H_Ko // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Materials scientists
- Median annual wage: $118,010
- Median hourly wage: $56.74
- Total employment: 550 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Boston 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 Boston, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $122,190
- Median hourly wage: $58.74
- Total employment: 750 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $122,400
- Median hourly wage: $58.85
- Total employment: 1,230 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Csomos Attila // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Hydrologists
- Median annual wage: $123,450
- Median hourly wage: $59.35
- Total employment: 90 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $123,550
- Median hourly wage: $59.40
- Total employment: 14,160 people (5.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $123,710
- Median hourly wage: $59.47
- Total employment: 1,600 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $124,160
- Median hourly wage: $59.69
- Total employment: 8,050 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
angellodeco // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Microbiologists
- Median annual wage: $124,580
- Median hourly wage: $59.89
- Total employment: 1,790 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $124,900
- Median hourly wage: $60.05
- Total employment: 4,490 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $125,440
- Median hourly wage: $60.31
- Total employment: 5,700 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
possohh // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Emergency management directors
- Median annual wage: $125,530
- Median hourly wage: $60.35
- Total employment: 140 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Life scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $125,840
- Median hourly wage: $60.50
- Total employment: 140 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $126,870
- Median hourly wage: $61.00
- Total employment: 980 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $127,520
- Median hourly wage: $61.31
- Total employment: 3,920 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $129,850
- Median hourly wage: $62.43
- Total employment: 76,980 people (28.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $130,830
- Median hourly wage: $62.90
- Total employment: 2,870 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $131,520
- Median hourly wage: $63.23
- Total employment: 440 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $131,830
- Median hourly wage: $63.38
- Total employment: 8,220 people (3.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $132,170
- Median hourly wage: $63.55
- Total employment: 4,870 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Art directors
- Median annual wage: $132,340
- Median hourly wage: $63.63
- Total employment: 1,490 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $132,840
- Median hourly wage: $63.87
- Total employment: 2,660 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $134,580
- Median hourly wage: $64.70
- Total employment: 26,530 people (9.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $134,980
- Median hourly wage: $64.90
- Total employment: 14,330 people (5.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $135,270
- Median hourly wage: $65.03
- Total employment: 320 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $135,310
- Median hourly wage: $65.05
- Total employment: 2,050 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $136,040
- Median hourly wage: $65.40
- Total employment: 5,090 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $141,020
- Median hourly wage: $67.80
- Total employment: 4,660 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Lobanov // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Nuclear engineers
- Median annual wage: $141,520
- Median hourly wage: $68.04
- Total employment: 150 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $141,590
- Median hourly wage: $68.07
- Total employment: 3,710 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $141,980
- Median hourly wage: $68.26
- Total employment: 520 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mark_Kostich // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $147,420
- Median hourly wage: $70.87
- Total employment: 50 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $151,080
- Median hourly wage: $72.64
- Total employment: 940 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $154,240
- Median hourly wage: $74.15
- Total employment: 48,200 people (17.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $156,590
- Median hourly wage: $75.28
- Total employment: 6,970 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $159,780
- Median hourly wage: $76.82
- Total employment: 1,010 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $160,100
- Median hourly wage: $76.97
- Total employment: 1,510 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $162,310
- Median hourly wage: $78.03
- Total employment: 1,430 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $169,100
- Median hourly wage: $81.30
- Total employment: 1,930 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $170,570
- Median hourly wage: $82.01
- Total employment: 2,960 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $170,900
- Median hourly wage: $82.17
- Total employment: 2,080 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $174,840
- Median hourly wage: $84.06
- Total employment: 9,240 people (3.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $175,360
- Median hourly wage: $84.31
- Total employment: 11,110 people (4.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $178,800
- Median hourly wage: $85.96
- Total employment: 7,160 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $180,050
- Median hourly wage: $86.56
- Total employment: 5,700 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $181,910
- Median hourly wage: $87.46
- Total employment: 580 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $188,490
- Median hourly wage: $90.62
- Total employment: 22,830 people (8.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $200,010
- Median hourly wage: $96.16
- Total employment: 11,440 people (4.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $207,150
- Median hourly wage: $99.59
- Total employment: 22,280 people (8.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $219,380
- Median hourly wage: $105.47
- Total employment: 7,670 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 5,540 people (2.05 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.
