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1 / 49#49. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Median annual wage: $48,790
- Median hourly wage: $23.46
- Total employment: 130 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Lincoln 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 Lincoln that require a graduate degree in Lincoln. 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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2 / 49#48. Rehabilitation counselors
- Median annual wage: $49,060
- Median hourly wage: $23.59
- Total employment: 130 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
3 / 49#47. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Median annual wage: $52,560
- Median hourly wage: $25.27
- Total employment: 460 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
4 / 49#46. Curators
- Median annual wage: $53,250
- Median hourly wage: $25.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Petekub // Shutterstock
5 / 49#45. Economists
- Median annual wage: $53,930
- Median hourly wage: $25.93
- Total employment: 70 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DGLimages // Shutterstock
6 / 49#44. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $58,860
- Median hourly wage: $28.30
- Total employment: 190 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
7 / 49#43. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $59,500
- Median hourly wage: $28.61
- Total employment: 110 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
8 / 49#42. Athletic trainers
- Median annual wage: $62,880
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleksii Didok // Shutterstock
9 / 49#41. Judicial law clerks
- Median annual wage: $63,980
- Median hourly wage: $30.76
- Total employment: 50 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
10 / 49#40. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $64,110
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 170 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 49#39. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Median annual wage: $64,780
- Median hourly wage: $31.14
- Total employment: 130 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
12 / 49#38. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $69,580
- Median hourly wage: $33.45
- Total employment: 380 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 49#37. Epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $72,190
- Median hourly wage: $34.71
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
14 / 49#36. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $73,700
- Median hourly wage: $35.43
- Total employment: 60 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 49#35. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $75,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
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voronaman // Shutterstock
16 / 49#34. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $75,450
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
17 / 49#33. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $77,130
- Median hourly wage: $37.08
- Total employment: Not available
Daniel Besic // Shutterstock
18 / 49#32. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,410
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
19 / 49#31. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 360 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
20 / 49#30. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $78,890
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
21 / 49#29. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $80,130
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 49#28. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $80,680
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
KSai23 // Shutterstock
23 / 49#27. Chiropractors
- Median annual wage: $82,400
- Median hourly wage: $39.62
- Total employment: 170 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 49#26. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,780
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
25 / 49#25. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,850
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 320 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
26 / 49#24. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,900
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 240 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
27 / 49#23. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $84,800
- Median hourly wage: $40.77
- Total employment: 150 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
28 / 49#22. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Median annual wage: $85,660
- Median hourly wage: $41.18
- Total employment: 400 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
29 / 49#21. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $90,210
- Median hourly wage: $43.37
- Total employment: 70 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
30 / 49#20. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $91,400
- Median hourly wage: $43.94
- Total employment: 200 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
31 / 49#19. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $91,560
- Median hourly wage: $44.02
- Total employment: 280 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
32 / 49#18. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $93,690
- Median hourly wage: $45.04
- Total employment: 90 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
33 / 49#17. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $96,280
- Median hourly wage: $46.29
- Total employment: 460 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
34 / 49#16. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $98,720
- Median hourly wage: $47.46
- Total employment: 850 people (4.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
35 / 49#15. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $104,040
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
36 / 49#14. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $105,560
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
37 / 49#13. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $106,130
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 210 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
38 / 49#12. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $106,890
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
39 / 49#11. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $109,880
- Median hourly wage: $52.83
- Total employment: 80 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 49#10. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $120,600
- Median hourly wage: $57.98
- Total employment: 330 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
41 / 49#9. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $121,190
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 210 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
42 / 49#8. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $122,720
- Median hourly wage: $59.00
- Total employment: 240 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
43 / 49#7. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $132,700
- Median hourly wage: $63.80
- Total employment: 390 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
44 / 49#6. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $155,050
- Median hourly wage: $74.54
- Total employment: 170 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
45 / 49#5. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $182,110
- Median hourly wage: $87.55
- Total employment: 60 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 49#4. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $196,390
- Median hourly wage: $94.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
47 / 49#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 120 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
48 / 49#1. Dermatologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
49 / 49#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 170 people (0.94 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.
