SeventyFour // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Curators
- Median annual wage: $60,520
- Median hourly wage: $29.10
- Total employment: 70 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in New Orleans that require a graduate degree
Earning top dollar typically requires more education than an undergraduate degree can provide. Doctors, lawyers, and professors need extra years of focused study for their chosen fields, but they're not alone. Graduate degrees in fields like business, teaching, and public health build specialized knowledge that can fast-track a career—and one's salary.
Many hiring managers view a master's degree as the equivalent of two years of work experience, giving graduate degree holders a leg up. In 2024, master's degree holders earned a weekly median of $1,840, a 19% premium over undergraduate degree holders. Doctorates earned $2,278, and professional degree holders earned $2,363.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in New Orleans that require a graduate degree in New Orleans. 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.
Job security is another benefit. The unemployment rate for a master's degree holder is 2.2%, compared to 2.5% for undergraduate degree holders. Doctorates and professional degree holders' unemployment rate is close to 1%.
Employers believe a graduate degree showcases an employee's drive and commitment, but that comes at a price. Between 2000 and 2020, median annual tuition and fees for graduate degree programs increased by 233%. Unsurprisingly, median student debt has also increased, rising 47% to $50,000.
Depending on the career field, some prospective students may find it difficult to justify the expense. Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce found that full-time workers in STEM fields earned $128,000 annually, almost twice as much as their degreed counterparts in humanities and the arts. A graduate degree in humanities also only brought a 10% earnings premium over someone with a bachelor's degree.
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VH-studio // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Median annual wage: $61,670
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 740 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,510
- Median hourly wage: $30.05
- Total employment: 390 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $62,670
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $63,070
- Median hourly wage: $30.32
- Total employment: 90 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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I. Noyan Yilmaz // // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Environmental science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $63,170
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $66,790
- Median hourly wage: $32.11
- Total employment: 310 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $67,380
- Median hourly wage: $32.39
- Total employment: 400 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel Besic // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $70,190
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Athletic trainers
- Median annual wage: $71,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oleksii Didok // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Judicial law clerks
- Median annual wage: $71,760
- Median hourly wage: $34.50
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
voronaman // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $73,020
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $74,920
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $75,260
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. History teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $75,670
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VH-studio // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $78,230
- Median hourly wage: $37.61
- Total employment: 140 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $79,290
- Median hourly wage: $38.12
- Total employment: 580 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $79,410
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $80,310
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,430 people (3.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $80,500
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $81,640
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,490
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,820
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other
- Median annual wage: $89,860
- Median hourly wage: $43.20
- Total employment: 70 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Audiologists
- Median annual wage: $91,250
- Median hourly wage: $43.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $94,540
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 260 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $97,110
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,160 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $98,230
- Median hourly wage: $47.23
- Total employment: 550 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $102,990
- Median hourly wage: $49.52
- Total employment: 630 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other
- Median annual wage: $103,150
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $106,000
- Median hourly wage: $50.96
- Total employment: 70 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $108,470
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $109,450
- Median hourly wage: $52.62
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $123,750
- Median hourly wage: $59.49
- Total employment: 190 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Median annual wage: $124,090
- Median hourly wage: $59.66
- Total employment: 70 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $124,660
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $125,240
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $126,480
- Median hourly wage: $60.81
- Total employment: 730 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $126,710
- Median hourly wage: $60.92
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $127,670
- Median hourly wage: $61.38
- Total employment: 1,040 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $128,250
- Median hourly wage: $61.66
- Total employment: 1,230 people (2.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Law teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $129,470
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $131,220
- Median hourly wage: $63.09
- Total employment: 3,470 people (7.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $208,050
- Median hourly wage: $100.03
- Total employment: 310 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $230,180
- Median hourly wage: $110.66
- Total employment: 150 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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LightField Studios // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 1,200 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Djols // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 200 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 210 people (0.48 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 363 metros.
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