AlesiaKan // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Health education specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 40 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Erie 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 Erie, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $63,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.49
- Total employment: 210 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $64,620
- Median hourly wage: $31.07
- Total employment: 200 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $64,720
- Median hourly wage: $31.12
- Total employment: 280 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $64,840
- Median hourly wage: $31.17
- Total employment: 910 people (7.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $65,220
- Median hourly wage: $31.36
- Total employment: 30 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Dietitians and nutritionists
- Median annual wage: $65,640
- Median hourly wage: $31.56
- Total employment: 80 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $67,880
- Median hourly wage: $32.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $71,440
- Median hourly wage: $34.35
- Total employment: 140 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists
- Median annual wage: $71,560
- Median hourly wage: $34.40
- Total employment: 80 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $71,830
- Median hourly wage: $34.53
- Total employment: 60 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
12 / 50#38. Occupational health and safety specialists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $73,110
- Median hourly wage: $35.15
- Total employment: 90 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
B Brown // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education (tie)
- Median annual wage: $73,110
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 730 people (6.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Labor relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $74,290
- Median hourly wage: $35.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Median annual wage: $75,660
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 180 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VE.Studio // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $76,550
- Median hourly wage: $36.80
- Total employment: 30 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $76,750
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 140 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $77,160
- Median hourly wage: $37.09
- Total employment: 150 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $77,950
- Median hourly wage: $37.48
- Total employment: 3,030 people (25.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $78,060
- Median hourly wage: $37.53
- Total employment: 370 people (3.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $78,120
- Median hourly wage: $37.56
- Total employment: 110 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $78,650
- Median hourly wage: $37.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $81,000
- Median hourly wage: $38.94
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $81,380
- Median hourly wage: $39.13
- Total employment: 100 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $82,390
- Median hourly wage: $39.61
- Total employment: 2,710 people (22.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $82,670
- Median hourly wage: $39.75
- Total employment: 60 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Social workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $83,550
- Median hourly wage: $40.17
- Total employment: 70 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $83,970
- Median hourly wage: $40.37
- Total employment: 420 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $84,990
- Median hourly wage: $40.86
- Total employment: 220 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $85,400
- Median hourly wage: $41.06
- Total employment: 170 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $88,260
- Median hourly wage: $42.43
- Total employment: 70 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $91,700
- Median hourly wage: $44.09
- Total employment: 70 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $92,730
- Median hourly wage: $44.58
- Total employment: 110 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $95,180
- Median hourly wage: $45.76
- Total employment: 470 people (3.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $95,680
- Median hourly wage: $46.00
- Total employment: 530 people (4.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $98,480
- Median hourly wage: $47.34
- Total employment: 360 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $101,050
- Median hourly wage: $48.58
- Total employment: 260 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $101,280
- Median hourly wage: $48.69
- Total employment: 220 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $101,700
- Median hourly wage: $48.90
- Total employment: 120 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $103,850
- Median hourly wage: $49.93
- Total employment: 570 people (4.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,150
- Median hourly wage: $51.03
- Total employment: 180 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $107,800
- Median hourly wage: $51.83
- Total employment: 110 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $109,120
- Median hourly wage: $52.46
- Total employment: 460 people (3.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $112,960
- Median hourly wage: $54.31
- Total employment: 260 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $120,620
- Median hourly wage: $57.99
- Total employment: 110 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $126,520
- Median hourly wage: $60.83
- Total employment: 290 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $130,000
- Median hourly wage: $62.50
- Total employment: 50 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $131,160
- Median hourly wage: $63.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $148,880
- Median hourly wage: $71.58
- Total employment: 160 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $177,440
- Median hourly wage: $85.31
- Total employment: 150 people (1.26 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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