voronaman // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $80,810
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 180 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Atlanta 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 Atlanta that require a graduate degree in Atlanta. 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. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,100
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 320 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $96,310
- Median hourly wage: $46.30
- Total employment: 890 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $98,290
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 300 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $98,930
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 150 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Architecture teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $99,340
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $99,610
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 600 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
I. Noyan Yilmaz // // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Environmental science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $101,100
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 190 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $101,410
- Median hourly wage: $48.76
- Total employment: 2,150 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $101,620
- Median hourly wage: $48.86
- Total employment: 2,590 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VH-studio // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $101,810
- Median hourly wage: $48.95
- Total employment: Not available
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Audiologists
- Median annual wage: $101,920
- Median hourly wage: $49.00
- Total employment: 800 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $102,740
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 600 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $103,520
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 180 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $103,750
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 4,100 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $103,790
- Median hourly wage: $49.90
- Total employment: 3,210 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $107,900
- Median hourly wage: $51.87
- Total employment: 2,670 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $109,100
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 750 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $109,260
- Median hourly wage: $52.53
- Total employment: 470 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $124,150
- Median hourly wage: $59.69
- Total employment: 100 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $125,830
- Median hourly wage: $60.50
- Total employment: 310 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $126,150
- Median hourly wage: $60.65
- Total employment: 1,510 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $127,150
- Median hourly wage: $61.13
- Total employment: 1,440 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Petekub // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Economists
- Median annual wage: $127,220
- Median hourly wage: $61.17
- Total employment: 310 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $128,450
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 220 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $128,640
- Median hourly wage: $61.84
- Total employment: 6,280 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $128,790
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 540 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $128,910
- Median hourly wage: $61.98
- Total employment: 17,810 people (6.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $131,020
- Median hourly wage: $62.99
- Total employment: 240 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other
- Median annual wage: $131,120
- Median hourly wage: $63.04
- Total employment: 2,530 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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luchschenF // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $131,560
- Median hourly wage: $63.25
- Total employment: 140 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $132,070
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 3,250 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $133,550
- Median hourly wage: $64.21
- Total employment: 410 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $136,260
- Median hourly wage: $65.51
- Total employment: 6,760 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Djols // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Emergency medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $139,990
- Median hourly wage: $67.30
- Total employment: 2,760 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $141,790
- Median hourly wage: $68.17
- Total employment: 560 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Elnur // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Podiatrists
- Median annual wage: $161,810
- Median hourly wage: $77.79
- Total employment: 80 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $162,290
- Median hourly wage: $78.02
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Anesthesiologists
- Median annual wage: $206,890
- Median hourly wage: $99.47
- Total employment: Not available
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Dentists, all other specialists
- Median annual wage: $211,370
- Median hourly wage: $101.62
- Total employment: 30 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $214,490
- Median hourly wage: $103.12
- Total employment: 1,900 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $217,720
- Median hourly wage: $104.67
- Total employment: 510 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
43 / 50#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 680 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 4,170 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 PM production // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 1,510 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Komsan Loonprom // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 300 people (0.1 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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