $37.29
- Total employment: 270 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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3 / 50#48. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Median annual wage: $77,850
- Median hourly wage: $37.43
- Total employment: 680 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 / 50#47. Chiropractors
- Median annual wage: $80,200
- Median hourly wage: $38.56
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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5 / 50#46. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Median annual wage: $81,580
- Median hourly wage: $39.22
- Total employment: 550 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $82,130
- Median hourly wage: $39.48
- Total employment: 450 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $83,080
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
I. Noyan Yilmaz // // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Environmental science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $85,550
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
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9 / 50#42. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $89,730
- Median hourly wage: $43.14
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $93,790
- Median hourly wage: $45.09
- Total employment: 120 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $94,330
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 150 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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12 / 50#39. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $95,080
- Median hourly wage: $45.71
- Total employment: 1,960 people (6.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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13 / 50#38. Curators
- Median annual wage: $97,820
- Median hourly wage: $47.03
- Total employment: 70 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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14 / 50#37. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $99,140
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $99,230
- Median hourly wage: $47.71
- Total employment: 270 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other
- Median annual wage: $99,420
- Median hourly wage: $47.80
- Total employment: 140 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
voronaman // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $101,310
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $101,520
- Median hourly wage: $48.81
- Total employment: 420 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $102,210
- Median hourly wage: $49.14
- Total employment: 120 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $102,280
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $102,560
- Median hourly wage: $49.31
- Total employment: 650 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $103,530
- Median hourly wage: $49.78
- Total employment: 780 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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23 / 50#28. Social work teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $104,470
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $104,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $105,260
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 150 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $105,420
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $105,950
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
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28 / 50#23. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $106,140
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $106,600
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $108,990
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 170 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Audiologists
- Median annual wage: $109,800
- Median hourly wage: $52.79
- Total employment: 30 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Law teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $110,220
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
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33 / 50#18. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $110,810
- Median hourly wage: $53.27
- Total employment: 1,180 people (4.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $110,890
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daxiao Productions // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Marriage and family therapists
- Median annual wage: $120,280
- Median hourly wage: $57.83
- Total employment: 70 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $124,990
- Median hourly wage: $60.09
- Total employment: 360 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $125,780
- Median hourly wage: $60.47
- Total employment: 130 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $128,260
- Median hourly wage: $61.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Biochemists and biophysicists
- Median annual wage: $128,760
- Median hourly wage: $61.90
- Total employment: 110 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $132,730
- Median hourly wage: $63.81
- Total employment: 660 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $135,510
- Median hourly wage: $65.15
- Total employment: 820 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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42 / 50#9. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $143,120
- Median hourly wage: $68.81
- Total employment: 760 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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43 / 50#8. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $150,990
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 690 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $157,720
- Median hourly wage: $75.83
- Total employment: 1,230 people (4.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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45 / 50#6. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $162,450
- Median hourly wage: $78.10
- Total employment: 110 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $210,110
- Median hourly wage: $101.02
- Total employment: 80 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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47 / 50#4. Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $217,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
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48 / 50#3. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $236,970
- Median hourly wage: $113.93
- Total employment: 110 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. General internal medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $237,980
- Median hourly wage: $114.41
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Psychiatrists
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.18 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.
