Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $63,430
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 240 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Knoxville 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 Knoxville that require a graduate degree in Knoxville. 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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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $63,920
- Median hourly wage: $30.73
- Total employment: 550 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $64,570
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 130 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $66,670
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 620 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $67,460
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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voronaman // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $69,120
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $70,330
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 210 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $72,540
- Median hourly wage: $34.87
- Total employment: 160 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $73,700
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 160 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $74,500
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,550
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $78,260
- Median hourly wage: $37.63
- Total employment: 530 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Library science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $79,780
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleksii Didok // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Judicial law clerks
- Median annual wage: $80,440
- Median hourly wage: $38.68
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,470
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 150 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $84,140
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $84,390
- Median hourly wage: $40.57
- Total employment: 310 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $84,990
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. History teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $85,120
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $85,720
- Median hourly wage: $41.21
- Total employment: 550 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pheelings media // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $93,000
- Median hourly wage: $44.71
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $96,650
- Median hourly wage: $46.47
- Total employment: 70 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $97,080
- Median hourly wage: $46.68
- Total employment: 560 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $97,420
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 780 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $99,600
- Median hourly wage: $47.89
- Total employment: 840 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Lucky Business // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $102,590
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $104,190
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $104,710
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 290 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $105,630
- Median hourly wage: $50.78
- Total employment: 100 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $105,840
- Median hourly wage: $50.89
- Total employment: 290 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kzenon // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $107,000
- Median hourly wage: $51.44
- Total employment: 90 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $107,180
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 220 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $107,320
- Median hourly wage: $51.59
- Total employment: 1,930 people (4.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Median annual wage: $115,230
- Median hourly wage: $55.40
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $121,020
- Median hourly wage: $58.19
- Total employment: 1,060 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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luchschenF // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $126,690
- Median hourly wage: $60.91
- Total employment: 100 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $127,680
- Median hourly wage: $61.39
- Total employment: 210 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $128,910
- Median hourly wage: $61.98
- Total employment: 240 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $132,620
- Median hourly wage: $63.76
- Total employment: 1,030 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $136,550
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 250 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $139,180
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $140,180
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $159,180
- Median hourly wage: $76.53
- Total employment: Not available
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Law teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $171,280
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $197,740
- Median hourly wage: $95.07
- Total employment: 30 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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LightField Studios // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $210,580
- Median hourly wage: $101.24
- Total employment: 480 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 480 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 550 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 140 people (0.33 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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