Daxiao Productions // Shutterstock
1 / 39#39. Marriage and family therapists
- Median annual wage: $47,770
- Median hourly wage: $22.97
- Total employment: 230 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Chattanooga 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 Chattanooga that require a graduate degree in Chattanooga. 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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DGLimages // Shutterstock
2 / 39#38. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Median annual wage: $50,120
- Median hourly wage: $24.10
- Total employment: 120 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
3 / 39#37. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Median annual wage: $50,220
- Median hourly wage: $24.15
- Total employment: 570 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock
4 / 39#36. Counselors, all other
- Median annual wage: $50,970
- Median hourly wage: $24.51
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
5 / 39#35. Athletic trainers
- Median annual wage: $52,370
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 39#34. Rehabilitation counselors
- Median annual wage: $55,540
- Median hourly wage: $26.70
- Total employment: 70 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
7 / 39#33. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Median annual wage: $58,930
- Median hourly wage: $28.33
- Total employment: 450 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
8 / 39#32. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Median annual wage: $59,760
- Median hourly wage: $28.73
- Total employment: 130 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
9 / 39#31. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $60,090
- Median hourly wage: $28.89
- Total employment: 30 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
10 / 39#30. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $61,300
- Median hourly wage: $29.47
- Total employment: 610 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VH-studio // Shutterstock
11 / 39#29. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $63,090
- Median hourly wage: $30.33
- Total employment: 120 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
12 / 39#28. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $63,540
- Median hourly wage: $30.55
- Total employment: 340 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 39#27. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $74,680
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
KSai23 // Shutterstock
14 / 39#26. Chiropractors
- Median annual wage: $77,400
- Median hourly wage: $37.21
- Total employment: 70 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
15 / 39#25. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $81,020
- Median hourly wage: $38.95
- Total employment: 410 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
16 / 39#24. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $81,930
- Median hourly wage: $39.39
- Total employment: 290 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
17 / 39#23. Audiologists
- Median annual wage: $82,740
- Median hourly wage: $39.78
- Total employment: 30 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
18 / 39#22. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $83,370
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
19 / 39#21. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $87,050
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
20 / 39#20. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other
- Median annual wage: $91,150
- Median hourly wage: $43.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pheelings media // Shutterstock
21 / 39#19. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $98,550
- Median hourly wage: $47.38
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
22 / 39#18. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $98,650
- Median hourly wage: $47.43
- Total employment: 430 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
23 / 39#17. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $102,040
- Median hourly wage: $49.06
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
24 / 39#16. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $103,000
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 490 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 39#15. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $107,890
- Median hourly wage: $51.87
- Total employment: 1,260 people (4.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 39#14. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $108,300
- Median hourly wage: $52.07
- Total employment: 50 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
27 / 39#13. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $108,920
- Median hourly wage: $52.37
- Total employment: 50 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
28 / 39#12. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $115,290
- Median hourly wage: $55.43
- Total employment: 730 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
29 / 39#11. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $125,160
- Median hourly wage: $60.17
- Total employment: 200 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
30 / 39#10. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $129,770
- Median hourly wage: $62.39
- Total employment: 150 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
31 / 39#9. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $130,210
- Median hourly wage: $62.60
- Total employment: 630 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
32 / 39#8. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $147,590
- Median hourly wage: $70.96
- Total employment: 160 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
33 / 39#7. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $197,370
- Median hourly wage: $94.89
- Total employment: 270 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
34 / 39#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
35 / 39#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 280 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 39#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 70 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
37 / 39#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 70 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Komsan Loonprom // Shutterstock
38 / 39#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
39 / 39#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 150 people (0.57 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.
