Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Property appraisers and assessors
- Median annual wage: $61,670
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 30 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Sioux City 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 Sioux City, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
You may also like: What salary do I need to afford a house in Sioux City in 2026?
fizkes // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,650
- Median hourly wage: $30.12
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Interior designers
- Median annual wage: $62,680
- Median hourly wage: $30.13
- Total employment: 30 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Human resources specialists
- Median annual wage: $63,010
- Median hourly wage: $30.29
- Total employment: 270 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $64,140
- Median hourly wage: $30.84
- Total employment: 130 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: The most expensive neighborhoods in Sioux City
boonchoke // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $64,780
- Median hourly wage: $31.14
- Total employment: 180 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $66,020
- Median hourly wage: $31.74
- Total employment: 140 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
science photo // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Food scientists and technologists
- Median annual wage: $66,210
- Median hourly wage: $31.83
- Total employment: 40 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists
- Median annual wage: $66,500
- Median hourly wage: $31.97
- Total employment: 60 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $69,180
- Median hourly wage: $33.26
- Total employment: 1,520 people (20.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How much does it cost to buy a house in Sioux City in 2026?
GLRL // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Buyers and purchasing agents
- Median annual wage: $72,490
- Median hourly wage: $34.85
- Total employment: 210 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Financial specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $73,370
- Median hourly wage: $35.28
- Total employment: 30 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mongta Studio // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Cost estimators
- Median annual wage: $74,880
- Median hourly wage: $36.00
- Total employment: 100 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $75,480
- Median hourly wage: $36.29
- Total employment: 150 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $76,280
- Median hourly wage: $36.68
- Total employment: 550 people (7.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: The most expensive homes sold in Sioux City this year
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $76,990
- Median hourly wage: $37.01
- Total employment: 70 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $77,090
- Median hourly wage: $37.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
comzeal images // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Loan officers
- Median annual wage: $77,850
- Median hourly wage: $37.43
- Total employment: 120 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $78,120
- Median hourly wage: $37.56
- Total employment: 80 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Labor relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $78,220
- Median hourly wage: $37.61
- Total employment: 40 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying science jobs for people in Sioux City
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $80,090
- Median hourly wage: $38.50
- Total employment: 60 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $82,530
- Median hourly wage: $39.68
- Total employment: 1,340 people (17.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $82,750
- Median hourly wage: $39.78
- Total employment: 190 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $83,480
- Median hourly wage: $40.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $88,290
- Median hourly wage: $42.45
- Total employment: 60 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Are home prices going down in Sioux City in 2026?
fizkes // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $88,370
- Median hourly wage: $42.48
- Total employment: 160 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Financial examiners
- Median annual wage: $88,690
- Median hourly wage: $42.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $89,640
- Median hourly wage: $43.09
- Total employment: 120 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $90,590
- Median hourly wage: $43.55
- Total employment: 60 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $96,130
- Median hourly wage: $46.22
- Total employment: 90 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Sioux City in the last week
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $98,720
- Median hourly wage: $47.46
- Total employment: 280 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $98,910
- Median hourly wage: $47.55
- Total employment: 120 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $98,970
- Median hourly wage: $47.58
- Total employment: 40 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $99,630
- Median hourly wage: $47.90
- Total employment: 120 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $101,210
- Median hourly wage: $48.66
- Total employment: 260 people (3.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Sioux City for high school graduates
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $102,590
- Median hourly wage: $49.32
- Total employment: 120 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $103,260
- Median hourly wage: $49.65
- Total employment: 90 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $105,360
- Median hourly wage: $50.65
- Total employment: 50 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $106,920
- Median hourly wage: $51.40
- Total employment: 40 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $107,180
- Median hourly wage: $51.53
- Total employment: 50 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Sioux City that don't require a college degree
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $113,250
- Median hourly wage: $54.45
- Total employment: 210 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $116,780
- Median hourly wage: $56.15
- Total employment: 100 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $120,490
- Median hourly wage: $57.93
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $125,020
- Median hourly wage: $60.11
- Total employment: 100 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $127,900
- Median hourly wage: $61.49
- Total employment: 60 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Sioux City area by diners
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $131,320
- Median hourly wage: $63.14
- Total employment: 230 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $134,640
- Median hourly wage: $64.73
- Total employment: 100 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $138,390
- Median hourly wage: $66.54
- Total employment: 90 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $153,130
- Median hourly wage: $73.62
- Total employment: 50 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $225,980
- Median hourly wage: $108.65
- Total employment: 160 people (2.19 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.
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Sioux City that require a bachelor's degree
