Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Counselors, all other
- Median annual wage: $64,580
- Median hourly wage: $31.05
- Total employment: 90 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg that require a graduate degree in Harrisburg. 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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2 / 50#49. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $64,630
- Median hourly wage: $31.07
- Total employment: 370 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Archivists
- Median annual wage: $65,210
- Median hourly wage: $31.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other
- Median annual wage: $73,190
- Median hourly wage: $35.19
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
voronaman // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $73,340
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $73,770
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daxiao Productions // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Marriage and family therapists
- Median annual wage: $74,220
- Median hourly wage: $35.68
- Total employment: 110 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $75,420
- Median hourly wage: $36.26
- Total employment: 160 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $75,540
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $75,690
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 300 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $75,800
- Median hourly wage: $36.44
- Total employment: 650 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $76,300
- Median hourly wage: $36.68
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
KSai23 // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Chiropractors
- Median annual wage: $77,130
- Median hourly wage: $37.08
- Total employment: 80 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,640
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,910
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $79,620
- Median hourly wage: $38.28
- Total employment: 160 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $80,050
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 150 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $80,060
- Median hourly wage: $38.49
- Total employment: 130 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Petekub // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Economists
- Median annual wage: $80,600
- Median hourly wage: $38.75
- Total employment: 160 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $81,460
- Median hourly wage: $39.16
- Total employment: 140 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,980
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $85,110
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $86,440
- Median hourly wage: $41.56
- Total employment: 460 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $91,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 190 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $94,700
- Median hourly wage: $45.53
- Total employment: 480 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $95,740
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Median annual wage: $96,100
- Median hourly wage: $46.20
- Total employment: 140 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. History teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $96,680
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $97,520
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $98,880
- Median hourly wage: $47.54
- Total employment: 710 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $100,740
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $101,510
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 740 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $101,540
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $101,570
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $104,240
- Median hourly wage: $50.12
- Total employment: 230 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kzenon // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $117,560
- Median hourly wage: $56.52
- Total employment: 80 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $123,020
- Median hourly wage: $59.14
- Total employment: 170 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $124,080
- Median hourly wage: $59.66
- Total employment: 450 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $125,150
- Median hourly wage: $60.17
- Total employment: 1,910 people (5.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $125,330
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $131,390
- Median hourly wage: $63.17
- Total employment: 500 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $134,690
- Median hourly wage: $64.75
- Total employment: 790 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $143,780
- Median hourly wage: $69.13
- Total employment: 60 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $177,130
- Median hourly wage: $85.16
- Total employment: 110 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $212,440
- Median hourly wage: $102.14
- Total employment: 190 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
50 / 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
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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