Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $102,110
- Median hourly wage: $49.09
- Total employment: 2,640 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Charlotte 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 Charlotte, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
You may also like: Highest-rated brunch restaurants in Charlotte
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $102,480
- Median hourly wage: $49.27
- Total employment: 870 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Financial examiners
- Median annual wage: $102,780
- Median hourly wage: $49.41
- Total employment: 1,650 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $102,790
- Median hourly wage: $49.42
- Total employment: 10,080 people (7.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $102,890
- Median hourly wage: $49.47
- Total employment: 1,060 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants with outdoor seating in Charlotte by diners
Undrey // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $104,360
- Median hourly wage: $50.18
- Total employment: 5,790 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $104,410
- Median hourly wage: $50.20
- Total employment: 2,550 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $104,760
- Median hourly wage: $50.37
- Total employment: 7,960 people (5.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $104,770
- Median hourly wage: $50.37
- Total employment: 3,630 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $105,390
- Median hourly wage: $50.67
- Total employment: 220 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in the Charlotte metro area
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $105,580
- Median hourly wage: $50.76
- Total employment: 5,460 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $106,410
- Median hourly wage: $51.16
- Total employment: 240 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $108,600
- Median hourly wage: $52.21
- Total employment: 20,380 people (15.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $108,880
- Median hourly wage: $52.34
- Total employment: 2,320 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
15 / 50#35. Database administrators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $109,940
- Median hourly wage: $52.86
- Total employment: Not available
You may also like: Car insurance rates in Charlotte October 2025
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Chemical engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $109,940
- Median hourly wage: $52.86
- Total employment: 150 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $110,020
- Median hourly wage: $52.89
- Total employment: 9,290 people (6.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $110,620
- Median hourly wage: $53.18
- Total employment: 3,020 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $114,450
- Median hourly wage: $55.02
- Total employment: 1,590 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $117,790
- Median hourly wage: $56.63
- Total employment: 280 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Top 25 songs in Charlotte on Shazam in the past week
Tonhom1009 // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Median annual wage: $120,850
- Median hourly wage: $58.10
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $122,730
- Median hourly wage: $59.01
- Total employment: 570 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $124,190
- Median hourly wage: $59.71
- Total employment: 2,600 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $125,340
- Median hourly wage: $60.26
- Total employment: 1,470 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $125,780
- Median hourly wage: $60.47
- Total employment: 90 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: The most expensive homes sold in Charlotte this year
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $127,840
- Median hourly wage: $61.46
- Total employment: 2,130 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $127,960
- Median hourly wage: $61.52
- Total employment: 90 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Lobanov // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Nuclear engineers
- Median annual wage: $128,150
- Median hourly wage: $61.61
- Total employment: 260 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $129,640
- Median hourly wage: $62.33
- Total employment: 2,530 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $130,750
- Median hourly wage: $62.86
- Total employment: 1,180 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying computer and engineering jobs in Charlotte
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $131,110
- Median hourly wage: $63.03
- Total employment: 3,870 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $132,100
- Median hourly wage: $63.51
- Total employment: 20,010 people (14.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $132,270
- Median hourly wage: $63.59
- Total employment: 3,110 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Life scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $132,500
- Median hourly wage: $63.70
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $134,890
- Median hourly wage: $64.85
- Total employment: 470 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Most common languages spoken at home in Greater Charlotte and surrounding regions
dokurose // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $135,050
- Median hourly wage: $64.93
- Total employment: 320 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $136,530
- Median hourly wage: $65.64
- Total employment: 890 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $138,480
- Median hourly wage: $66.58
- Total employment: 1,660 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $143,360
- Median hourly wage: $68.92
- Total employment: 2,280 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $144,770
- Median hourly wage: $69.60
- Total employment: 5,650 people (4.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: People from these metros are looking to buy homes in Charlotte
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $146,090
- Median hourly wage: $70.24
- Total employment: 5,990 people (4.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mark_Kostich // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $153,090
- Median hourly wage: $73.60
- Total employment: 30 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Median annual wage: $154,360
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 4,110 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $158,490
- Median hourly wage: $76.20
- Total employment: 3,750 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $164,160
- Median hourly wage: $78.93
- Total employment: 220 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Southern restaurants in Charlotte by diners
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $165,120
- Median hourly wage: $79.38
- Total employment: 480 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $167,470
- Median hourly wage: $80.52
- Total employment: 8,790 people (6.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $167,590
- Median hourly wage: $80.57
- Total employment: 1,780 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $172,100
- Median hourly wage: $82.74
- Total employment: 7,580 people (5.66 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: 980 people (0.73 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.
You may also like: Best public high schools in the Charlotte metro area
