DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Athletic trainers
- Median annual wage: $63,240
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Albuquerque that require a graduate degree
Earning top dollar often requires more education than an undergraduate degree. Of course, doctors, lawyers, and professors all need extra years of focused study in their respective fields, but they're not alone. Graduate degrees in industries like business, engineering, and mathematics build specialized knowledge that can fast-track one's career—and salary.
In 2024, master's degree holders earned a weekly median of $1,840, a 19% premium over undergraduate degree holders. Meanwhile, doctorates earned $2,278, and professional degree holders earned $2,363.
However, wages can vary widely by occupation. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Albuquerque that require a graduate degree in Albuquerque. 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.
Beyond offering higher pay, a master's degree may also provide greater job security. The unemployment rate for a master's degree holder was 2.2% in 2024, compared to 2.5% for undergraduate degree holders. Unemployment is close to 1% among those with doctorates and professional degrees.
According to a May 2025 report from ResumeGenius, many employers believe a graduate degree showcases an employee's drive and commitment, leading to better job prospects. But that comes at a price. Between 2000 and 2020, median annual tuition and fees for graduate degree programs increased by 233%. Unsurprisingly, median cumulative grad school debt also increased, rising 47% to $50,000.
Depending on the career field, the expense may be difficult to justify. Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce found that full-time workers with graduate degrees in STEM fields earned $128,000 annually, almost twice as much as their counterparts in humanities and the arts. Meanwhile, a humanities graduate degree brought only 10% more earnings than a bachelor's degree.
Keep reading to find out how much graduate degree holders can earn in different roles.
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $63,660
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Median annual wage: $63,950
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 270 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $64,440
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 220 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daxiao Productions // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Marriage and family therapists
- Median annual wage: $65,050
- Median hourly wage: $31.27
- Total employment: 100 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $65,920
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 210 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleksii Didok // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Judicial law clerks
- Median annual wage: $66,560
- Median hourly wage: $32.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $67,170
- Median hourly wage: $32.29
- Total employment: 360 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $70,680
- Median hourly wage: $33.98
- Total employment: 310 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Median annual wage: $71,480
- Median hourly wage: $34.37
- Total employment: 1,110 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $73,860
- Median hourly wage: $35.51
- Total employment: 140 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $75,750
- Median hourly wage: $36.42
- Total employment: 130 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Audiologists
- Median annual wage: $77,440
- Median hourly wage: $37.23
- Total employment: Not available
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,790
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Median annual wage: $77,910
- Median hourly wage: $37.46
- Total employment: 760 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $79,900
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 630 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
KSai23 // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Chiropractors
- Median annual wage: $81,240
- Median hourly wage: $39.06
- Total employment: 90 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,790
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $86,310
- Median hourly wage: $41.50
- Total employment: 270 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Petekub // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Economists
- Median annual wage: $93,640
- Median hourly wage: $45.02
- Total employment: 30 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other
- Median annual wage: $96,660
- Median hourly wage: $46.47
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $98,490
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 760 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $99,150
- Median hourly wage: $47.67
- Total employment: 280 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $100,790
- Median hourly wage: $48.46
- Total employment: 680 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $102,310
- Median hourly wage: $49.19
- Total employment: 460 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $104,600
- Median hourly wage: $50.29
- Total employment: 510 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $105,560
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $106,150
- Median hourly wage: $51.04
- Total employment: 380 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $111,240
- Median hourly wage: $53.48
- Total employment: 1,950 people (4.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $132,410
- Median hourly wage: $63.66
- Total employment: 180 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stokkete // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $135,020
- Median hourly wage: $64.91
- Total employment: 360 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $137,530
- Median hourly wage: $66.12
- Total employment: 1,010 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $138,440
- Median hourly wage: $66.56
- Total employment: 1,000 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $156,110
- Median hourly wage: $75.05
- Total employment: 300 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $165,050
- Median hourly wage: $79.35
- Total employment: 70 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $171,090
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,340 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $172,990
- Median hourly wage: $83.17
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
indukas // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $175,160
- Median hourly wage: $84.21
- Total employment: 360 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $180,520
- Median hourly wage: $86.79
- Total employment: 270 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $219,420
- Median hourly wage: $105.49
- Total employment: Not available
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Elnur // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Podiatrists
- Median annual wage: $221,980
- Median hourly wage: $106.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $237,950
- Median hourly wage: $114.40
- Total employment: 160 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
43 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 240 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Djols // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 190 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 800 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Komsan Loonprom // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 200 people (0.5 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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