Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Web and digital interface designers
- Median annual wage: $73,660
- Median hourly wage: $35.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Pensacola 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 Pensacola, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
You may also like: Car insurance rates in Pensacola October 2025
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $74,510
- Median hourly wage: $35.82
- Total employment: 250 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Writers and authors
- Median annual wage: $74,790
- Median hourly wage: $35.96
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $76,090
- Median hourly wage: $36.58
- Total employment: 1,170 people (6.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $77,100
- Median hourly wage: $37.07
- Total employment: 1,410 people (7.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Best restaurants for 10 cuisines in Pensacola
PR Image Factory // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $77,600
- Median hourly wage: $37.31
- Total employment: 270 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $77,980
- Median hourly wage: $37.49
- Total employment: 100 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $78,780
- Median hourly wage: $37.88
- Total employment: 90 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $79,920
- Median hourly wage: $38.42
- Total employment: 5,730 people (30.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Education administrators, all other
- Median annual wage: $80,430
- Median hourly wage: $38.67
- Total employment: 30 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Pensacola in the last week
Undrey // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $80,550
- Median hourly wage: $38.72
- Total employment: 480 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $82,740
- Median hourly wage: $39.78
- Total employment: 160 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $82,990
- Median hourly wage: $39.90
- Total employment: 290 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $84,360
- Median hourly wage: $40.56
- Total employment: 130 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Social scientists and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $84,640
- Median hourly wage: $40.69
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Pensacola
creativemarc // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $85,150
- Median hourly wage: $40.94
- Total employment: 280 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $86,170
- Median hourly wage: $41.43
- Total employment: 120 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $86,750
- Median hourly wage: $41.71
- Total employment: 30 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $88,190
- Median hourly wage: $42.40
- Total employment: 330 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $91,470
- Median hourly wage: $43.98
- Total employment: 110 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Lowest-paying jobs in Pensacola
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $94,230
- Median hourly wage: $45.30
- Total employment: 140 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $94,570
- Median hourly wage: $45.47
- Total employment: 1,000 people (5.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $95,450
- Median hourly wage: $45.89
- Total employment: 690 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $97,050
- Median hourly wage: $46.66
- Total employment: 4,550 people (24.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $97,730
- Median hourly wage: $46.98
- Total employment: 150 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Chinese restaurants in Pensacola
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $97,910
- Median hourly wage: $47.07
- Total employment: 410 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $98,170
- Median hourly wage: $47.20
- Total employment: 110 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $98,830
- Median hourly wage: $47.51
- Total employment: 400 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $100,500
- Median hourly wage: $48.32
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $100,810
- Median hourly wage: $48.46
- Total employment: 150 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: The highest-value homes in Pensacola
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $101,080
- Median hourly wage: $48.60
- Total employment: 730 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $101,440
- Median hourly wage: $48.77
- Total employment: 520 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $102,140
- Median hourly wage: $49.10
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $103,320
- Median hourly wage: $49.67
- Total employment: 820 people (4.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $103,520
- Median hourly wage: $49.77
- Total employment: 770 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated cafes in the Pensacola area by diners
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,890
- Median hourly wage: $51.39
- Total employment: 50 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $108,110
- Median hourly wage: $51.98
- Total employment: 480 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $108,990
- Median hourly wage: $52.40
- Total employment: 70 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $109,110
- Median hourly wage: $52.46
- Total employment: 180 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $110,870
- Median hourly wage: $53.30
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated breakfast restaurants in the Pensacola area by diners
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $112,070
- Median hourly wage: $53.88
- Total employment: 120 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $113,730
- Median hourly wage: $54.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Median annual wage: $115,130
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $118,090
- Median hourly wage: $56.77
- Total employment: 160 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $122,620
- Median hourly wage: $58.95
- Total employment: 790 people (4.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in the Pensacola metro area
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $126,260
- Median hourly wage: $60.70
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $127,630
- Median hourly wage: $61.36
- Total employment: 210 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $143,320
- Median hourly wage: $68.90
- Total employment: 320 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $145,750
- Median hourly wage: $70.07
- Total employment: 100 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $154,660
- Median hourly wage: $74.35
- Total employment: 520 people (2.73 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.
You may also like: The most expensive neighborhoods in Pensacola
