Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Graphic designers
- Median annual wage: $53,020
- Median hourly wage: $25.49
- Total employment: 30 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Columbus, Indiana 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 Columbus, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $56,950
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 370 people (7.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
comzeal images // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Loan officers
- Median annual wage: $57,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.86
- Total employment: 50 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Public relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $58,480
- Median hourly wage: $28.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Human resources specialists
- Median annual wage: $58,970
- Median hourly wage: $28.35
- Total employment: 340 people (6.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Median annual wage: $58,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.36
- Total employment: 60 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $60,690
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 40 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $64,180
- Median hourly wage: $30.86
- Total employment: 60 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GLRL // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Buyers and purchasing agents
- Median annual wage: $64,750
- Median hourly wage: $31.13
- Total employment: 200 people (3.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $66,640
- Median hourly wage: $32.04
- Total employment: 50 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Technical writers
- Median annual wage: $67,310
- Median hourly wage: $32.36
- Total employment: 30 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mongta Studio // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Cost estimators
- Median annual wage: $69,040
- Median hourly wage: $33.19
- Total employment: 40 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists
- Median annual wage: $69,790
- Median hourly wage: $33.55
- Total employment: 30 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Median annual wage: $75,310
- Median hourly wage: $36.21
- Total employment: 240 people (4.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $76,160
- Median hourly wage: $36.62
- Total employment: 710 people (14.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Labor relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $78,080
- Median hourly wage: $37.54
- Total employment: 50 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $79,000
- Median hourly wage: $37.98
- Total employment: 370 people (7.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $79,350
- Median hourly wage: $38.15
- Total employment: 80 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $79,650
- Median hourly wage: $38.29
- Total employment: 60 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $80,010
- Median hourly wage: $38.47
- Total employment: 180 people (3.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $82,510
- Median hourly wage: $39.67
- Total employment: 30 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $82,670
- Median hourly wage: $39.74
- Total employment: 90 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $83,880
- Median hourly wage: $40.33
- Total employment: 110 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $85,250
- Median hourly wage: $40.99
- Total employment: 110 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $88,440
- Median hourly wage: $42.52
- Total employment: 60 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $89,300
- Median hourly wage: $42.93
- Total employment: 30 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $93,140
- Median hourly wage: $44.78
- Total employment: 140 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $95,680
- Median hourly wage: $46.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $95,980
- Median hourly wage: $46.15
- Total employment: 30 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $96,020
- Median hourly wage: $46.17
- Total employment: 80 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $96,530
- Median hourly wage: $46.41
- Total employment: 160 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $96,880
- Median hourly wage: $46.58
- Total employment: 70 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $98,080
- Median hourly wage: $47.15
- Total employment: 110 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $101,850
- Median hourly wage: $48.96
- Total employment: 390 people (7.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $103,080
- Median hourly wage: $49.56
- Total employment: 230 people (4.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $103,240
- Median hourly wage: $49.63
- Total employment: 1,240 people (24.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $104,130
- Median hourly wage: $50.06
- Total employment: 30 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $106,360
- Median hourly wage: $51.14
- Total employment: 60 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $107,510
- Median hourly wage: $51.69
- Total employment: 100 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $108,040
- Median hourly wage: $51.94
- Total employment: 1,340 people (26.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $109,650
- Median hourly wage: $52.72
- Total employment: 590 people (11.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $109,690
- Median hourly wage: $52.74
- Total employment: 30 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $124,550
- Median hourly wage: $59.88
- Total employment: 60 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $127,950
- Median hourly wage: $61.52
- Total employment: 90 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $131,510
- Median hourly wage: $63.23
- Total employment: 60 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $134,640
- Median hourly wage: $64.73
- Total employment: 60 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $139,790
- Median hourly wage: $67.21
- Total employment: 150 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $140,510
- Median hourly wage: $67.55
- Total employment: 190 people (3.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $152,950
- Median hourly wage: $73.54
- Total employment: 170 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $178,720
- Median hourly wage: $85.93
- Total employment: Not available
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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