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1 / 50#50. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Median annual wage: $76,390
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Corvallis 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 Corvallis, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $77,470
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 170 people (4.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Kneschke // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Foresters
- Median annual wage: $77,960
- Median hourly wage: $37.48
- Total employment: 50 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists
- Median annual wage: $78,300
- Median hourly wage: $37.64
- Total employment: 40 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
AlesiaKan // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Health education specialists
- Median annual wage: $78,790
- Median hourly wage: $37.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $78,830
- Median hourly wage: $37.90
- Total employment: 40 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sabthai // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Budget analysts
- Median annual wage: $79,130
- Median hourly wage: $38.04
- Total employment: 90 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mongta Studio // Shutterstock
8 / 50#42. Cost estimators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $79,220
- Median hourly wage: $38.09
- Total employment: 40 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Soil and plant scientists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $79,220
- Median hourly wage: $38.09
- Total employment: 60 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Patrizio Martorana // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
- Median annual wage: $79,640
- Median hourly wage: $38.29
- Total employment: 60 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $80,050
- Median hourly wage: $38.49
- Total employment: 60 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $80,270
- Median hourly wage: $38.59
- Total employment: 400 people (10.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Csomos Attila // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
- Median annual wage: $80,580
- Median hourly wage: $38.74
- Total employment: 60 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $81,070
- Median hourly wage: $38.98
- Total employment: 750 people (19.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $81,180
- Median hourly wage: $39.03
- Total employment: 110 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $81,440
- Median hourly wage: $39.15
- Total employment: 70 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Deemerwha studio // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Conservation scientists
- Median annual wage: $82,950
- Median hourly wage: $39.88
- Total employment: 70 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
comzeal images // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Loan officers
- Median annual wage: $84,030
- Median hourly wage: $40.40
- Total employment: 80 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
James Kirkikis // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Zoologists and wildlife biologists
- Median annual wage: $85,150
- Median hourly wage: $40.94
- Total employment: 100 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Biological scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $88,440
- Median hourly wage: $42.52
- Total employment: 70 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $89,040
- Median hourly wage: $42.81
- Total employment: 50 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $89,460
- Median hourly wage: $43.01
- Total employment: 30 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $93,640
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (3.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $95,690
- Median hourly wage: $46.01
- Total employment: 50 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $95,870
- Median hourly wage: $46.09
- Total employment: 40 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $96,320
- Median hourly wage: $46.31
- Total employment: 100 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $98,570
- Median hourly wage: $47.39
- Total employment: 30 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $100,700
- Median hourly wage: $48.41
- Total employment: 170 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $100,780
- Median hourly wage: $48.45
- Total employment: 60 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $101,620
- Median hourly wage: $48.86
- Total employment: 50 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $101,650
- Median hourly wage: $48.87
- Total employment: 140 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $101,760
- Median hourly wage: $48.92
- Total employment: 170 people (4.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $101,900
- Median hourly wage: $48.99
- Total employment: 140 people (3.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $103,830
- Median hourly wage: $49.92
- Total employment: 50 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $108,480
- Median hourly wage: $52.15
- Total employment: 30 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $110,590
- Median hourly wage: $53.17
- Total employment: 30 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $110,880
- Median hourly wage: $53.31
- Total employment: 60 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $111,500
- Median hourly wage: $53.61
- Total employment: 50 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $114,500
- Median hourly wage: $55.05
- Total employment: 920 people (23.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $116,120
- Median hourly wage: $55.83
- Total employment: 70 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $118,690
- Median hourly wage: $57.06
- Total employment: 40 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $121,850
- Median hourly wage: $58.58
- Total employment: 370 people (9.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $122,450
- Median hourly wage: $58.87
- Total employment: 80 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $124,020
- Median hourly wage: $59.62
- Total employment: 40 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $126,010
- Median hourly wage: $60.58
- Total employment: 110 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $129,270
- Median hourly wage: $62.15
- Total employment: 160 people (4.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $131,150
- Median hourly wage: $63.06
- Total employment: 40 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $134,160
- Median hourly wage: $64.50
- Total employment: 150 people (3.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $144,600
- Median hourly wage: $69.52
- Total employment: 110 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $167,230
- Median hourly wage: $80.40
- Total employment: 130 people (3.28 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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