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1 / 50#50. Education administrators, all other
- Median annual wage: $77,870
- Median hourly wage: $37.44
- Total employment: 60 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Asheville 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 Asheville, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $79,250
- Median hourly wage: $38.10
- Total employment: 40 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $80,300
- Median hourly wage: $38.61
- Total employment: 170 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $80,720
- Median hourly wage: $38.81
- Total employment: 4,760 people (25.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $82,730
- Median hourly wage: $39.77
- Total employment: 230 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $82,740
- Median hourly wage: $39.78
- Total employment: 310 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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7 / 50#44. Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling
- Median annual wage: $83,970
- Median hourly wage: $40.37
- Total employment: 60 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $84,050
- Median hourly wage: $40.41
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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9 / 50#42. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $85,790
- Median hourly wage: $41.24
- Total employment: 140 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $87,280
- Median hourly wage: $41.96
- Total employment: Not available
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11 / 50#40. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $87,290
- Median hourly wage: $41.97
- Total employment: 710 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Technical writers
- Median annual wage: $87,330
- Median hourly wage: $41.98
- Total employment: 100 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $88,290
- Median hourly wage: $42.45
- Total employment: 3,090 people (16.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $90,030
- Median hourly wage: $43.28
- Total employment: 50 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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15 / 50#36. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $91,600
- Median hourly wage: $44.04
- Total employment: 70 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $91,910
- Median hourly wage: $44.19
- Total employment: 410 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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17 / 50#34. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $93,860
- Median hourly wage: $45.12
- Total employment: 120 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Biological scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $95,640
- Median hourly wage: $45.98
- Total employment: 50 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $96,210
- Median hourly wage: $46.25
- Total employment: 250 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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20 / 50#31. Social workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $96,370
- Median hourly wage: $46.33
- Total employment: 110 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,570
- Median hourly wage: $46.91
- Total employment: 370 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $97,620
- Median hourly wage: $46.93
- Total employment: 650 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,670
- Median hourly wage: $46.96
- Total employment: 480 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $98,350
- Median hourly wage: $47.29
- Total employment: 240 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $98,480
- Median hourly wage: $47.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $99,420
- Median hourly wage: $47.80
- Total employment: 110 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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27 / 50#24. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $99,540
- Median hourly wage: $47.86
- Total employment: 50 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $103,200
- Median hourly wage: $49.61
- Total employment: 820 people (4.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $103,480
- Median hourly wage: $49.75
- Total employment: 70 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $103,720
- Median hourly wage: $49.87
- Total employment: 350 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $104,000
- Median hourly wage: $50.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $104,280
- Median hourly wage: $50.13
- Total employment: Not available
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33 / 50#18. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $105,030
- Median hourly wage: $50.50
- Total employment: 610 people (3.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $106,920
- Median hourly wage: $51.41
- Total employment: 80 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $107,210
- Median hourly wage: $51.54
- Total employment: 90 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $107,500
- Median hourly wage: $51.68
- Total employment: 540 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $109,300
- Median hourly wage: $52.55
- Total employment: 140 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $110,230
- Median hourly wage: $53.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $111,130
- Median hourly wage: $53.43
- Total employment: 70 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $115,890
- Median hourly wage: $55.71
- Total employment: 340 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $116,990
- Median hourly wage: $56.24
- Total employment: 140 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $117,190
- Median hourly wage: $56.34
- Total employment: 190 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $117,730
- Median hourly wage: $56.60
- Total employment: 360 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $118,850
- Median hourly wage: $57.14
- Total employment: 920 people (4.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $127,520
- Median hourly wage: $61.31
- Total employment: 80 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $131,020
- Median hourly wage: $62.99
- Total employment: 190 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $131,860
- Median hourly wage: $63.39
- Total employment: 440 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $146,680
- Median hourly wage: $70.52
- Total employment: 340 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $155,240
- Median hourly wage: $74.64
- Total employment: 140 people (0.77 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: 80 people (0.4 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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