Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,140
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Worcester that require a graduate degree
Earning top dollar often requires more education than an undergraduate degree. Of course, doctors, lawyers, and professors all need extra years of focused study in their respective fields, but they're not alone. Graduate degrees in industries like business, engineering, and mathematics build specialized knowledge that can fast-track one's career—and salary.
In 2024, master's degree holders earned a weekly median of $1,840, a 19% premium over undergraduate degree holders. Meanwhile, doctorates earned $2,278, and professional degree holders earned $2,363.
However, wages can vary widely by occupation. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Worcester that require a graduate degree in Worcester. 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.
Beyond offering higher pay, a master's degree may also provide greater job security. The unemployment rate for a master's degree holder was 2.2% in 2024, compared to 2.5% for undergraduate degree holders. Unemployment is close to 1% among those with doctorates and professional degrees.
According to a May 2025 report from ResumeGenius, many employers believe a graduate degree showcases an employee's drive and commitment, leading to better job prospects. But that comes at a price. Between 2000 and 2020, median annual tuition and fees for graduate degree programs increased by 233%. Unsurprisingly, median cumulative grad school debt also increased, rising 47% to $50,000.
Depending on the career field, the expense may be difficult to justify. Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce found that full-time workers with graduate degrees in STEM fields earned $128,000 annually, almost twice as much as their counterparts in humanities and the arts. Meanwhile, a humanities graduate degree brought only 10% more earnings than a bachelor's degree.
Keep reading to find out how much graduate degree holders can earn in different roles.
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2 / 50#49. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Median annual wage: $77,400
- Median hourly wage: $37.21
- Total employment: 1,230 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
I. Noyan Yilmaz // // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Environmental science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,690
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $79,330
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $79,700
- Median hourly wage: $38.32
- Total employment: 140 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $79,930
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $80,120
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 320 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daxiao Productions // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Marriage and family therapists
- Median annual wage: $80,620
- Median hourly wage: $38.76
- Total employment: 70 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $81,930
- Median hourly wage: $39.39
- Total employment: 480 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,800
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
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11 / 50#40. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $83,390
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $84,450
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 400 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $85,830
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $86,460
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 360 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $87,680
- Median hourly wage: $42.15
- Total employment: 310 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Audiologists
- Median annual wage: $87,840
- Median hourly wage: $42.23
- Total employment: 30 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $89,640
- Median hourly wage: $43.09
- Total employment: 110 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. History teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $93,170
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $95,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $96,320
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $96,800
- Median hourly wage: $46.54
- Total employment: 760 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $97,870
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $98,150
- Median hourly wage: $47.19
- Total employment: 310 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $98,820
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $99,470
- Median hourly wage: $47.82
- Total employment: 580 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $103,740
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,650 people (4.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $104,580
- Median hourly wage: $50.28
- Total employment: 760 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $105,530
- Median hourly wage: $50.74
- Total employment: 760 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $106,810
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $108,080
- Median hourly wage: $51.96
- Total employment: 430 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $123,060
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,170 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $126,330
- Median hourly wage: $60.74
- Total employment: 1,010 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $128,090
- Median hourly wage: $61.58
- Total employment: 210 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Biochemists and biophysicists
- Median annual wage: $129,130
- Median hourly wage: $62.08
- Total employment: 770 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $133,130
- Median hourly wage: $64.01
- Total employment: 710 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stokkete // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $141,170
- Median hourly wage: $67.87
- Total employment: 470 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $144,200
- Median hourly wage: $69.33
- Total employment: 1,000 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $150,820
- Median hourly wage: $72.51
- Total employment: 130 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $157,530
- Median hourly wage: $75.73
- Total employment: 70 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $201,120
- Median hourly wage: $96.69
- Total employment: 240 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $221,660
- Median hourly wage: $106.57
- Total employment: 200 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $221,710
- Median hourly wage: $106.59
- Total employment: 80 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Neurologists
- Median annual wage: $228,470
- Median hourly wage: $109.84
- Total employment: 60 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Radiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 200 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 190 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 90 people (0.26 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: 130 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 90 people (0.25 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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