Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Counselors, all other
- Median annual wage: $64,880
- Median hourly wage: $31.19
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Allentown that require a graduate degree
Earning top dollar typically requires more education than an undergraduate degree can provide. Doctors, lawyers, and professors need extra years of focused study for their chosen fields, but they're not alone. Graduate degrees in fields like business, teaching, and public health build specialized knowledge that can fast-track a career—and one's salary.
Many hiring managers view a master's degree as the equivalent of two years of work experience, giving graduate degree holders a leg up. In 2024, master's degree holders earned a weekly median of $1,840, a 19% premium over undergraduate degree holders. Doctorates earned $2,278, and professional degree holders earned $2,363.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Allentown that require a graduate degree in Allentown. 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.
Job security is another benefit. The unemployment rate for a master's degree holder is 2.2%, compared to 2.5% for undergraduate degree holders. Doctorates and professional degree holders' unemployment rate is close to 1%.
Employers believe a graduate degree showcases an employee's drive and commitment, but that comes at a price. Between 2000 and 2020, median annual tuition and fees for graduate degree programs increased by 233%. Unsurprisingly, median student debt has also increased, rising 47% to $50,000.
Depending on the career field, some prospective students may find it difficult to justify the expense. Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce found that full-time workers in STEM fields earned $128,000 annually, almost twice as much as their degreed counterparts in humanities and the arts. A graduate degree in humanities also only brought a 10% earnings premium over someone with a bachelor's degree.
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other
- Median annual wage: $70,190
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daxiao Productions // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Marriage and family therapists
- Median annual wage: $71,560
- Median hourly wage: $34.40
- Total employment: 140 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $72,680
- Median hourly wage: $34.94
- Total employment: 390 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Diego Cervo // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $73,280
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $74,420
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 130 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel Besic // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $74,830
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 180 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other
- Median annual wage: $74,980
- Median hourly wage: $36.05
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $75,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $75,380
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 290 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $76,070
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $76,420
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $76,860
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $77,260
- Median hourly wage: $37.14
- Total employment: 60 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,270
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 240 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,280
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
voronaman // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,460
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Social work teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,610
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,690
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $77,700
- Median hourly wage: $37.36
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $78,660
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 190 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. History teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $81,640
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $81,700
- Median hourly wage: $39.28
- Total employment: 200 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,030
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $83,520
- Median hourly wage: $40.15
- Total employment: 200 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $94,230
- Median hourly wage: $45.30
- Total employment: 550 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Biochemists and biophysicists
- Median annual wage: $95,170
- Median hourly wage: $45.75
- Total employment: Not available
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $96,290
- Median hourly wage: $46.29
- Total employment: 510 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $96,990
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 640 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $99,040
- Median hourly wage: $47.61
- Total employment: 350 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $99,880
- Median hourly wage: $48.02
- Total employment: 680 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $101,220
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $102,240
- Median hourly wage: $49.15
- Total employment: 880 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $113,910
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 760 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $116,470
- Median hourly wage: $56.00
- Total employment: 190 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $127,420
- Median hourly wage: $61.26
- Total employment: 750 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $128,130
- Median hourly wage: $61.60
- Total employment: 460 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $128,420
- Median hourly wage: $61.74
- Total employment: 220 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $137,600
- Median hourly wage: $66.15
- Total employment: 1,000 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $140,650
- Median hourly wage: $67.62
- Total employment: 80 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $160,000
- Median hourly wage: $76.92
- Total employment: 180 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $172,970
- Median hourly wage: $83.16
- Total employment: 1,570 people (4.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $209,680
- Median hourly wage: $100.81
- Total employment: 100 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $215,010
- Median hourly wage: $103.37
- Total employment: 360 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $216,780
- Median hourly wage: $104.22
- Total employment: 380 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Djols // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 90 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 140 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Radiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 340 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 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 363 metros.
