Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $85,540
- Median hourly wage: $41.12
- Total employment: 4,250 people (6.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Oklahoma City 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 Oklahoma City, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $85,970
- Median hourly wage: $41.33
- Total employment: 770 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Financial examiners
- Median annual wage: $86,660
- Median hourly wage: $41.66
- Total employment: 180 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $86,940
- Median hourly wage: $41.80
- Total employment: 860 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $87,050
- Median hourly wage: $41.85
- Total employment: 2,460 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
6 / 50#44. Atmospheric and space scientists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $89,860
- Median hourly wage: $43.20
- Total employment: 200 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Logisticians (tie)
- Median annual wage: $89,860
- Median hourly wage: $43.20
- Total employment: 2,620 people (3.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $91,080
- Median hourly wage: $43.79
- Total employment: 120 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $91,890
- Median hourly wage: $44.18
- Total employment: 3,980 people (5.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $91,920
- Median hourly wage: $44.19
- Total employment: 1,280 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $92,010
- Median hourly wage: $44.24
- Total employment: 900 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $92,340
- Median hourly wage: $44.40
- Total employment: 690 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $94,140
- Median hourly wage: $45.26
- Total employment: 290 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $97,480
- Median hourly wage: $46.86
- Total employment: 230 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $98,550
- Median hourly wage: $47.38
- Total employment: 1,720 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $99,120
- Median hourly wage: $47.66
- Total employment: 50 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $100,150
- Median hourly wage: $48.15
- Total employment: 60 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $100,350
- Median hourly wage: $48.25
- Total employment: 180 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Social workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $100,860
- Median hourly wage: $48.49
- Total employment: 160 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $101,100
- Median hourly wage: $48.61
- Total employment: 100 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $101,890
- Median hourly wage: $48.99
- Total employment: 830 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $102,630
- Median hourly wage: $49.34
- Total employment: 3,000 people (4.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Education administrators, all other
- Median annual wage: $103,400
- Median hourly wage: $49.71
- Total employment: 90 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $103,730
- Median hourly wage: $49.87
- Total employment: 1,050 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $105,560
- Median hourly wage: $50.75
- Total employment: 580 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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creativemarc // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $106,000
- Median hourly wage: $50.96
- Total employment: 1,460 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $107,020
- Median hourly wage: $51.45
- Total employment: 840 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $107,260
- Median hourly wage: $51.57
- Total employment: 190 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $107,420
- Median hourly wage: $51.65
- Total employment: 3,740 people (5.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $108,150
- Median hourly wage: $52.00
- Total employment: 700 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $109,110
- Median hourly wage: $52.46
- Total employment: 550 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $109,120
- Median hourly wage: $52.46
- Total employment: 1,140 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $109,900
- Median hourly wage: $52.84
- Total employment: 50 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $111,230
- Median hourly wage: $53.48
- Total employment: 720 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $113,110
- Median hourly wage: $54.38
- Total employment: 210 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $113,520
- Median hourly wage: $54.58
- Total employment: 50 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $114,890
- Median hourly wage: $55.24
- Total employment: 910 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tonhom1009 // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Median annual wage: $117,250
- Median hourly wage: $56.37
- Total employment: 50 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $124,870
- Median hourly wage: $60.04
- Total employment: 2,730 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $125,650
- Median hourly wage: $60.41
- Total employment: 580 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $126,260
- Median hourly wage: $60.70
- Total employment: 790 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Csomos Attila // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
- Median annual wage: $128,240
- Median hourly wage: $61.65
- Total employment: 560 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $128,730
- Median hourly wage: $61.89
- Total employment: 1,340 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $131,470
- Median hourly wage: $63.21
- Total employment: 80 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $133,470
- Median hourly wage: $64.17
- Total employment: 1,950 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $135,860
- Median hourly wage: $65.32
- Total employment: 370 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Median annual wage: $145,450
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $154,420
- Median hourly wage: $74.24
- Total employment: 990 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $155,000
- Median hourly wage: $74.52
- Total employment: 690 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Another77 // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Petroleum engineers
- Median annual wage: $173,400
- Median hourly wage: $83.37
- Total employment: 680 people (1.02 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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