Freedy // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Surveyors
- Median annual wage: $50,200
- Median hourly wage: $24.14
- Total employment: 70 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Odessa 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 Odessa, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Median annual wage: $51,150
- Median hourly wage: $24.59
- Total employment: 140 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Public relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $52,220
- Median hourly wage: $25.11
- Total employment: 70 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists
- Median annual wage: $54,020
- Median hourly wage: $25.97
- Total employment: 40 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Child, family, and school social workers
- Median annual wage: $56,680
- Median hourly wage: $27.25
- Total employment: 80 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $58,510
- Median hourly wage: $28.13
- Total employment: 270 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
comzeal images // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Loan officers
- Median annual wage: $61,720
- Median hourly wage: $29.67
- Total employment: 60 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Training and development specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,640
- Median hourly wage: $30.12
- Total employment: 90 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Median annual wage: $63,100
- Median hourly wage: $30.34
- Total employment: 100 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $64,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.06
- Total employment: 90 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Buyers and purchasing agents
- Median annual wage: $64,620
- Median hourly wage: $31.07
- Total employment: 180 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $64,840
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 360 people (4.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Iam_Anupong // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $64,900
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
B Brown // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $65,290
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 460 people (5.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $65,350
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 620 people (7.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Special education teachers, middle school
- Median annual wage: $66,040
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Human resources specialists
- Median annual wage: $69,850
- Median hourly wage: $33.58
- Total employment: 280 people (3.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $72,670
- Median hourly wage: $34.94
- Total employment: 60 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mongta Studio // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Cost estimators
- Median annual wage: $74,550
- Median hourly wage: $35.84
- Total employment: 110 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $75,550
- Median hourly wage: $36.32
- Total employment: 140 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ImageFlow // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $76,930
- Median hourly wage: $36.99
- Total employment: 490 people (6.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $78,270
- Median hourly wage: $37.63
- Total employment: 1,120 people (14.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $78,330
- Median hourly wage: $37.66
- Total employment: 120 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $78,890
- Median hourly wage: $37.93
- Total employment: 50 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $80,210
- Median hourly wage: $38.56
- Total employment: 100 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $81,810
- Median hourly wage: $39.33
- Total employment: 60 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $85,140
- Median hourly wage: $40.93
- Total employment: 40 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $85,300
- Median hourly wage: $41.01
- Total employment: 60 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $91,300
- Median hourly wage: $43.90
- Total employment: 410 people (5.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,170
- Median hourly wage: $46.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $99,960
- Median hourly wage: $48.06
- Total employment: 2,730 people (34.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $101,650
- Median hourly wage: $48.87
- Total employment: 400 people (5.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $102,440
- Median hourly wage: $49.25
- Total employment: 240 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $102,870
- Median hourly wage: $49.46
- Total employment: 100 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $103,170
- Median hourly wage: $49.60
- Total employment: 30 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $104,740
- Median hourly wage: $50.35
- Total employment: 70 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $104,860
- Median hourly wage: $50.42
- Total employment: 230 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $109,440
- Median hourly wage: $52.62
- Total employment: 80 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $118,010
- Median hourly wage: $56.73
- Total employment: 60 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $118,490
- Median hourly wage: $56.97
- Total employment: 90 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $120,400
- Median hourly wage: $57.89
- Total employment: 160 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $124,980
- Median hourly wage: $60.09
- Total employment: 80 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $124,990
- Median hourly wage: $60.09
- Total employment: 50 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $126,350
- Median hourly wage: $60.75
- Total employment: 70 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $128,600
- Median hourly wage: $61.83
- Total employment: 130 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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dokurose // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $129,140
- Median hourly wage: $62.09
- Total employment: 330 people (4.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Another77 // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Petroleum engineers
- Median annual wage: $134,280
- Median hourly wage: $64.56
- Total employment: 310 people (3.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $142,350
- Median hourly wage: $68.44
- Total employment: 90 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $146,160
- Median hourly wage: $70.27
- Total employment: 220 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 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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