PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
1 / 43#43. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $40,150
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Punta Gorda 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 Punta Gorda, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
You may also like: Highest-rated Asian restaurants in Punta Gorda by diners
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
2 / 43#42. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $43,100
- Median hourly wage: $20.72
- Total employment: 30 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
3 / 43#41. Community and social service specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $45,240
- Median hourly wage: $21.75
- Total employment: 40 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
4 / 43#40. Forensic science technicians
- Median annual wage: $48,220
- Median hourly wage: $23.18
- Total employment: 40 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
5 / 43#39. Graphic designers
- Median annual wage: $50,160
- Median hourly wage: $24.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying computer and engineering jobs in Punta Gorda
Rido // Shutterstock
6 / 43#38. Social workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $50,610
- Median hourly wage: $24.33
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Patrizio Martorana // Shutterstock
7 / 43#37. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
- Median annual wage: $52,330
- Median hourly wage: $25.16
- Total employment: 30 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
8 / 43#36. Public relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $52,460
- Median hourly wage: $25.22
- Total employment: 90 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
9 / 43#35. Training and development specialists
- Median annual wage: $53,790
- Median hourly wage: $25.86
- Total employment: 130 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
10 / 43#34. Teachers and instructors, all other
- Median annual wage: $55,680
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated sushi restaurants in the Punta Gorda area by diners
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
11 / 43#33. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 180 people (3.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
12 / 43#32. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Median annual wage: $58,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.15
- Total employment: 220 people (3.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
13 / 43#31. Property appraisers and assessors
- Median annual wage: $58,560
- Median hourly wage: $28.15
- Total employment: 60 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 43#30. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $58,860
- Median hourly wage: $28.30
- Total employment: 110 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GLRL // Shutterstock
15 / 43#29. Buyers and purchasing agents
- Median annual wage: $59,140
- Median hourly wage: $28.43
- Total employment: 110 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Coat drives near Punta Gorda
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
16 / 43#28. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Median annual wage: $59,380
- Median hourly wage: $28.55
- Total employment: 190 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mongta Studio // Shutterstock
17 / 43#27. Cost estimators
- Median annual wage: $61,020
- Median hourly wage: $29.34
- Total employment: 90 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
18 / 43#26. Human resources specialists
- Median annual wage: $63,680
- Median hourly wage: $30.61
- Total employment: 230 people (4.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
comzeal images // Shutterstock
19 / 43#25. Loan officers
- Median annual wage: $65,080
- Median hourly wage: $31.29
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
20 / 43#24. Child, family, and school social workers
- Median annual wage: $70,460
- Median hourly wage: $33.88
- Total employment: 110 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Punta Gorda
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
21 / 43#23. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $71,850
- Median hourly wage: $34.54
- Total employment: 380 people (6.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
22 / 43#22. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $71,950
- Median hourly wage: $34.59
- Total employment: 50 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
23 / 43#21. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $74,060
- Median hourly wage: $35.61
- Total employment: 180 people (3.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
24 / 43#20. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $76,110
- Median hourly wage: $36.59
- Total employment: 180 people (3.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
25 / 43#19. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $77,670
- Median hourly wage: $37.34
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: People from these metros are looking to buy homes in Punta Gorda
fizkes // Shutterstock
26 / 43#18. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $79,260
- Median hourly wage: $38.11
- Total employment: 160 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
27 / 43#17. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Median annual wage: $79,760
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 43#16. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $80,500
- Median hourly wage: $38.70
- Total employment: 1,480 people (26.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
29 / 43#15. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $81,920
- Median hourly wage: $39.39
- Total employment: 90 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
30 / 43#14. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $82,920
- Median hourly wage: $39.87
- Total employment: 240 people (4.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: The most expensive neighborhoods in Punta Gorda
fizkes // Shutterstock
31 / 43#13. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $85,610
- Median hourly wage: $41.16
- Total employment: 1,440 people (25.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
32 / 43#12. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $86,110
- Median hourly wage: $41.40
- Total employment: Not available
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
33 / 43#11. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $90,380
- Median hourly wage: $43.45
- Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
34 / 43#10. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $96,310
- Median hourly wage: $46.30
- Total employment: 170 people (3.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
35 / 43#9. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $98,490
- Median hourly wage: $47.35
- Total employment: 110 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Punta Gorda's 2025 housing market year in review
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
36 / 43#8. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $99,590
- Median hourly wage: $47.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
37 / 43#7. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $99,990
- Median hourly wage: $48.07
- Total employment: 110 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
38 / 43#6. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $103,420
- Median hourly wage: $49.72
- Total employment: 230 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
39 / 43#5. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $107,540
- Median hourly wage: $51.70
- Total employment: 130 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
40 / 43#4. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $116,870
- Median hourly wage: $56.19
- Total employment: 70 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: The 30 most popular homes for sale in Punta Gorda
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
41 / 43#3. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $126,450
- Median hourly wage: $60.79
- Total employment: 180 people (3.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
42 / 43#2. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $130,540
- Median hourly wage: $62.76
- Total employment: 190 people (3.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
43 / 43#1. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $157,940
- Median hourly wage: $75.94
- Total employment: 60 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.
