Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $97,560
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 270 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Portland, Oregon that require a graduate degree
Earning top dollar often requires more education than an undergraduate degree. Of course, doctors, lawyers, and professors all need extra years of focused study in their respective fields, but they're not alone. Graduate degrees in industries like business, engineering, and mathematics build specialized knowledge that can fast-track one's career—and salary.
In 2024, master's degree holders earned a weekly median of $1,840, a 19% premium over undergraduate degree holders. Meanwhile, doctorates earned $2,278, and professional degree holders earned $2,363.
However, wages can vary widely by occupation. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Portland that require a graduate degree in Portland. This includes doctorates, master's degrees, and professional degrees. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
Beyond offering higher pay, a master's degree may also provide greater job security. The unemployment rate for a master's degree holder was 2.2% in 2024, compared to 2.5% for undergraduate degree holders. Unemployment is close to 1% among those with doctorates and professional degrees.
According to a May 2025 report from ResumeGenius, many employers believe a graduate degree showcases an employee's drive and commitment, leading to better job prospects. But that comes at a price. Between 2000 and 2020, median annual tuition and fees for graduate degree programs increased by 233%. Unsurprisingly, median cumulative grad school debt also increased, rising 47% to $50,000.
Depending on the career field, the expense may be difficult to justify. Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce found that full-time workers with graduate degrees in STEM fields earned $128,000 annually, almost twice as much as their counterparts in humanities and the arts. Meanwhile, a humanities graduate degree brought only 10% more earnings than a bachelor's degree.
Keep reading to find out how much graduate degree holders can earn in different roles.
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $97,990
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $99,300
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $99,480
- Median hourly wage: $47.83
- Total employment: 590 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $99,540
- Median hourly wage: $47.86
- Total employment: 1,510 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $100,650
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 190 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Biochemists and biophysicists
- Median annual wage: $101,390
- Median hourly wage: $48.74
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Diego Cervo // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $101,740
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ESB Professional // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $102,790
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $104,430
- Median hourly wage: $50.21
- Total employment: 1,800 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $105,050
- Median hourly wage: $50.50
- Total employment: 830 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $106,920
- Median hourly wage: $51.40
- Total employment: 1,280 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $108,320
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 510 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $109,480
- Median hourly wage: $52.64
- Total employment: 960 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Petekub // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Economists
- Median annual wage: $116,880
- Median hourly wage: $56.19
- Total employment: 160 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VH-studio // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $120,130
- Median hourly wage: $57.75
- Total employment: 420 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Median annual wage: $122,350
- Median hourly wage: $58.82
- Total employment: 160 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $122,990
- Median hourly wage: $59.13
- Total employment: 1,020 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $123,080
- Median hourly wage: $59.18
- Total employment: 200 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $124,890
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 3,640 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kzenon // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $132,110
- Median hourly wage: $63.51
- Total employment: 370 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $132,550
- Median hourly wage: $63.73
- Total employment: 230 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $137,780
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 2,190 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $151,890
- Median hourly wage: $73.02
- Total employment: 1,310 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
indukas // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $155,560
- Median hourly wage: $74.79
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stokkete // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $156,450
- Median hourly wage: $75.21
- Total employment: 980 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $161,420
- Median hourly wage: $77.61
- Total employment: 5,600 people (4.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $169,510
- Median hourly wage: $81.50
- Total employment: 650 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $169,520
- Median hourly wage: $81.50
- Total employment: 2,420 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $174,100
- Median hourly wage: $83.70
- Total employment: 130 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $181,990
- Median hourly wage: $87.50
- Total employment: 600 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $184,420
- Median hourly wage: $88.66
- Total employment: 760 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
33 / 50#1. Dermatologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 110 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
34 / 50#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
35 / 50#1. Radiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 210 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
36 / 50#1. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 100 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
37 / 50#1. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 140 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
38 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 2,930 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
39 / 50#1. Dentists, all other specialists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Elnur // Shutterstock
40 / 50#1. Podiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 120 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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LightField Studios // Shutterstock
41 / 50#1. Nurse anesthetists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 270 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
42 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 1,230 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Komsan Loonprom // Shutterstock
43 / 50#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 170 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Djols // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 600 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BlurryMe // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 380 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Neurologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 210 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Physicians, pathologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 130 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 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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