Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Web developers
- Median annual wage: $100,820
- Median hourly wage: $48.47
- Total employment: 190 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Worcester 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 Worcester, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $101,290
- Median hourly wage: $48.70
- Total employment: 130 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $101,980
- Median hourly wage: $49.03
- Total employment: 170 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $102,240
- Median hourly wage: $49.15
- Total employment: 640 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Web and digital interface designers
- Median annual wage: $103,050
- Median hourly wage: $49.55
- Total employment: 110 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $103,490
- Median hourly wage: $49.76
- Total employment: 9,730 people (27.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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7 / 50#44. Art directors
- Median annual wage: $104,840
- Median hourly wage: $50.40
- Total employment: 100 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $105,240
- Median hourly wage: $50.60
- Total employment: 90 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $105,460
- Median hourly wage: $50.70
- Total employment: 1,230 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents
- Median annual wage: $105,580
- Median hourly wage: $50.76
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,150
- Median hourly wage: $51.03
- Total employment: 800 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $107,530
- Median hourly wage: $51.70
- Total employment: 220 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $107,540
- Median hourly wage: $51.70
- Total employment: 1,050 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $107,760
- Median hourly wage: $51.81
- Total employment: 920 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $109,060
- Median hourly wage: $52.43
- Total employment: 450 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $109,430
- Median hourly wage: $52.61
- Total employment: 8,760 people (24.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $110,720
- Median hourly wage: $53.23
- Total employment: 240 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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18 / 50#33. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $111,030
- Median hourly wage: $53.38
- Total employment: 170 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $111,390
- Median hourly wage: $53.55
- Total employment: 120 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $112,270
- Median hourly wage: $53.98
- Total employment: 270 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $114,530
- Median hourly wage: $55.06
- Total employment: 220 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $116,180
- Median hourly wage: $55.86
- Total employment: 180 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $118,500
- Median hourly wage: $56.97
- Total employment: 360 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $119,480
- Median hourly wage: $57.44
- Total employment: 1,910 people (5.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $120,130
- Median hourly wage: $57.75
- Total employment: 460 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $122,200
- Median hourly wage: $58.75
- Total employment: 110 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $122,580
- Median hourly wage: $58.93
- Total employment: 280 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Labor relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $123,430
- Median hourly wage: $59.34
- Total employment: 140 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $124,370
- Median hourly wage: $59.79
- Total employment: 60 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
angellodeco // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Microbiologists
- Median annual wage: $127,120
- Median hourly wage: $61.11
- Total employment: 170 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $129,550
- Median hourly wage: $62.29
- Total employment: 80 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $130,200
- Median hourly wage: $62.60
- Total employment: 1,790 people (5.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $131,490
- Median hourly wage: $63.22
- Total employment: 660 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $131,930
- Median hourly wage: $63.43
- Total employment: 140 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $135,140
- Median hourly wage: $64.97
- Total employment: 920 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $136,680
- Median hourly wage: $65.71
- Total employment: 1,000 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $137,100
- Median hourly wage: $65.91
- Total employment: 100 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
H_Ko // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Materials scientists
- Median annual wage: $142,900
- Median hourly wage: $68.70
- Total employment: 100 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $153,250
- Median hourly wage: $73.68
- Total employment: 440 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $154,210
- Median hourly wage: $74.14
- Total employment: 170 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $154,810
- Median hourly wage: $74.43
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $155,550
- Median hourly wage: $74.79
- Total employment: 150 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $155,600
- Median hourly wage: $74.81
- Total employment: 120 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $159,000
- Median hourly wage: $76.44
- Total employment: 500 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $162,720
- Median hourly wage: $78.23
- Total employment: 1,620 people (4.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $168,570
- Median hourly wage: $81.04
- Total employment: 1,170 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $172,390
- Median hourly wage: $82.88
- Total employment: 630 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $176,500
- Median hourly wage: $84.85
- Total employment: 650 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $211,400
- Median hourly wage: $101.64
- Total employment: 340 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $217,410
- Median hourly wage: $104.53
- Total employment: 470 people (1.34 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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