Pressmaster // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Public relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $53,200
- Median hourly wage: $25.58
- Total employment: 40 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Altoona 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 Altoona, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Clergy
- Median annual wage: $54,680
- Median hourly wage: $26.29
- Total employment: 40 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Iam_Anupong // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $57,360
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Training and development specialists
- Median annual wage: $57,800
- Median hourly wage: $27.79
- Total employment: 100 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Median annual wage: $58,350
- Median hourly wage: $28.05
- Total employment: 170 people (2.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $58,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.29
- Total employment: 130 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $59,690
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 450 people (7.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $61,080
- Median hourly wage: $29.37
- Total employment: 120 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GLRL // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Buyers and purchasing agents
- Median annual wage: $61,520
- Median hourly wage: $29.58
- Total employment: 140 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Human resources specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,020
- Median hourly wage: $29.82
- Total employment: 290 people (5.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Mongta Studio // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Cost estimators
- Median annual wage: $62,140
- Median hourly wage: $29.87
- Total employment: 110 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Patrizio Martorana // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
- Median annual wage: $62,150
- Median hourly wage: $29.88
- Total employment: 60 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Median annual wage: $63,060
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $63,130
- Median hourly wage: $30.35
- Total employment: 80 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $63,240
- Median hourly wage: $30.40
- Total employment: 440 people (7.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Ground Picture // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Dietitians and nutritionists
- Median annual wage: $65,080
- Median hourly wage: $31.29
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
guruXOX // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Producers and directors
- Median annual wage: $68,800
- Median hourly wage: $33.08
- Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $71,320
- Median hourly wage: $34.29
- Total employment: 80 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $72,320
- Median hourly wage: $34.77
- Total employment: 190 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Median annual wage: $72,610
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 170 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $73,210
- Median hourly wage: $35.20
- Total employment: 40 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $74,180
- Median hourly wage: $35.67
- Total employment: 60 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
B Brown // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $74,890
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 670 people (11.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $76,290
- Median hourly wage: $36.68
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $77,350
- Median hourly wage: $37.19
- Total employment: 80 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $80,030
- Median hourly wage: $38.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $80,460
- Median hourly wage: $38.69
- Total employment: 1,560 people (26.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $80,690
- Median hourly wage: $38.79
- Total employment: 80 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $81,340
- Median hourly wage: $39.11
- Total employment: 1,430 people (24.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $82,390
- Median hourly wage: $39.61
- Total employment: 30 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $83,810
- Median hourly wage: $40.29
- Total employment: 240 people (4.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $86,940
- Median hourly wage: $41.80
- Total employment: 120 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $90,970
- Median hourly wage: $43.73
- Total employment: 60 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $92,000
- Median hourly wage: $44.23
- Total employment: 190 people (3.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $93,890
- Median hourly wage: $45.14
- Total employment: 90 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $96,320
- Median hourly wage: $46.31
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
37 / 50#13. Sales managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $96,700
- Median hourly wage: $46.49
- Total employment: 160 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Medical and health services managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $96,700
- Median hourly wage: $46.49
- Total employment: 300 people (5.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $97,120
- Median hourly wage: $46.69
- Total employment: 150 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $97,450
- Median hourly wage: $46.85
- Total employment: 100 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $99,990
- Median hourly wage: $48.07
- Total employment: 60 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $100,250
- Median hourly wage: $48.20
- Total employment: 40 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Labor relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $101,120
- Median hourly wage: $48.61
- Total employment: 30 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $101,360
- Median hourly wage: $48.73
- Total employment: 60 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $102,220
- Median hourly wage: $49.15
- Total employment: 140 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $106,290
- Median hourly wage: $51.10
- Total employment: 230 people (3.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $113,480
- Median hourly wage: $54.56
- Total employment: 60 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $128,980
- Median hourly wage: $62.01
- Total employment: 50 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $134,720
- Median hourly wage: $64.77
- Total employment: 80 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $203,480
- Median hourly wage: $97.83
- Total employment: 70 people (1.29 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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