Tonhom1009 // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Median annual wage: $100,530
- Median hourly wage: $48.33
- Total employment: 450 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Houston 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 Houston, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
You may also like: Highest-rated comfort food restaurants in Houston by diners
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $100,970
- Median hourly wage: $48.54
- Total employment: 670 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Taty77 // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
- Median annual wage: $101,020
- Median hourly wage: $48.57
- Total employment: Not available
PanuShot // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $101,150
- Median hourly wage: $48.63
- Total employment: Not available
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $101,850
- Median hourly wage: $48.97
- Total employment: 15,240 people (4.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Michelin-starred restaurants in Houston
possohh // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Emergency management directors
- Median annual wage: $101,870
- Median hourly wage: $48.97
- Total employment: 260 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $104,330
- Median hourly wage: $50.16
- Total employment: 11,510 people (3.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $104,560
- Median hourly wage: $50.27
- Total employment: Not available
fizkes // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Social scientists and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $106,950
- Median hourly wage: $51.42
- Total employment: 290 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $108,090
- Median hourly wage: $51.97
- Total employment: 105,830 people (32.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated breakfast restaurants in the Houston area by diners
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $110,210
- Median hourly wage: $52.99
- Total employment: 4,910 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $110,300
- Median hourly wage: $53.03
- Total employment: 2,640 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $110,500
- Median hourly wage: $53.12
- Total employment: 640 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $111,390
- Median hourly wage: $53.55
- Total employment: 1,080 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $112,320
- Median hourly wage: $54.00
- Total employment: 3,010 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Coat drives near Houston
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $114,260
- Median hourly wage: $54.93
- Total employment: 9,500 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $116,170
- Median hourly wage: $55.85
- Total employment: 8,210 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $116,990
- Median hourly wage: $56.25
- Total employment: 1,120 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $119,990
- Median hourly wage: $57.69
- Total employment: 13,050 people (4.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $120,170
- Median hourly wage: $57.77
- Total employment: 2,040 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Best high schools in the Houston metro area
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $124,490
- Median hourly wage: $59.85
- Total employment: 1,490 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $125,130
- Median hourly wage: $60.16
- Total employment: 1,850 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $126,690
- Median hourly wage: $60.91
- Total employment: 2,600 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $126,870
- Median hourly wage: $61.00
- Total employment: 7,010 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $127,730
- Median hourly wage: $61.41
- Total employment: 1,970 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Houston that require a graduate degree
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $127,920
- Median hourly wage: $61.50
- Total employment: 1,440 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $127,940
- Median hourly wage: $61.51
- Total employment: 20,830 people (6.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mark_Kostich // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $128,350
- Median hourly wage: $61.71
- Total employment: 150 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kardasov Films // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Marine engineers and naval architects
- Median annual wage: $128,470
- Median hourly wage: $61.76
- Total employment: 470 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $128,650
- Median hourly wage: $61.85
- Total employment: 1,130 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated pizza restaurants in the Houston area by diners
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $129,740
- Median hourly wage: $62.38
- Total employment: 1,540 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $130,190
- Median hourly wage: $62.59
- Total employment: 3,240 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $131,040
- Median hourly wage: $63.00
- Total employment: 17,400 people (5.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $131,250
- Median hourly wage: $63.10
- Total employment: 3,440 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $132,180
- Median hourly wage: $63.55
- Total employment: 6,370 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Closest national parks to Houston
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $133,350
- Median hourly wage: $64.11
- Total employment: 950 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $133,670
- Median hourly wage: $64.26
- Total employment: 2,230 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $134,420
- Median hourly wage: $64.62
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $136,110
- Median hourly wage: $65.44
- Total employment: Not available
fizkes // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $140,710
- Median hourly wage: $67.65
- Total employment: 470 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Top 25 songs in Houston on Shazam in the past week
fizkes // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $144,420
- Median hourly wage: $69.44
- Total employment: 9,210 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $147,080
- Median hourly wage: $70.71
- Total employment: 440 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $152,290
- Median hourly wage: $73.22
- Total employment: 1,800 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Another77 // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Petroleum engineers
- Median annual wage: $159,990
- Median hourly wage: $76.92
- Total employment: 5,080 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $165,220
- Median hourly wage: $79.43
- Total employment: 17,440 people (5.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Houston area by diners
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $167,630
- Median hourly wage: $80.59
- Total employment: 13,320 people (4.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Csomos Attila // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
- Median annual wage: $168,280
- Median hourly wage: $80.90
- Total employment: 1,760 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $172,810
- Median hourly wage: $83.08
- Total employment: 5,510 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Chief executives (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 1,930 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 4,390 people (1.35 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.
You may also like: Houston 7-day weather forecast
