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1 / 50#50. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $97,160
- Median hourly wage: $46.71
- Total employment: 9,360 people (25.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Dayton 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 Dayton, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $98,270
- Median hourly wage: $47.24
- Total employment: 1,530 people (4.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $98,870
- Median hourly wage: $47.53
- Total employment: 590 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $99,210
- Median hourly wage: $47.70
- Total employment: 90 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $99,260
- Median hourly wage: $47.72
- Total employment: 1,800 people (4.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $99,270
- Median hourly wage: $47.73
- Total employment: 230 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $99,420
- Median hourly wage: $47.80
- Total employment: 870 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $100,120
- Median hourly wage: $48.14
- Total employment: 1,250 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $100,170
- Median hourly wage: $48.16
- Total employment: 4,240 people (11.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $100,480
- Median hourly wage: $48.31
- Total employment: 2,000 people (5.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $101,180
- Median hourly wage: $48.64
- Total employment: 2,630 people (7.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
H_Ko // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Materials scientists
- Median annual wage: $101,920
- Median hourly wage: $49.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $102,190
- Median hourly wage: $49.13
- Total employment: 1,520 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $102,600
- Median hourly wage: $49.33
- Total employment: 550 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Francesco Scatena // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Cartographers and photogrammetrists
- Median annual wage: $103,140
- Median hourly wage: $49.59
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $104,350
- Median hourly wage: $50.17
- Total employment: 3,640 people (9.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $105,000
- Median hourly wage: $50.48
- Total employment: 1,770 people (4.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $107,720
- Median hourly wage: $51.79
- Total employment: 470 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Financial specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $108,200
- Median hourly wage: $52.02
- Total employment: 990 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $108,970
- Median hourly wage: $52.39
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Median annual wage: $109,160
- Median hourly wage: $52.48
- Total employment: 90 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $110,350
- Median hourly wage: $53.05
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Education administrators, all other
- Median annual wage: $110,800
- Median hourly wage: $53.27
- Total employment: 220 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $111,200
- Median hourly wage: $53.46
- Total employment: 1,150 people (3.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $113,010
- Median hourly wage: $54.33
- Total employment: 210 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $115,950
- Median hourly wage: $55.74
- Total employment: 400 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Social scientists and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $117,960
- Median hourly wage: $56.71
- Total employment: 710 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Biological scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $119,450
- Median hourly wage: $57.43
- Total employment: 80 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $120,040
- Median hourly wage: $57.71
- Total employment: 70 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $124,280
- Median hourly wage: $59.75
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $125,510
- Median hourly wage: $60.34
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $125,820
- Median hourly wage: $60.49
- Total employment: 360 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $126,240
- Median hourly wage: $60.69
- Total employment: 230 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mark_Kostich // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $127,150
- Median hourly wage: $61.13
- Total employment: 140 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $127,950
- Median hourly wage: $61.52
- Total employment: 400 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $128,500
- Median hourly wage: $61.78
- Total employment: 440 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $128,670
- Median hourly wage: $61.86
- Total employment: 670 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $129,030
- Median hourly wage: $62.03
- Total employment: 130 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $130,620
- Median hourly wage: $62.80
- Total employment: 1,180 people (3.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $130,640
- Median hourly wage: $62.81
- Total employment: 1,390 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $132,970
- Median hourly wage: $63.93
- Total employment: 1,250 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $133,430
- Median hourly wage: $64.15
- Total employment: 1,070 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $133,650
- Median hourly wage: $64.25
- Total employment: 190 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $136,300
- Median hourly wage: $65.53
- Total employment: 240 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $137,820
- Median hourly wage: $66.26
- Total employment: 130 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $138,770
- Median hourly wage: $66.72
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $139,380
- Median hourly wage: $67.01
- Total employment: 1,800 people (4.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $152,240
- Median hourly wage: $73.19
- Total employment: 800 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $158,790
- Median hourly wage: $76.34
- Total employment: 560 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $189,900
- Median hourly wage: $91.30
- Total employment: 230 people (0.62 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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