Mongta Studio // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Cost estimators
- Median annual wage: $66,310
- Median hourly wage: $31.88
- Total employment: 170 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Columbia, Missouri 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 Columbia, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $68,170
- Median hourly wage: $32.77
- Total employment: 790 people (7.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PR Image Factory // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $69,280
- Median hourly wage: $33.31
- Total employment: 60 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $69,670
- Median hourly wage: $33.49
- Total employment: 110 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Biological scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $72,550
- Median hourly wage: $34.88
- Total employment: 70 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $74,170
- Median hourly wage: $35.66
- Total employment: 80 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Web developers
- Median annual wage: $74,550
- Median hourly wage: $35.84
- Total employment: 50 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $75,300
- Median hourly wage: $36.20
- Total employment: 3,500 people (33.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $75,490
- Median hourly wage: $36.29
- Total employment: 80 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Financial examiners
- Median annual wage: $76,290
- Median hourly wage: $36.68
- Total employment: 80 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $77,940
- Median hourly wage: $37.47
- Total employment: 460 people (4.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
comzeal images // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Loan officers
- Median annual wage: $78,110
- Median hourly wage: $37.55
- Total employment: 510 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $80,220
- Median hourly wage: $38.57
- Total employment: 60 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $81,120
- Median hourly wage: $39.00
- Total employment: 120 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $81,370
- Median hourly wage: $39.12
- Total employment: 3,640 people (34.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $81,600
- Median hourly wage: $39.23
- Total employment: 120 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $82,070
- Median hourly wage: $39.46
- Total employment: 150 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $82,300
- Median hourly wage: $39.57
- Total employment: 80 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $82,860
- Median hourly wage: $39.84
- Total employment: 150 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $83,670
- Median hourly wage: $40.22
- Total employment: 530 people (4.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $84,620
- Median hourly wage: $40.68
- Total employment: 500 people (4.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $87,610
- Median hourly wage: $42.12
- Total employment: 390 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $87,870
- Median hourly wage: $42.25
- Total employment: 200 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $88,650
- Median hourly wage: $42.62
- Total employment: 110 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $89,090
- Median hourly wage: $42.83
- Total employment: 80 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $89,160
- Median hourly wage: $42.87
- Total employment: 140 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $91,760
- Median hourly wage: $44.11
- Total employment: 80 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $92,890
- Median hourly wage: $44.66
- Total employment: 250 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $93,380
- Median hourly wage: $44.90
- Total employment: 60 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Financial specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $96,160
- Median hourly wage: $46.23
- Total employment: 160 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $100,650
- Median hourly wage: $48.39
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $100,680
- Median hourly wage: $48.40
- Total employment: 530 people (4.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $103,990
- Median hourly wage: $50.00
- Total employment: 110 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $104,210
- Median hourly wage: $50.10
- Total employment: 240 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $104,930
- Median hourly wage: $50.45
- Total employment: 120 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $105,160
- Median hourly wage: $50.56
- Total employment: 80 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $105,670
- Median hourly wage: $50.80
- Total employment: 40 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $105,920
- Median hourly wage: $50.92
- Total employment: 80 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $106,070
- Median hourly wage: $50.99
- Total employment: 30 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $107,540
- Median hourly wage: $51.70
- Total employment: 480 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $108,180
- Median hourly wage: $52.01
- Total employment: 80 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $110,540
- Median hourly wage: $53.14
- Total employment: 50 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $113,170
- Median hourly wage: $54.41
- Total employment: 160 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $118,890
- Median hourly wage: $57.16
- Total employment: 230 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $121,720
- Median hourly wage: $58.52
- Total employment: 650 people (6.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $122,180
- Median hourly wage: $58.74
- Total employment: 50 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $126,270
- Median hourly wage: $60.71
- Total employment: 320 people (3.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $127,540
- Median hourly wage: $61.32
- Total employment: 150 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $136,220
- Median hourly wage: $65.49
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $156,060
- Median hourly wage: $75.03
- Total employment: 120 people (1.12 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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