Highest-paying jobs in Knoxville 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 Knoxville, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Architects, except landscape and naval

- Median annual wage: $81,210
- Median hourly wage: $39.04
- Total employment: 330 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Occupational health and safety specialists

- Median annual wage: $81,990
- Median hourly wage: $39.42
- Total employment: 360 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Undrey // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Financial and investment analysts

- Median annual wage: $82,630
- Median hourly wage: $39.73
- Total employment: 390 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Project management specialists

- Median annual wage: $83,690
- Median hourly wage: $40.24
- Total employment: 2,730 people (6.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Social and community service managers

- Median annual wage: $83,770
- Median hourly wage: $40.28
- Total employment: 290 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Environmental engineers

- Median annual wage: $84,230
- Median hourly wage: $40.50
- Total employment: 230 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Financial examiners

- Median annual wage: $84,810
- Median hourly wage: $40.78
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Network and computer systems administrators

- Median annual wage: $86,310
- Median hourly wage: $41.50
- Total employment: 640 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SpeedKingz // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Managers, all other

- Median annual wage: $87,090
- Median hourly wage: $41.87
- Total employment: 2,000 people (4.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Management analysts

- Median annual wage: $88,510
- Median hourly wage: $42.55
- Total employment: 1,520 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tonhom1009 // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers

- Median annual wage: $88,680
- Median hourly wage: $42.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Database administrators

- Median annual wage: $89,160
- Median hourly wage: $42.87
- Total employment: 180 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

luchschenF // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Chemists

- Median annual wage: $89,330
- Median hourly wage: $42.95
- Total employment: 140 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Data scientists

- Median annual wage: $91,140
- Median hourly wage: $43.82
- Total employment: 250 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Construction managers

- Median annual wage: $94,990
- Median hourly wage: $45.67
- Total employment: 720 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Mechanical engineers

- Median annual wage: $95,710
- Median hourly wage: $46.02
- Total employment: 570 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Fundraising managers

- Median annual wage: $95,980
- Median hourly wage: $46.15
- Total employment: 30 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Information security analysts

- Median annual wage: $98,160
- Median hourly wage: $47.19
- Total employment: 380 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Industrial engineers

- Median annual wage: $98,230
- Median hourly wage: $47.23
- Total employment: 990 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Civil engineers

- Median annual wage: $99,810
- Median hourly wage: $47.99
- Total employment: 820 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Engineers, all other

- Median annual wage: $100,490
- Median hourly wage: $48.31
- Total employment: 920 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PR Image Factory // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Operations research analysts

- Median annual wage: $100,780
- Median hourly wage: $48.45
- Total employment: 90 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Facilities managers

- Median annual wage: $101,120
- Median hourly wage: $48.61
- Total employment: 350 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Electronics engineers, except computer

- Median annual wage: $101,500
- Median hourly wage: $48.80
- Total employment: 100 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Medical and health services managers

- Median annual wage: $102,500
- Median hourly wage: $49.28
- Total employment: 1,980 people (4.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. General and operations managers

- Median annual wage: $103,360
- Median hourly wage: $49.69
- Total employment: 8,930 people (21.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Compensation and benefits managers

- Median annual wage: $104,970
- Median hourly wage: $50.47
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Industrial production managers

- Median annual wage: $107,860
- Median hourly wage: $51.85
- Total employment: 730 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Education administrators, all other

- Median annual wage: $108,080
- Median hourly wage: $51.96
- Total employment: 90 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Electrical engineers

- Median annual wage: $110,890
- Median hourly wage: $53.31
- Total employment: 560 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Software developers

- Median annual wage: $113,180
- Median hourly wage: $54.41
- Total employment: 2,130 people (5.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Database architects

- Median annual wage: $115,830
- Median hourly wage: $55.69
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Training and development managers

- Median annual wage: $116,830
- Median hourly wage: $56.17
- Total employment: 110 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

creativemarc // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Administrative services managers

- Median annual wage: $118,050
- Median hourly wage: $56.76
- Total employment: 940 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Computer network architects

- Median annual wage: $119,670
- Median hourly wage: $57.53
- Total employment: 640 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Public relations managers

- Median annual wage: $120,480
- Median hourly wage: $57.92
- Total employment: 100 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Halfpoint // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Materials engineers

- Median annual wage: $121,390
- Median hourly wage: $58.36
- Total employment: Not available

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Human resources managers

- Median annual wage: $125,530
- Median hourly wage: $60.35
- Total employment: 510 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Physical scientists, all other

- Median annual wage: $126,880
- Median hourly wage: $61.00
- Total employment: 70 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Purchasing managers

- Median annual wage: $128,440
- Median hourly wage: $61.75
- Total employment: 180 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $128,460
- Median hourly wage: $61.76
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

dokurose // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Sales managers

- Median annual wage: $130,300
- Median hourly wage: $62.65
- Total employment: 1,560 people (3.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kanghophoto // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Financial managers

- Median annual wage: $131,930
- Median hourly wage: $63.43
- Total employment: 2,010 people (4.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Marketing managers

- Median annual wage: $136,340
- Median hourly wage: $65.55
- Total employment: 890 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

VE.Studio // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Natural sciences managers

- Median annual wage: $138,240
- Median hourly wage: $66.46
- Total employment: 120 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Computer and information systems managers

- Median annual wage: $142,120
- Median hourly wage: $68.33
- Total employment: 1,270 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Architectural and engineering managers

- Median annual wage: $145,200
- Median hourly wage: $69.81
- Total employment: 570 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Sales engineers

- Median annual wage: $163,270
- Median hourly wage: $78.49
- Total employment: 160 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Lobanov // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Nuclear engineers

- Median annual wage: $174,380
- Median hourly wage: $83.84
- Total employment: 200 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Chief executives

- Median annual wage: $188,480
- Median hourly wage: $90.61
- Total employment: 600 people (1.42 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.

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

#50. Architects, except landscape and naval

#49. Occupational health and safety specialists

#48. Financial and investment analysts

#47. Project management specialists

#46. Social and community service managers

#45. Environmental engineers

#44. Financial examiners

#43. Network and computer systems administrators

#42. Managers, all other

#41. Management analysts

#40. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers

#39. Database administrators

#38. Chemists

#37. Data scientists

#36. Construction managers

#35. Mechanical engineers

#34. Fundraising managers

#33. Information security analysts

#32. Industrial engineers

#31. Civil engineers

#30. Engineers, all other

#29. Operations research analysts

#28. Facilities managers

#27. Electronics engineers, except computer

#26. Medical and health services managers

#25. General and operations managers

#24. Compensation and benefits managers

#23. Industrial production managers

#22. Education administrators, all other

#21. Electrical engineers

#20. Software developers

#19. Database architects

#18. Training and development managers

#17. Administrative services managers

#16. Computer network architects

#15. Public relations managers

#14. Materials engineers

#13. Human resources managers

#12. Physical scientists, all other

#11. Purchasing managers

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

#9. Sales managers

#8. Financial managers

#7. Marketing managers

#6. Natural sciences managers

#5. Computer and information systems managers

#4. Architectural and engineering managers

#3. Sales engineers

#2. Nuclear engineers

#1. Chief executives

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