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1 / 49#49. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Median annual wage: $46,660
- Median hourly wage: $22.43
- Total employment: 210 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Boise that require a graduate degree
Earning top dollar often requires more education than an undergraduate degree. Of course, doctors, lawyers, and professors all need extra years of focused study in their respective fields, but they're not alone. Graduate degrees in industries like business, engineering, and mathematics build specialized knowledge that can fast-track one's career—and salary.
In 2024, master's degree holders earned a weekly median of $1,840, a 19% premium over undergraduate degree holders. Meanwhile, doctorates earned $2,278, and professional degree holders earned $2,363.
However, wages can vary widely by occupation. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Boise that require a graduate degree in Boise. 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.
Beyond offering higher pay, a master's degree may also provide greater job security. The unemployment rate for a master's degree holder was 2.2% in 2024, compared to 2.5% for undergraduate degree holders. Unemployment is close to 1% among those with doctorates and professional degrees.
According to a May 2025 report from ResumeGenius, many employers believe a graduate degree showcases an employee's drive and commitment, leading to better job prospects. But that comes at a price. Between 2000 and 2020, median annual tuition and fees for graduate degree programs increased by 233%. Unsurprisingly, median cumulative grad school debt also increased, rising 47% to $50,000.
Depending on the career field, the expense may be difficult to justify. Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce found that full-time workers with graduate degrees in STEM fields earned $128,000 annually, almost twice as much as their counterparts in humanities and the arts. Meanwhile, a humanities graduate degree brought only 10% more earnings than a bachelor's degree.
Keep reading to find out how much graduate degree holders can earn in different roles.
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2 / 49#48. Rehabilitation counselors
- Median annual wage: $48,780
- Median hourly wage: $23.45
- Total employment: 380 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
voronaman // Shutterstock
3 / 49#47. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $50,440
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
4 / 49#46. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $50,520
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
5 / 49#45. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $55,700
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 49#44. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Median annual wage: $55,730
- Median hourly wage: $26.79
- Total employment: 140 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 49#43. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $59,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 960 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Juri Pozzi // Shutterstock
8 / 49#42. Acupuncturists
- Median annual wage: $59,890
- Median hourly wage: $28.79
- Total employment: Not available
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9 / 49#41. Social work teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $59,920
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel Besic // Shutterstock
10 / 49#40. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $60,990
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 130 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
11 / 49#39. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $61,240
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
12 / 49#38. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Median annual wage: $61,300
- Median hourly wage: $29.47
- Total employment: 840 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
13 / 49#37. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 160 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock
14 / 49#36. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Median annual wage: $62,250
- Median hourly wage: $29.93
- Total employment: 70 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
15 / 49#35. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $65,360
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
16 / 49#34. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Median annual wage: $66,130
- Median hourly wage: $31.79
- Total employment: 1,070 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
17 / 49#33. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $66,370
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 140 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
18 / 49#32. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $68,960
- Median hourly wage: $33.15
- Total employment: 190 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
19 / 49#31. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $69,640
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleksii Didok // Shutterstock
20 / 49#30. Judicial law clerks
- Median annual wage: $71,690
- Median hourly wage: $34.47
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 49#29. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $71,930
- Median hourly wage: $34.58
- Total employment: 430 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
22 / 49#28. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $72,390
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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23 / 49#27. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $73,330
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
24 / 49#26. Anthropologists and archeologists
- Median annual wage: $73,470
- Median hourly wage: $35.32
- Total employment: 130 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
25 / 49#25. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $74,990
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 130 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 49#24. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $76,380
- Median hourly wage: $36.72
- Total employment: 190 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 49#23. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $77,810
- Median hourly wage: $37.41
- Total employment: 150 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 49#22. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,870
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 230 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
29 / 49#21. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $79,360
- Median hourly wage: $38.16
- Total employment: 720 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 49#20. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $79,490
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
31 / 49#19. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $80,270
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 180 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
KSai23 // Shutterstock
32 / 49#18. Chiropractors
- Median annual wage: $82,310
- Median hourly wage: $39.57
- Total employment: 100 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
33 / 49#17. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $86,130
- Median hourly wage: $41.41
- Total employment: 100 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
34 / 49#16. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $90,940
- Median hourly wage: $43.72
- Total employment: 290 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
35 / 49#15. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $95,640
- Median hourly wage: $45.98
- Total employment: 540 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
36 / 49#14. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $97,430
- Median hourly wage: $46.84
- Total employment: 430 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
37 / 49#13. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $99,060
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 640 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
38 / 49#12. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $105,360
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
39 / 49#11. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $105,640
- Median hourly wage: $50.79
- Total employment: 1,130 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
40 / 49#10. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $118,250
- Median hourly wage: $56.85
- Total employment: 240 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 49#9. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $122,720
- Median hourly wage: $59.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
42 / 49#8. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $129,610
- Median hourly wage: $62.31
- Total employment: 570 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 49#7. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $130,380
- Median hourly wage: $62.68
- Total employment: 810 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
44 / 49#6. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $139,170
- Median hourly wage: $66.91
- Total employment: 800 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
45 / 49#5. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $169,340
- Median hourly wage: $81.41
- Total employment: Not available
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46 / 49#4. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $174,660
- Median hourly wage: $83.97
- Total employment: 240 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
47 / 49#3. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $179,310
- Median hourly wage: $86.21
- Total employment: 310 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
48 / 49#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 590 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
49 / 49#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 590 people (1.51 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.
