VH-studio // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $76,110
- Median hourly wage: $36.59
- Total employment: 170 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Omaha 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 Omaha that require a graduate degree in Omaha. 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 / 50#49. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $76,430
- Median hourly wage: $36.75
- Total employment: 420 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. General internal medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $76,630
- Median hourly wage: $36.84
- Total employment: 480 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,690
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel Besic // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $78,080
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $78,600
- Median hourly wage: $37.79
- Total employment: 120 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Curators
- Median annual wage: $79,420
- Median hourly wage: $38.19
- Total employment: 30 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $79,500
- Median hourly wage: $38.22
- Total employment: 670 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $79,970
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 190 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $80,230
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $80,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. History teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $81,050
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $81,420
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 150 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $82,770
- Median hourly wage: $39.79
- Total employment: 70 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $83,050
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 170 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $83,820
- Median hourly wage: $40.30
- Total employment: 880 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other
- Median annual wage: $85,450
- Median hourly wage: $41.08
- Total employment: 70 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $85,490
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Audiologists
- Median annual wage: $85,820
- Median hourly wage: $41.26
- Total employment: 70 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $85,870
- Median hourly wage: $41.29
- Total employment: 650 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $87,060
- Median hourly wage: $41.85
- Total employment: Not available
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $97,780
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 210 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $98,340
- Median hourly wage: $47.28
- Total employment: 1,290 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $99,410
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $101,520
- Median hourly wage: $48.81
- Total employment: 260 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $106,640
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $109,020
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 920 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $125,180
- Median hourly wage: $60.18
- Total employment: 150 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $125,730
- Median hourly wage: $60.45
- Total employment: 1,970 people (4.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $128,240
- Median hourly wage: $61.66
- Total employment: 660 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $129,190
- Median hourly wage: $62.11
- Total employment: 1,120 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $133,510
- Median hourly wage: $64.19
- Total employment: 1,270 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $133,890
- Median hourly wage: $64.37
- Total employment: Not available
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $174,830
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 500 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $196,390
- Median hourly wage: $94.42
- Total employment: 80 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $200,590
- Median hourly wage: $96.44
- Total employment: 360 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $216,170
- Median hourly wage: $103.93
- Total employment: 360 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Psychiatrists
- Median annual wage: $229,230
- Median hourly wage: $110.21
- Total employment: 90 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $231,090
- Median hourly wage: $111.10
- Total employment: 140 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $232,800
- Median hourly wage: $111.92
- Total employment: 330 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
41 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 780 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
42 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 150 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
43 / 50#1. Dermatologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 140 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Djols // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 210 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#1. Neurologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.17 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: 100 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Komsan Loonprom // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 160 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physicians, pathologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 70 people (0.13 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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