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1 / 50#50. Special effects artists and animators
- Median annual wage: $108,630
- Median hourly wage: $52.23
- Total employment: 370 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Portland, 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 Portland, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $110,350
- Median hourly wage: $53.05
- Total employment: 25,260 people (20.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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3 / 50#48. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $112,820
- Median hourly wage: $54.24
- Total employment: 1,140 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $114,130
- Median hourly wage: $54.87
- Total employment: 3,050 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $114,390
- Median hourly wage: $55.00
- Total employment: 2,090 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Legislators
- Median annual wage: $116,460
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $117,020
- Median hourly wage: $56.26
- Total employment: 2,750 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $118,640
- Median hourly wage: $57.04
- Total employment: 150 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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9 / 50#42. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $118,820
- Median hourly wage: $57.13
- Total employment: 2,180 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $119,270
- Median hourly wage: $57.34
- Total employment: 2,610 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $119,890
- Median hourly wage: $57.64
- Total employment: 2,090 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $120,600
- Median hourly wage: $57.98
- Total employment: 290 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $120,870
- Median hourly wage: $58.11
- Total employment: 970 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Atmospheric and space scientists
- Median annual wage: $121,600
- Median hourly wage: $58.46
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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15 / 50#35. Training and development managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $122,290
- Median hourly wage: $58.79
- Total employment: 390 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Environmental engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $122,290
- Median hourly wage: $58.80
- Total employment: 470 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $122,300
- Median hourly wage: $58.80
- Total employment: 3,760 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $123,500
- Median hourly wage: $59.38
- Total employment: 930 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $124,590
- Median hourly wage: $59.90
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $126,530
- Median hourly wage: $60.83
- Total employment: 5,440 people (4.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $126,640
- Median hourly wage: $60.88
- Total employment: 990 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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22 / 50#29. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $127,010
- Median hourly wage: $61.06
- Total employment: 1,520 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $127,980
- Median hourly wage: $61.53
- Total employment: 24,930 people (20.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $128,890
- Median hourly wage: $61.97
- Total employment: 150 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tonhom1009 // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Median annual wage: $129,020
- Median hourly wage: $62.03
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $129,550
- Median hourly wage: $62.29
- Total employment: 2,160 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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27 / 50#24. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $129,930
- Median hourly wage: $62.47
- Total employment: 120 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $130,810
- Median hourly wage: $62.89
- Total employment: 900 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $131,170
- Median hourly wage: $63.06
- Total employment: 4,840 people (3.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $132,650
- Median hourly wage: $63.78
- Total employment: 230 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $134,190
- Median hourly wage: $64.51
- Total employment: 110 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $135,340
- Median hourly wage: $65.07
- Total employment: 4,350 people (3.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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33 / 50#18. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $135,500
- Median hourly wage: $65.14
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $136,970
- Median hourly wage: $65.85
- Total employment: 2,760 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $139,040
- Median hourly wage: $66.85
- Total employment: 840 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $139,370
- Median hourly wage: $67.01
- Total employment: 1,100 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $143,260
- Median hourly wage: $68.88
- Total employment: 570 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $144,420
- Median hourly wage: $69.44
- Total employment: 3,290 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $144,990
- Median hourly wage: $69.71
- Total employment: 1,940 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $148,970
- Median hourly wage: $71.62
- Total employment: 860 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $149,010
- Median hourly wage: $71.64
- Total employment: 16,620 people (13.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Art directors
- Median annual wage: $155,350
- Median hourly wage: $74.69
- Total employment: 900 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $157,500
- Median hourly wage: $75.72
- Total employment: 160 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $159,540
- Median hourly wage: $76.70
- Total employment: 5,090 people (4.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $165,000
- Median hourly wage: $79.33
- Total employment: 4,440 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $170,220
- Median hourly wage: $81.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $170,410
- Median hourly wage: $81.93
- Total employment: Not available
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $178,210
- Median hourly wage: $85.68
- Total employment: Not available
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Chief executives (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 740 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 630 people (0.52 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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