Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $78,530
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 330 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in St. Louis 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 St. Louis that require a graduate degree in St. Louis. 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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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $79,300
- Median hourly wage: $38.12
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $79,910
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 670 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $80,350
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 320 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $80,680
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $81,810
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 720 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $81,920
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 3,800 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,510
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 900 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,750
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,770
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $83,020
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $84,160
- Median hourly wage: $40.46
- Total employment: 1,540 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $86,420
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 520 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. History teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $88,680
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 170 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Audiologists
- Median annual wage: $92,010
- Median hourly wage: $44.24
- Total employment: 120 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $92,490
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $93,290
- Median hourly wage: $44.85
- Total employment: 630 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $93,710
- Median hourly wage: $45.05
- Total employment: 1,790 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $96,770
- Median hourly wage: $46.53
- Total employment: 2,260 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $99,250
- Median hourly wage: $47.72
- Total employment: 820 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pheelings media // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $100,920
- Median hourly wage: $48.52
- Total employment: 170 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $101,300
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 190 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $101,370
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 260 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $103,220
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 420 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $104,260
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 3,050 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $104,720
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Law teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $105,880
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $106,060
- Median hourly wage: $50.99
- Total employment: 1,840 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $106,260
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $112,080
- Median hourly wage: $53.89
- Total employment: 170 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BlurryMe // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other
- Median annual wage: $112,940
- Median hourly wage: $54.30
- Total employment: 160 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $121,750
- Median hourly wage: $58.53
- Total employment: 890 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $125,080
- Median hourly wage: $60.13
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Median annual wage: $127,070
- Median hourly wage: $61.09
- Total employment: 90 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Elnur // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Podiatrists
- Median annual wage: $127,250
- Median hourly wage: $61.18
- Total employment: 80 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $128,070
- Median hourly wage: $61.57
- Total employment: 6,050 people (4.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $129,390
- Median hourly wage: $62.21
- Total employment: 3,360 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $130,620
- Median hourly wage: $62.80
- Total employment: 350 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $136,910
- Median hourly wage: $65.82
- Total employment: 100 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $137,730
- Median hourly wage: $66.22
- Total employment: 2,980 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stokkete // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $140,240
- Median hourly wage: $67.42
- Total employment: 790 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $156,210
- Median hourly wage: $75.10
- Total employment: 180 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $180,450
- Median hourly wage: $86.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $192,070
- Median hourly wage: $92.34
- Total employment: 310 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Physicians, pathologists
- Median annual wage: $199,990
- Median hourly wage: $96.15
- Total employment: Not available
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $211,070
- Median hourly wage: $101.47
- Total employment: 110 people (0.09 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: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Radiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
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 (0.15 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: 400 people (0.3 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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