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1 / 50#50. Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling
- Median annual wage: $81,490
- Median hourly wage: $39.18
- Total employment: 120 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Atlantic City 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 Atlantic City, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $81,840
- Median hourly wage: $39.35
- Total employment: 840 people (5.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
B Brown // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $82,000
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,660 people (9.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $82,110
- Median hourly wage: $39.48
- Total employment: 870 people (5.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists
- Median annual wage: $82,380
- Median hourly wage: $39.61
- Total employment: 180 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $82,670
- Median hourly wage: $39.75
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
guruXOX // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Producers and directors
- Median annual wage: $83,290
- Median hourly wage: $40.05
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Property appraisers and assessors
- Median annual wage: $84,530
- Median hourly wage: $40.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $84,570
- Median hourly wage: $40.66
- Total employment: 80 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Median annual wage: $84,890
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 350 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents
- Median annual wage: $89,030
- Median hourly wage: $42.80
- Total employment: 80 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Financial specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $89,170
- Median hourly wage: $42.87
- Total employment: 80 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $90,570
- Median hourly wage: $43.54
- Total employment: 50 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $91,260
- Median hourly wage: $43.88
- Total employment: 200 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Therapists, all other
- Median annual wage: $92,000
- Median hourly wage: $44.23
- Total employment: 50 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $92,940
- Median hourly wage: $44.69
- Total employment: 130 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $93,830
- Median hourly wage: $45.11
- Total employment: 70 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $93,900
- Median hourly wage: $45.14
- Total employment: 80 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $95,060
- Median hourly wage: $45.70
- Total employment: 190 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $96,240
- Median hourly wage: $46.27
- Total employment: 80 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $96,360
- Median hourly wage: $46.33
- Total employment: 210 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $97,950
- Median hourly wage: $47.09
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $99,460
- Median hourly wage: $47.82
- Total employment: 430 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $99,680
- Median hourly wage: $47.92
- Total employment: 3,500 people (20.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $100,350
- Median hourly wage: $48.24
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $105,510
- Median hourly wage: $50.73
- Total employment: 50 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $107,840
- Median hourly wage: $51.85
- Total employment: 270 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $109,680
- Median hourly wage: $52.73
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $111,600
- Median hourly wage: $53.66
- Total employment: 120 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $114,230
- Median hourly wage: $54.92
- Total employment: 2,030 people (12.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Labor relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $115,370
- Median hourly wage: $55.47
- Total employment: 140 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $118,960
- Median hourly wage: $57.19
- Total employment: 70 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $120,170
- Median hourly wage: $57.77
- Total employment: 70 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $121,540
- Median hourly wage: $58.44
- Total employment: 590 people (3.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $123,710
- Median hourly wage: $59.48
- Total employment: 190 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $126,240
- Median hourly wage: $60.69
- Total employment: 260 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $126,420
- Median hourly wage: $60.78
- Total employment: 270 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $128,220
- Median hourly wage: $61.65
- Total employment: 590 people (3.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $131,510
- Median hourly wage: $63.23
- Total employment: 900 people (5.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $131,770
- Median hourly wage: $63.35
- Total employment: 250 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $134,820
- Median hourly wage: $64.82
- Total employment: 90 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $136,050
- Median hourly wage: $65.41
- Total employment: 130 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $140,970
- Median hourly wage: $67.78
- Total employment: 180 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $143,370
- Median hourly wage: $68.93
- Total employment: 300 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $146,020
- Median hourly wage: $70.20
- Total employment: 450 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VE.Studio // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $150,940
- Median hourly wage: $72.57
- Total employment: 60 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $151,920
- Median hourly wage: $73.04
- Total employment: 80 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $162,550
- Median hourly wage: $78.15
- Total employment: 720 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $165,890
- Median hourly wage: $79.75
- Total employment: 200 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
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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