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1 / 50#50. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Median annual wage: $47,730
- Median hourly wage: $22.95
- Total employment: 180 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in College Station 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 College Station that require a graduate degree in College Station. 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: $47,880
- Median hourly wage: $23.02
- Total employment: 850 people (6.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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3 / 50#48. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Median annual wage: $49,190
- Median hourly wage: $23.65
- Total employment: 100 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 / 50#47. Counselors, all other
- Median annual wage: $58,710
- Median hourly wage: $28.22
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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5 / 50#46. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $60,580
- Median hourly wage: $29.12
- Total employment: 400 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Athletic trainers
- Median annual wage: $61,580
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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7 / 50#44. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,230
- Median hourly wage: $29.92
- Total employment: 150 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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8 / 50#43. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $64,700
- Median hourly wage: $31.11
- Total employment: 90 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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9 / 50#42. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $65,380
- Median hourly wage: $31.43
- Total employment: 60 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $67,180
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $68,580
- Median hourly wage: $32.97
- Total employment: 80 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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12 / 50#39. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $75,970
- Median hourly wage: $36.52
- Total employment: 120 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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13 / 50#38. Recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $76,970
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 150 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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14 / 50#37. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $77,620
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 190 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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15 / 50#36. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $78,360
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $79,270
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 310 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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17 / 50#34. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $79,490
- Median hourly wage: $38.22
- Total employment: 50 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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18 / 50#33. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $79,630
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 300 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $81,480
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 310 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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20 / 50#31. Geography teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $82,270
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $83,410
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 170 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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22 / 50#29. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $92,320
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 180 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Anthropology and archeology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $93,450
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. History teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $95,400
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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25 / 50#26. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $95,450
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $96,700
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $97,050
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 350 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $98,160
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 350 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $99,180
- Median hourly wage: $47.68
- Total employment: 210 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $102,160
- Median hourly wage: $49.11
- Total employment: 1,150 people (8.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $102,440
- Median hourly wage: $49.25
- Total employment: 160 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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32 / 50#19. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $102,790
- Median hourly wage: $49.42
- Total employment: 110 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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33 / 50#18. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $104,070
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $109,950
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 150 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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35 / 50#16. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $118,520
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $122,120
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 130 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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37 / 50#14. Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $122,510
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 530 people (4.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $122,790
- Median hourly wage: $59.04
- Total employment: 60 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Architecture teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $123,250
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 180 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $124,860
- Median hourly wage: $60.03
- Total employment: 200 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $125,550
- Median hourly wage: $60.36
- Total employment: 340 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $126,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $127,540
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,200 people (9.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $128,490
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 450 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $132,670
- Median hourly wage: $63.78
- Total employment: 190 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $156,860
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $158,310
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 750 people (5.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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48 / 50#3. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $168,620
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $203,900
- Median hourly wage: $98.03
- Total employment: 60 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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50 / 50#1. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $225,740
- Median hourly wage: $108.53
- Total employment: 210 people (1.59 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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