Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Atmospheric and space scientists
- Median annual wage: $100,760
- Median hourly wage: $48.44
- Total employment: 90 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Dallas 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 Dallas, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Food scientists and technologists
- Median annual wage: $101,070
- Median hourly wage: $48.59
- Total employment: 390 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tonhom1009 // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Median annual wage: $101,150
- Median hourly wage: $48.63
- Total employment: 500 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Social workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $102,020
- Median hourly wage: $49.05
- Total employment: 600 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PR Image Factory // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $102,140
- Median hourly wage: $49.11
- Total employment: 5,010 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $103,010
- Median hourly wage: $49.52
- Total employment: 8,690 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $104,380
- Median hourly wage: $50.18
- Total employment: 4,460 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $104,410
- Median hourly wage: $50.20
- Total employment: 5,140 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $105,070
- Median hourly wage: $50.52
- Total employment: 10,150 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $107,060
- Median hourly wage: $51.47
- Total employment: 2,630 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $108,560
- Median hourly wage: $52.19
- Total employment: 360 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $108,690
- Median hourly wage: $52.26
- Total employment: 132,030 people (32.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $109,100
- Median hourly wage: $52.45
- Total employment: 3,520 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Lobanov // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Nuclear engineers
- Median annual wage: $110,060
- Median hourly wage: $52.91
- Total employment: 470 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $111,260
- Median hourly wage: $53.49
- Total employment: 580 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $111,610
- Median hourly wage: $53.66
- Total employment: 16,260 people (4.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $117,040
- Median hourly wage: $56.27
- Total employment: 17,280 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $118,400
- Median hourly wage: $56.92
- Total employment: 600 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $120,460
- Median hourly wage: $57.91
- Total employment: 6,130 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $120,840
- Median hourly wage: $58.09
- Total employment: 8,630 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $121,050
- Median hourly wage: $58.20
- Total employment: 21,290 people (5.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $123,590
- Median hourly wage: $59.42
- Total employment: 2,720 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $125,010
- Median hourly wage: $60.10
- Total employment: 2,240 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $125,410
- Median hourly wage: $60.29
- Total employment: 120 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $126,270
- Median hourly wage: $60.71
- Total employment: 4,490 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Halfpoint // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $126,350
- Median hourly wage: $60.75
- Total employment: 670 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $127,320
- Median hourly wage: $61.21
- Total employment: 650 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $128,380
- Median hourly wage: $61.72
- Total employment: 2,270 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $130,230
- Median hourly wage: $62.61
- Total employment: 5,660 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $130,450
- Median hourly wage: $62.72
- Total employment: 1,180 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $130,780
- Median hourly wage: $62.88
- Total employment: 4,340 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $131,280
- Median hourly wage: $63.11
- Total employment: 6,570 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $131,490
- Median hourly wage: $63.22
- Total employment: 63,430 people (15.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $131,920
- Median hourly wage: $63.42
- Total employment: 3,110 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $132,420
- Median hourly wage: $63.67
- Total employment: 7,570 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VE.Studio // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $132,670
- Median hourly wage: $63.79
- Total employment: 1,600 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $134,100
- Median hourly wage: $64.47
- Total employment: 7,650 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $135,730
- Median hourly wage: $65.26
- Total employment: 2,560 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Csomos Attila // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
- Median annual wage: $136,250
- Median hourly wage: $65.51
- Total employment: 430 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $137,130
- Median hourly wage: $65.93
- Total employment: 27,600 people (6.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $137,180
- Median hourly wage: $65.95
- Total employment: 2,860 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $137,680
- Median hourly wage: $66.19
- Total employment: 17,490 people (4.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mark_Kostich // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $137,880
- Median hourly wage: $66.29
- Total employment: 70 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $143,350
- Median hourly wage: $68.92
- Total employment: 710 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $147,990
- Median hourly wage: $71.15
- Total employment: 17,040 people (4.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Another77 // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Petroleum engineers
- Median annual wage: $154,490
- Median hourly wage: $74.28
- Total employment: 1,100 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $164,240
- Median hourly wage: $78.96
- Total employment: 24,520 people (6.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $169,860
- Median hourly wage: $81.66
- Total employment: 29,820 people (7.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $170,840
- Median hourly wage: $82.13
- Total employment: 6,260 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Median annual wage: $214,390
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 4,950 people (1.24 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.
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