Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Graphic designers
- Median annual wage: $48,780
- Median hourly wage: $23.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Decatur, Illinois 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 Decatur, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $54,940
- Median hourly wage: $26.42
- Total employment: 60 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Fundraisers
- Median annual wage: $55,810
- Median hourly wage: $26.83
- Total employment: 30 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Median annual wage: $56,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.16
- Total employment: 120 people (2.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Child, family, and school social workers
- Median annual wage: $56,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.38
- Total employment: 140 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $58,800
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 380 people (8.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Financial specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $59,090
- Median hourly wage: $28.41
- Total employment: 40 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $59,370
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 220 people (4.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
B Brown // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $59,940
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 330 people (7.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $60,160
- Median hourly wage: $28.92
- Total employment: 40 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Median annual wage: $60,890
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Special education teachers, middle school
- Median annual wage: $61,090
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Median annual wage: $61,280
- Median hourly wage: $29.46
- Total employment: 120 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Iam_Anupong // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $61,420
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
comzeal images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Loan officers
- Median annual wage: $61,510
- Median hourly wage: $29.57
- Total employment: 80 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rido // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Human resources specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,820
- Median hourly wage: $30.20
- Total employment: 140 people (3.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Median annual wage: $63,220
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GLRL // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Buyers and purchasing agents
- Median annual wage: $67,490
- Median hourly wage: $32.45
- Total employment: 140 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $69,280
- Median hourly wage: $33.31
- Total employment: 100 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
guruXOX // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Producers and directors
- Median annual wage: $73,000
- Median hourly wage: $35.10
- Total employment: 30 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Cost estimators
- Median annual wage: $76,780
- Median hourly wage: $36.91
- Total employment: 60 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $78,090
- Median hourly wage: $37.54
- Total employment: 140 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $78,240
- Median hourly wage: $37.62
- Total employment: 340 people (7.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $84,040
- Median hourly wage: $40.41
- Total employment: 60 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $84,120
- Median hourly wage: $40.44
- Total employment: 800 people (17.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $85,470
- Median hourly wage: $41.09
- Total employment: 50 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $86,830
- Median hourly wage: $41.74
- Total employment: 50 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $88,070
- Median hourly wage: $42.34
- Total employment: 100 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $89,940
- Median hourly wage: $43.24
- Total employment: 60 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $92,080
- Median hourly wage: $44.27
- Total employment: 60 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Labor relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $93,270
- Median hourly wage: $44.84
- Total employment: 60 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $94,310
- Median hourly wage: $45.34
- Total employment: 70 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $100,100
- Median hourly wage: $48.13
- Total employment: 60 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $100,390
- Median hourly wage: $48.27
- Total employment: 60 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $101,950
- Median hourly wage: $49.02
- Total employment: 400 people (8.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $102,880
- Median hourly wage: $49.46
- Total employment: 160 people (3.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $107,190
- Median hourly wage: $51.53
- Total employment: 330 people (7.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $108,320
- Median hourly wage: $52.08
- Total employment: 70 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $110,390
- Median hourly wage: $53.07
- Total employment: 250 people (5.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $111,350
- Median hourly wage: $53.53
- Total employment: 120 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $111,770
- Median hourly wage: $53.74
- Total employment: 60 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $112,990
- Median hourly wage: $54.32
- Total employment: Not available
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $117,460
- Median hourly wage: $56.47
- Total employment: 210 people (4.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $118,200
- Median hourly wage: $56.83
- Total employment: 260 people (5.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $123,580
- Median hourly wage: $59.41
- Total employment: 280 people (6.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $128,340
- Median hourly wage: $61.70
- Total employment: 120 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $129,090
- Median hourly wage: $62.06
- Total employment: 70 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $130,110
- Median hourly wage: $62.56
- Total employment: 50 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $140,970
- Median hourly wage: $67.77
- Total employment: 40 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $193,480
- Median hourly wage: $93.02
- Total employment: 50 people (1.11 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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