Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $80,940
- Median hourly wage: $38.91
- Total employment: 210 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Albany 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 Albany that require a graduate degree in Albany. 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. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $81,370
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 470 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Audiologists
- Median annual wage: $81,570
- Median hourly wage: $39.21
- Total employment: 70 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $82,350
- Median hourly wage: $39.59
- Total employment: 740 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $83,920
- Median hourly wage: $40.35
- Total employment: 540 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Marriage and family therapists
- Median annual wage: $85,020
- Median hourly wage: $40.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Survey researchers
- Median annual wage: $88,570
- Median hourly wage: $42.58
- Total employment: 170 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $88,880
- Median hourly wage: $42.73
- Total employment: 750 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other
- Median annual wage: $89,610
- Median hourly wage: $43.08
- Total employment: 50 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $90,750
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 180 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SeventyFour // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. History teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $91,000
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
voronaman // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $93,880
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Petekub // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Economists
- Median annual wage: $94,520
- Median hourly wage: $45.44
- Total employment: 70 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $95,500
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 140 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $97,210
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 510 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $97,510
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 340 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $97,970
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $98,170
- Median hourly wage: $47.20
- Total employment: 270 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $99,650
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $100,150
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Median annual wage: $100,280
- Median hourly wage: $48.21
- Total employment: 220 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
I. Noyan Yilmaz // // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Environmental science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $100,700
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $103,000
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 270 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $104,020
- Median hourly wage: $50.01
- Total employment: 130 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $105,140
- Median hourly wage: $50.55
- Total employment: 400 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $122,930
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 790 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $123,590
- Median hourly wage: $59.42
- Total employment: 3,370 people (7.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $124,640
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Law teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $125,740
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleksii Didok // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Judicial law clerks
- Median annual wage: $127,780
- Median hourly wage: $61.43
- Total employment: 90 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $129,490
- Median hourly wage: $62.26
- Total employment: 780 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $131,450
- Median hourly wage: $63.20
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $131,730
- Median hourly wage: $63.33
- Total employment: 420 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $132,190
- Median hourly wage: $63.55
- Total employment: 260 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $132,730
- Median hourly wage: $63.81
- Total employment: 700 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $133,360
- Median hourly wage: $64.12
- Total employment: 1,120 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $160,190
- Median hourly wage: $77.01
- Total employment: 320 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $161,120
- Median hourly wage: $77.46
- Total employment: 90 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $164,290
- Median hourly wage: $78.98
- Total employment: Not available
luchschenF // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $166,400
- Median hourly wage: $80.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $168,530
- Median hourly wage: $81.02
- Total employment: 190 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $170,100
- Median hourly wage: $81.78
- Total employment: 130 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Elnur // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Podiatrists
- Median annual wage: $177,990
- Median hourly wage: $85.57
- Total employment: 30 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. General internal medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $191,140
- Median hourly wage: $91.89
- Total employment: 410 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $214,000
- Median hourly wage: $102.88
- Total employment: 190 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Psychiatrists
- Median annual wage: $219,910
- Median hourly wage: $105.73
- Total employment: 120 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric
- Median annual wage: $224,340
- Median hourly wage: $107.86
- Total employment: 90 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 90 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Nurse anesthetists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 210 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 500 people (1.14 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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