Iam_Anupong // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $62,280
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Gainesville, Georgia 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 Gainesville, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Special education teachers, middle school
- Median annual wage: $62,430
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $64,300
- Median hourly wage: $30.91
- Total employment: 220 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists
- Median annual wage: $64,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.93
- Total employment: 40 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $64,400
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 470 people (4.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Property appraisers and assessors
- Median annual wage: $64,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.98
- Total employment: 30 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Fundraisers
- Median annual wage: $64,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $65,260
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 910 people (8.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
industryviews // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school
- Median annual wage: $68,500
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $69,110
- Median hourly wage: $33.23
- Total employment: 160 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $69,700
- Median hourly wage: $33.51
- Total employment: 70 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $70,560
- Median hourly wage: $33.92
- Total employment: 1,010 people (9.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
AlesiaKan // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Health education specialists
- Median annual wage: $71,060
- Median hourly wage: $34.16
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $74,610
- Median hourly wage: $35.87
- Total employment: 670 people (6.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $74,990
- Median hourly wage: $36.05
- Total employment: 70 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Cost estimators
- Median annual wage: $75,330
- Median hourly wage: $36.22
- Total employment: 120 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $75,730
- Median hourly wage: $36.41
- Total employment: 180 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Dietitians and nutritionists
- Median annual wage: $76,300
- Median hourly wage: $36.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $76,550
- Median hourly wage: $36.80
- Total employment: 60 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $77,670
- Median hourly wage: $37.34
- Total employment: 50 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $79,220
- Median hourly wage: $38.09
- Total employment: 30 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $81,390
- Median hourly wage: $39.13
- Total employment: 170 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $83,620
- Median hourly wage: $40.20
- Total employment: 340 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $84,590
- Median hourly wage: $40.67
- Total employment: 240 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $92,100
- Median hourly wage: $44.28
- Total employment: 220 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $92,810
- Median hourly wage: $44.62
- Total employment: 1,880 people (18.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $95,570
- Median hourly wage: $45.95
- Total employment: 120 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $97,420
- Median hourly wage: $46.84
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $99,270
- Median hourly wage: $47.73
- Total employment: 30 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $99,990
- Median hourly wage: $48.07
- Total employment: 470 people (4.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $101,690
- Median hourly wage: $48.89
- Total employment: 80 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $102,320
- Median hourly wage: $49.19
- Total employment: 190 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $106,740
- Median hourly wage: $51.32
- Total employment: 70 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $108,310
- Median hourly wage: $52.07
- Total employment: 50 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $110,130
- Median hourly wage: $52.95
- Total employment: 190 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $110,270
- Median hourly wage: $53.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $114,350
- Median hourly wage: $54.98
- Total employment: 130 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $115,910
- Median hourly wage: $55.73
- Total employment: 60 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $118,160
- Median hourly wage: $56.81
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $119,720
- Median hourly wage: $57.56
- Total employment: 60 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $124,960
- Median hourly wage: $60.08
- Total employment: 250 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $127,910
- Median hourly wage: $61.50
- Total employment: 190 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $128,240
- Median hourly wage: $61.65
- Total employment: 70 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $129,360
- Median hourly wage: $62.19
- Total employment: 110 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $130,200
- Median hourly wage: $62.60
- Total employment: 260 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $132,250
- Median hourly wage: $63.58
- Total employment: 80 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $132,570
- Median hourly wage: $63.74
- Total employment: 30 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $136,890
- Median hourly wage: $65.81
- Total employment: 250 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $137,910
- Median hourly wage: $66.30
- Total employment: 230 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $152,810
- Median hourly wage: $73.47
- Total employment: 170 people (1.67 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.
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