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1 / 50#50. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Median annual wage: $51,530
- Median hourly wage: $24.77
- Total employment: 960 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Greenville that require a graduate degree
Earning top dollar typically requires more education than an undergraduate degree can provide. Doctors, lawyers, and professors need extra years of focused study for their chosen fields, but they're not alone. Graduate degrees in fields like business, teaching, and public health build specialized knowledge that can fast-track a career—and one's salary.
Many hiring managers view a master's degree as the equivalent of two years of work experience, giving graduate degree holders a leg up. In 2024, master's degree holders earned a weekly median of $1,840, a 19% premium over undergraduate degree holders. Doctorates earned $2,278, and professional degree holders earned $2,363.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Greenville that require a graduate degree in Greenville. 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.
Job security is another benefit. The unemployment rate for a master's degree holder is 2.2%, compared to 2.5% for undergraduate degree holders. Doctorates and professional degree holders' unemployment rate is close to 1%.
Employers believe a graduate degree showcases an employee's drive and commitment, but that comes at a price. Between 2000 and 2020, median annual tuition and fees for graduate degree programs increased by 233%. Unsurprisingly, median student debt has also increased, rising 47% to $50,000.
Depending on the career field, some prospective students may find it difficult to justify the expense. Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce found that full-time workers in STEM fields earned $128,000 annually, almost twice as much as their degreed counterparts in humanities and the arts. A graduate degree in humanities also only brought a 10% earnings premium over someone with a bachelor's degree.
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2 / 50#49. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Median annual wage: $52,300
- Median hourly wage: $25.15
- Total employment: 1,340 people (3.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $54,310
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $56,620
- Median hourly wage: $27.22
- Total employment: 50 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel Besic // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $62,800
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 230 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $64,560
- Median hourly wage: $31.04
- Total employment: 680 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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7 / 50#44. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Median annual wage: $64,770
- Median hourly wage: $31.14
- Total employment: 370 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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8 / 50#43. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $65,400
- Median hourly wage: $31.44
- Total employment: 400 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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9 / 50#42. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $65,870
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $66,220
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 140 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $66,880
- Median hourly wage: $32.15
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $66,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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13 / 50#38. Chiropractors
- Median annual wage: $72,590
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 120 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,770
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 260 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $78,430
- Median hourly wage: $37.71
- Total employment: 150 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $78,470
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 310 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $79,060
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 360 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $79,260
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $80,150
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 300 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. History teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $80,540
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,190
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,460
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 140 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,500
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $83,360
- Median hourly wage: $40.08
- Total employment: 1,130 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Counselors, all other
- Median annual wage: $85,840
- Median hourly wage: $41.27
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $86,110
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 190 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
totojang1977 // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Orthotists and prosthetists
- Median annual wage: $87,050
- Median hourly wage: $41.85
- Total employment: Not available
I. Noyan Yilmaz // // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Environmental science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $88,220
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 140 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $91,960
- Median hourly wage: $44.21
- Total employment: 350 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $93,000
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $93,500
- Median hourly wage: $44.95
- Total employment: 70 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $98,860
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 880 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $99,070
- Median hourly wage: $47.63
- Total employment: 390 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $100,590
- Median hourly wage: $48.36
- Total employment: 1,020 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $102,340
- Median hourly wage: $49.20
- Total employment: 110 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $105,430
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $107,050
- Median hourly wage: $51.47
- Total employment: 400 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $108,980
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 300 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $110,550
- Median hourly wage: $53.15
- Total employment: 1,130 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $111,130
- Median hourly wage: $53.43
- Total employment: 1,050 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $131,750
- Median hourly wage: $63.34
- Total employment: 310 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $132,460
- Median hourly wage: $63.68
- Total employment: 470 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $134,270
- Median hourly wage: $64.55
- Total employment: 1,010 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $137,910
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $140,010
- Median hourly wage: $67.31
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Orthodontists
- Median annual wage: $145,630
- Median hourly wage: $70.01
- Total employment: 80 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $199,300
- Median hourly wage: $95.82
- Total employment: 80 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $223,220
- Median hourly wage: $107.32
- Total employment: Not available
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49 / 50#2. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $223,700
- Median hourly wage: $107.55
- Total employment: 300 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 1,010 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 363 metros.
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