voronaman // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $75,720
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 160 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Nashville 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 Nashville that require a graduate degree in Nashville. 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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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,270
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 240 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $79,350
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $79,370
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 710 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $80,670
- Median hourly wage: $38.79
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Lucky Business // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $81,240
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $81,480
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 240 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
KSai23 // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Chiropractors
- Median annual wage: $82,560
- Median hourly wage: $39.69
- Total employment: 220 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $83,970
- Median hourly wage: $40.37
- Total employment: 1,010 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Library science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $84,820
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $84,850
- Median hourly wage: $40.79
- Total employment: 1,640 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleksii Didok // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Judicial law clerks
- Median annual wage: $85,340
- Median hourly wage: $41.03
- Total employment: 370 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $87,360
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 140 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $89,130
- Median hourly wage: $42.85
- Total employment: 390 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other
- Median annual wage: $91,830
- Median hourly wage: $44.15
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $92,320
- Median hourly wage: $44.39
- Total employment: 370 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $93,650
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 360 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $94,060
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 280 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $97,660
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,830 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $100,460
- Median hourly wage: $48.30
- Total employment: 920 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $101,150
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 820 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $102,280
- Median hourly wage: $49.18
- Total employment: 690 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Thanakorn.P // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $102,640
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $103,750
- Median hourly wage: $49.88
- Total employment: 1,350 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $104,040
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 180 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Audiologists
- Median annual wage: $105,900
- Median hourly wage: $50.92
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Median annual wage: $107,620
- Median hourly wage: $51.74
- Total employment: 190 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Psychiatrists
- Median annual wage: $108,070
- Median hourly wage: $51.96
- Total employment: 220 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Petekub // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Economists
- Median annual wage: $111,830
- Median hourly wage: $53.77
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $116,160
- Median hourly wage: $55.85
- Total employment: 5,380 people (4.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kzenon // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $119,270
- Median hourly wage: $57.34
- Total employment: 190 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $124,010
- Median hourly wage: $59.62
- Total employment: 810 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $128,710
- Median hourly wage: $61.88
- Total employment: 530 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $129,380
- Median hourly wage: $62.20
- Total employment: Not available
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $130,570
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $135,500
- Median hourly wage: $65.15
- Total employment: 2,650 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $143,420
- Median hourly wage: $68.95
- Total employment: 4,100 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $156,260
- Median hourly wage: $75.12
- Total employment: 590 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $176,150
- Median hourly wage: $84.69
- Total employment: 410 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $203,400
- Median hourly wage: $97.79
- Total employment: 1,020 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $203,770
- Median hourly wage: $97.97
- Total employment: 1,090 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Elnur // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Podiatrists
- Median annual wage: $215,020
- Median hourly wage: $103.37
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $218,190
- Median hourly wage: $104.90
- Total employment: 220 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. General internal medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $224,280
- Median hourly wage: $107.83
- Total employment: 410 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $226,750
- Median hourly wage: $109.02
- Total employment: Not available
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 520 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 2,130 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Dentists, all other specialists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 220 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 130 people (0.12 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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