luchschenF // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $50,010
- Median hourly wage: $24.04
- Total employment: Not available
Highest-paying jobs in Johnstown 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 Johnstown, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents
- Median annual wage: $50,220
- Median hourly wage: $24.14
- Total employment: 50 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $52,130
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $53,120
- Median hourly wage: $25.54
- Total employment: 160 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Dietitians and nutritionists
- Median annual wage: $55,150
- Median hourly wage: $26.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kzenon // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Training and development specialists
- Median annual wage: $55,610
- Median hourly wage: $26.74
- Total employment: 60 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Fundraisers
- Median annual wage: $56,370
- Median hourly wage: $27.10
- Total employment: 40 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Iam_Anupong // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $58,330
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Human resources specialists
- Median annual wage: $59,160
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 210 people (4.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $59,580
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 710 people (14.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $60,510
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 130 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Median annual wage: $61,350
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $62,370
- Median hourly wage: $29.99
- Total employment: 140 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
comzeal images // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Loan officers
- Median annual wage: $62,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 60 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Median annual wage: $62,920
- Median hourly wage: $30.25
- Total employment: 50 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Cost estimators
- Median annual wage: $63,500
- Median hourly wage: $30.53
- Total employment: 70 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $63,840
- Median hourly wage: $30.69
- Total employment: 410 people (8.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Median annual wage: $67,360
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GLRL // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Buyers and purchasing agents
- Median annual wage: $68,010
- Median hourly wage: $32.70
- Total employment: 110 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
B Brown // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $69,220
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 530 people (10.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $70,260
- Median hourly wage: $33.78
- Total employment: 170 people (3.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $71,520
- Median hourly wage: $34.39
- Total employment: 50 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $73,990
- Median hourly wage: $35.57
- Total employment: 50 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $74,300
- Median hourly wage: $35.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
industryviews // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $75,070
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 50 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $75,970
- Median hourly wage: $36.53
- Total employment: 60 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $76,370
- Median hourly wage: $36.72
- Total employment: 1,170 people (24.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $76,750
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 180 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $77,160
- Median hourly wage: $37.09
- Total employment: 60 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $77,370
- Median hourly wage: $37.20
- Total employment: 140 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $78,620
- Median hourly wage: $37.80
- Total employment: 90 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $80,350
- Median hourly wage: $38.63
- Total employment: Not available
Undrey // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $80,840
- Median hourly wage: $38.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $81,180
- Median hourly wage: $39.03
- Total employment: 1,160 people (23.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $83,140
- Median hourly wage: $39.97
- Total employment: 50 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $83,820
- Median hourly wage: $40.30
- Total employment: 80 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $86,500
- Median hourly wage: $41.59
- Total employment: 50 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $94,220
- Median hourly wage: $45.30
- Total employment: 200 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $95,240
- Median hourly wage: $45.79
- Total employment: 60 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $97,160
- Median hourly wage: $46.71
- Total employment: 110 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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dokurose // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $99,070
- Median hourly wage: $47.63
- Total employment: 80 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $99,120
- Median hourly wage: $47.66
- Total employment: 30 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $102,030
- Median hourly wage: $49.05
- Total employment: 110 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $103,550
- Median hourly wage: $49.79
- Total employment: 210 people (4.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $104,280
- Median hourly wage: $50.13
- Total employment: 30 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $107,720
- Median hourly wage: $51.79
- Total employment: 30 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $112,840
- Median hourly wage: $54.25
- Total employment: 70 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $118,460
- Median hourly wage: $56.95
- Total employment: 60 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $119,360
- Median hourly wage: $57.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $148,870
- Median hourly wage: $71.57
- Total employment: 100 people (2.0 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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