stories
stories
HomeMoneyLifestyleNewsSportsEntertainmentTravelScienceLocal

Highest-paying jobs in Philadelphia that require a bachelor's degree

·Stacker

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
Add Stacker as Preferred Source

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 Philadelphia, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

You may also like: Cheapest gas stations in Philadelphia

#50. Project management specialists

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Project management specialists

- Median annual wage: $102,050
- Median hourly wage: $49.06
- Total employment: 16,980 people (5.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#49. Mechanical engineers

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Mechanical engineers

- Median annual wage: $102,180
- Median hourly wage: $49.12
- Total employment: 5,010 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#48. Sales engineers

TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Sales engineers

- Median annual wage: $103,540
- Median hourly wage: $49.78
- Total employment: 1,020 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#47. Software quality assurance analysts and testers

Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Software quality assurance analysts and testers

- Median annual wage: $103,640
- Median hourly wage: $49.83
- Total employment: 3,280 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#45. Engineers, all other

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Engineers, all other

- Median annual wage: $104,420
- Median hourly wage: $50.20
- Total employment: 2,010 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#44. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products

- Median annual wage: $106,850
- Median hourly wage: $51.37
- Total employment: 3,310 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Data scientists

Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Data scientists

- Median annual wage: $107,030
- Median hourly wage: $51.46
- Total employment: 5,640 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#42. Database administrators

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Database administrators

- Median annual wage: $108,280
- Median hourly wage: $52.06
- Total employment: 1,890 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#40. Personal financial advisors

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Personal financial advisors

- Median annual wage: $109,390
- Median hourly wage: $52.59
- Total employment: 7,370 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. General and operations managers

fizkes // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. General and operations managers

- Median annual wage: $111,490
- Median hourly wage: $53.60
- Total employment: 68,020 people (23.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#38. Materials engineers

Halfpoint // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Materials engineers

- Median annual wage: $112,290
- Median hourly wage: $53.99
- Total employment: 330 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Petroleum engineers

Another77 // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Petroleum engineers

- Median annual wage: $114,460
- Median hourly wage: $55.03
- Total employment: 80 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#36. Computer occupations, all other

N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Computer occupations, all other

- Median annual wage: $114,720
- Median hourly wage: $55.16
- Total employment: 8,610 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Closest national parks to Philadelphia

#35. Electronics engineers, except computer

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Electronics engineers, except computer

- Median annual wage: $115,730
- Median hourly wage: $55.64
- Total employment: 730 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#34. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors

- Median annual wage: $116,890
- Median hourly wage: $56.20
- Total employment: 290 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Advertising and promotions managers

PanuShot // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Advertising and promotions managers

- Median annual wage: $118,800
- Median hourly wage: $57.11
- Total employment: 500 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. Medical and health services managers

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Medical and health services managers

- Median annual wage: $119,250
- Median hourly wage: $57.33
- Total employment: 12,620 people (4.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#31. Administrative services managers

creativemarc // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Administrative services managers

- Median annual wage: $119,740
- Median hourly wage: $57.57
- Total employment: 3,910 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Highest-rated ice cream shops in Philadelphia by diners

#30. Chemical engineers

eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Chemical engineers

- Median annual wage: $120,300
- Median hourly wage: $57.84
- Total employment: 850 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Fundraising managers

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Fundraising managers

- Median annual wage: $121,640
- Median hourly wage: $58.48
- Total employment: 900 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. Financial risk specialists

THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Financial risk specialists

- Median annual wage: $123,450
- Median hourly wage: $59.35
- Total employment: 2,450 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Construction managers

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Construction managers

- Median annual wage: $123,460
- Median hourly wage: $59.36
- Total employment: 3,310 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#26. Industrial production managers

Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Industrial production managers

- Median annual wage: $124,260
- Median hourly wage: $59.74
- Total employment: 4,080 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Philadelphia 7-day weather forecast

#25. Information security analysts

BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Information security analysts

- Median annual wage: $124,270
- Median hourly wage: $59.74
- Total employment: 2,440 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Electrical engineers

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Electrical engineers

- Median annual wage: $125,350
- Median hourly wage: $60.26
- Total employment: 3,720 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Aerospace engineers

aappp // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Aerospace engineers

- Median annual wage: $128,400
- Median hourly wage: $61.73
- Total employment: 1,930 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#22. Computer network architects

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Computer network architects

- Median annual wage: $129,360
- Median hourly wage: $62.19
- Total employment: 3,060 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#20. Software developers

Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Software developers

- Median annual wage: $130,670
- Median hourly wage: $62.82
- Total employment: 26,150 people (9.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#19. Actuaries

dokurose // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Actuaries

- Median annual wage: $130,750
- Median hourly wage: $62.86
- Total employment: 910 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#18. Physical scientists, all other

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Physical scientists, all other

- Median annual wage: $132,750
- Median hourly wage: $63.82
- Total employment: 260 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#17. Training and development managers

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Training and development managers

- Median annual wage: $133,970
- Median hourly wage: $64.41
- Total employment: 840 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#16. Public relations managers

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Public relations managers

- Median annual wage: $134,610
- Median hourly wage: $64.72
- Total employment: 1,280 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: The 30 most popular homes for sale in Philadelphia

#15. Nuclear engineers

Dmitry Lobanov // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Nuclear engineers

- Median annual wage: $136,590
- Median hourly wage: $65.67
- Total employment: 240 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#14. Compensation and benefits managers

fizkes // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Compensation and benefits managers

- Median annual wage: $137,880
- Median hourly wage: $66.29
- Total employment: 480 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#13. Managers, all other

SpeedKingz // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Managers, all other

- Median annual wage: $138,940
- Median hourly wage: $66.80
- Total employment: 13,830 people (4.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. Computer hardware engineers

SeventyFour // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Computer hardware engineers

- Median annual wage: $139,400
- Median hourly wage: $67.02
- Total employment: 600 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#11. Database architects

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Database architects

- Median annual wage: $143,110
- Median hourly wage: $68.80
- Total employment: 1,200 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Best places to live in the Philadelphia metro area

#10. Human resources managers

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Human resources managers

- Median annual wage: $144,450
- Median hourly wage: $69.45
- Total employment: 4,220 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#9. Sales managers

dokurose // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Sales managers

- Median annual wage: $144,910
- Median hourly wage: $69.67
- Total employment: 9,020 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#8. Purchasing managers

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Purchasing managers

- Median annual wage: $152,380
- Median hourly wage: $73.26
- Total employment: 1,420 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#7. Marketing managers

fizkes // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Marketing managers

- Median annual wage: $161,340
- Median hourly wage: $77.57
- Total employment: 7,270 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#5. Architectural and engineering managers

BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Architectural and engineering managers

- Median annual wage: $166,850
- Median hourly wage: $80.22
- Total employment: 4,400 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#4. Natural sciences managers

VE.Studio // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Natural sciences managers

- Median annual wage: $168,360
- Median hourly wage: $80.94
- Total employment: 4,700 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#3. Computer and information systems managers

Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Computer and information systems managers

- Median annual wage: $170,330
- Median hourly wage: $81.89
- Total employment: 12,820 people (4.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#2. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers

YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers

- Median annual wage: $172,710
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 3,230 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. Chief executives

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Chief executives

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 6,740 people (2.35 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.

You may also like: Highest-paying science jobs for people in Philadelphia

Trending stories