B Brown // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $76,950
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,250 people (10.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Utica 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 Utica, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $77,340
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 680 people (5.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $77,380
- Median hourly wage: $37.20
- Total employment: 280 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $77,530
- Median hourly wage: $37.28
- Total employment: 110 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PR Image Factory // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $79,200
- Median hourly wage: $38.08
- Total employment: 100 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Martynova Anna // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Career/technical education teachers, middle school
- Median annual wage: $79,880
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Social workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $80,240
- Median hourly wage: $38.58
- Total employment: 80 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $80,480
- Median hourly wage: $38.69
- Total employment: 220 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $81,760
- Median hourly wage: $39.31
- Total employment: 370 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $81,920
- Median hourly wage: $39.38
- Total employment: 50 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $82,490
- Median hourly wage: $39.66
- Total employment: 70 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Median annual wage: $83,570
- Median hourly wage: $40.18
- Total employment: 130 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $85,180
- Median hourly wage: $40.95
- Total employment: 160 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $85,490
- Median hourly wage: $41.10
- Total employment: 160 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Labor relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $85,540
- Median hourly wage: $41.13
- Total employment: 90 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $86,020
- Median hourly wage: $41.36
- Total employment: 2,430 people (20.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Insurance underwriters
- Median annual wage: $86,240
- Median hourly wage: $41.46
- Total employment: 220 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $88,510
- Median hourly wage: $42.55
- Total employment: 120 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
19 / 50#31. Environmental engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $88,710
- Median hourly wage: $42.65
- Total employment: 40 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Civil engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $88,710
- Median hourly wage: $42.65
- Total employment: 150 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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dokurose // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $89,990
- Median hourly wage: $43.27
- Total employment: 40 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $90,810
- Median hourly wage: $43.66
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $94,120
- Median hourly wage: $45.25
- Total employment: 290 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $94,280
- Median hourly wage: $45.33
- Total employment: 150 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Web and digital interface designers
- Median annual wage: $94,980
- Median hourly wage: $45.66
- Total employment: 50 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $96,770
- Median hourly wage: $46.53
- Total employment: 410 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $96,990
- Median hourly wage: $46.63
- Total employment: 2,170 people (18.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $101,790
- Median hourly wage: $48.94
- Total employment: 630 people (5.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $103,880
- Median hourly wage: $49.94
- Total employment: 140 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $104,040
- Median hourly wage: $50.02
- Total employment: 120 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $104,470
- Median hourly wage: $50.23
- Total employment: 60 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $105,810
- Median hourly wage: $50.87
- Total employment: 30 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $110,120
- Median hourly wage: $52.94
- Total employment: 100 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $111,430
- Median hourly wage: $53.57
- Total employment: 60 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $112,530
- Median hourly wage: $54.10
- Total employment: 280 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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creativemarc // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $117,780
- Median hourly wage: $56.63
- Total employment: 140 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $118,850
- Median hourly wage: $57.14
- Total employment: 70 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $119,320
- Median hourly wage: $57.37
- Total employment: 170 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $122,250
- Median hourly wage: $58.77
- Total employment: 30 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $128,610
- Median hourly wage: $61.83
- Total employment: 170 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $129,930
- Median hourly wage: $62.47
- Total employment: 120 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $130,540
- Median hourly wage: $62.76
- Total employment: 110 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $132,350
- Median hourly wage: $63.63
- Total employment: 140 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $134,170
- Median hourly wage: $64.50
- Total employment: 90 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $139,970
- Median hourly wage: $67.29
- Total employment: 440 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $144,480
- Median hourly wage: $69.46
- Total employment: 230 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $150,950
- Median hourly wage: $72.57
- Total employment: 180 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $155,060
- Median hourly wage: $74.55
- Total employment: 70 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $165,280
- Median hourly wage: $79.46
- Total employment: 90 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Legislators
- Median annual wage: $173,280
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.29 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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