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1 / 50#50. Community and social service specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $57,860
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 60 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Albany, Oregon 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 Albany, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Foresters
- Median annual wage: $59,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 40 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Graphic designers
- Median annual wage: $59,760
- Median hourly wage: $28.73
- Total employment: 40 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Median annual wage: $59,890
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Social workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $61,020
- Median hourly wage: $29.34
- Total employment: 60 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $62,070
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $63,120
- Median hourly wage: $30.35
- Total employment: 190 people (4.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GLRL // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Buyers and purchasing agents
- Median annual wage: $63,260
- Median hourly wage: $30.41
- Total employment: 150 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Child, family, and school social workers
- Median annual wage: $64,130
- Median hourly wage: $30.83
- Total employment: 160 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Clergy
- Median annual wage: $64,930
- Median hourly wage: $31.22
- Total employment: 150 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $65,510
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 400 people (8.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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12 / 50#39. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Median annual wage: $65,900
- Median hourly wage: $31.68
- Total employment: 110 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Iam_Anupong // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $66,430
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Human resources specialists
- Median annual wage: $67,020
- Median hourly wage: $32.22
- Total employment: 210 people (4.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Median annual wage: $67,300
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Loan officers
- Median annual wage: $68,710
- Median hourly wage: $33.04
- Total employment: 70 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
AlesiaKan // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Health education specialists
- Median annual wage: $71,220
- Median hourly wage: $34.24
- Total employment: 30 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
B Brown // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $74,140
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 420 people (9.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $75,160
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 250 people (5.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mongta Studio // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Cost estimators
- Median annual wage: $76,130
- Median hourly wage: $36.60
- Total employment: 70 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $77,560
- Median hourly wage: $37.29
- Total employment: 40 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $77,700
- Median hourly wage: $37.36
- Total employment: 80 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $78,130
- Median hourly wage: $37.56
- Total employment: 50 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $79,040
- Median hourly wage: $38.00
- Total employment: 210 people (4.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $79,570
- Median hourly wage: $38.25
- Total employment: 60 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $81,680
- Median hourly wage: $39.27
- Total employment: 60 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $81,790
- Median hourly wage: $39.32
- Total employment: 40 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $85,490
- Median hourly wage: $41.10
- Total employment: 170 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $87,910
- Median hourly wage: $42.27
- Total employment: 840 people (18.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $89,880
- Median hourly wage: $43.21
- Total employment: 30 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $91,610
- Median hourly wage: $44.05
- Total employment: 70 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $96,960
- Median hourly wage: $46.61
- Total employment: 100 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,100
- Median hourly wage: $46.68
- Total employment: 90 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $98,290
- Median hourly wage: $47.25
- Total employment: 50 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $100,030
- Median hourly wage: $48.09
- Total employment: 50 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $100,250
- Median hourly wage: $48.20
- Total employment: 80 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $108,000
- Median hourly wage: $51.92
- Total employment: 580 people (12.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $108,430
- Median hourly wage: $52.13
- Total employment: 30 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $108,580
- Median hourly wage: $52.20
- Total employment: 40 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $109,090
- Median hourly wage: $52.45
- Total employment: 50 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $109,810
- Median hourly wage: $52.79
- Total employment: 120 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $114,260
- Median hourly wage: $54.94
- Total employment: 100 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $114,940
- Median hourly wage: $55.26
- Total employment: 50 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $120,800
- Median hourly wage: $58.08
- Total employment: 100 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $121,430
- Median hourly wage: $58.38
- Total employment: 100 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $125,830
- Median hourly wage: $60.49
- Total employment: 110 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $129,480
- Median hourly wage: $62.25
- Total employment: 70 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $132,810
- Median hourly wage: $63.85
- Total employment: 50 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $138,360
- Median hourly wage: $66.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $140,720
- Median hourly wage: $67.65
- Total employment: 60 people (1.38 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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