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 typically requires more education than an undergraduate degree can provide. Doctors, lawyers, and professors need extra years of focused study for their chosen fields, but they're not alone. Graduate degrees in fields like business, teaching, and public health build specialized knowledge that can fast-track a career—and one's salary.
Many hiring managers view a master's degree as the equivalent of two years of work experience, giving graduate degree holders a leg up. In 2024, master's degree holders earned a weekly median of $1,840, a 19% premium over undergraduate degree holders. Doctorates earned $2,278, and professional degree holders earned $2,363.
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.
Job security is another benefit. The unemployment rate for a master's degree holder is 2.2%, compared to 2.5% for undergraduate degree holders. Doctorates and professional degree holders' unemployment rate is close to 1%.
Employers believe a graduate degree showcases an employee's drive and commitment, but that comes at a price. Between 2000 and 2020, median annual tuition and fees for graduate degree programs increased by 233%. Unsurprisingly, median student debt has also increased, rising 47% to $50,000.
Depending on the career field, some prospective students may find it difficult to justify the expense. Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce found that full-time workers in STEM fields earned $128,000 annually, almost twice as much as their degreed counterparts in humanities and the arts. A graduate degree in humanities also only brought a 10% earnings premium over someone with a bachelor's degree.
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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)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
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)
KSai23 // Shutterstock
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)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
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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DGLimages // Shutterstock
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
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
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)
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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)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
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)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
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)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
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)
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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)
fizkes // Shutterstock
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)
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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)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
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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Daniel Besic // Shutterstock
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
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
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)
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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
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
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)
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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)
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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)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
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)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
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)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
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)
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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)
ESB Professional // Shutterstock
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
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
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 363 metros.
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