Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,610
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 300 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Cincinnati 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 Cincinnati that require a graduate degree in Cincinnati. 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. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $78,300
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $78,590
- Median hourly wage: $37.79
- Total employment: 1,690 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $78,680
- Median hourly wage: $37.83
- Total employment: 170 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $78,970
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 140 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SeventyFour // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. History teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $79,250
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
totojang1977 // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Orthotists and prosthetists
- Median annual wage: $79,580
- Median hourly wage: $38.26
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $79,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Juri Pozzi // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Acupuncturists
- Median annual wage: $82,230
- Median hourly wage: $39.53
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,440
- Median hourly wage: $39.63
- Total employment: 1,120 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Audiologists
- Median annual wage: $85,160
- Median hourly wage: $40.94
- Total employment: 200 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Median annual wage: $90,690
- Median hourly wage: $43.60
- Total employment: 70 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Biochemists and biophysicists
- Median annual wage: $90,780
- Median hourly wage: $43.65
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $90,830
- Median hourly wage: $43.67
- Total employment: 520 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $92,760
- Median hourly wage: $44.59
- Total employment: 1,560 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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KSai23 // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Chiropractors
- Median annual wage: $93,400
- Median hourly wage: $44.91
- Total employment: 190 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $97,300
- Median hourly wage: $46.78
- Total employment: 1,200 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $98,640
- Median hourly wage: $47.42
- Total employment: 100 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $100,070
- Median hourly wage: $48.11
- Total employment: 1,700 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $101,600
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 2,190 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $102,790
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 300 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Genetic counselors
- Median annual wage: $104,790
- Median hourly wage: $50.38
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $106,820
- Median hourly wage: $51.36
- Total employment: 540 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $107,290
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other
- Median annual wage: $111,230
- Median hourly wage: $53.47
- Total employment: 230 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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luchschenF // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $114,900
- Median hourly wage: $55.24
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Petekub // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Economists
- Median annual wage: $117,750
- Median hourly wage: $56.61
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $121,970
- Median hourly wage: $58.64
- Total employment: 580 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $123,120
- Median hourly wage: $59.19
- Total employment: 350 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $125,260
- Median hourly wage: $60.22
- Total employment: 880 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $126,530
- Median hourly wage: $60.83
- Total employment: 3,890 people (3.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $129,460
- Median hourly wage: $62.24
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $130,100
- Median hourly wage: $62.55
- Total employment: 2,680 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $133,240
- Median hourly wage: $64.06
- Total employment: 310 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $135,330
- Median hourly wage: $65.06
- Total employment: 2,540 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Elnur // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Podiatrists
- Median annual wage: $146,160
- Median hourly wage: $70.27
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $204,240
- Median hourly wage: $98.19
- Total employment: 640 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $204,400
- Median hourly wage: $98.27
- Total employment: 600 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Obstetricians and gynecologists
- Median annual wage: $209,230
- Median hourly wage: $100.59
- Total employment: 280 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $210,910
- Median hourly wage: $101.40
- Total employment: 800 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Djols // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Emergency medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $220,570
- Median hourly wage: $106.04
- Total employment: 350 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $235,230
- Median hourly wage: $113.09
- Total employment: 390 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
43 / 50#1. Neurologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. Radiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 360 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 180 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 3,130 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 250 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Physicians, pathologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Komsan Loonprom // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 250 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 280 people (0.26 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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