Halfpoint // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $96,610
- Median hourly wage: $46.45
- Total employment: Not available
Highest-paying jobs in San Antonio 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 San Antonio, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#48. Construction managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $97,010
- Median hourly wage: $46.64
- Total employment: 3,790 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Education administrators, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $97,010
- Median hourly wage: $46.64
- Total employment: 560 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $97,620
- Median hourly wage: $46.93
- Total employment: 1,120 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $99,770
- Median hourly wage: $47.97
- Total employment: 150 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Csomos Attila // Shutterstock
6 / 50#44. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $99,810
- Median hourly wage: $47.99
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Database administrators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $99,810
- Median hourly wage: $47.99
- Total employment: 380 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $100,150
- Median hourly wage: $48.15
- Total employment: 2,970 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $101,710
- Median hourly wage: $48.90
- Total employment: 1,150 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $102,370
- Median hourly wage: $49.22
- Total employment: 1,600 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $102,680
- Median hourly wage: $49.37
- Total employment: 740 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
12 / 50#38. Social scientists and related workers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $102,900
- Median hourly wage: $49.47
- Total employment: 620 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Social workers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $102,900
- Median hourly wage: $49.47
- Total employment: 330 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $102,970
- Median hourly wage: $49.50
- Total employment: 400 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $103,110
- Median hourly wage: $49.57
- Total employment: 100 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $103,860
- Median hourly wage: $49.94
- Total employment: 890 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $104,100
- Median hourly wage: $50.05
- Total employment: 880 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $104,910
- Median hourly wage: $50.44
- Total employment: 180 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $105,760
- Median hourly wage: $50.85
- Total employment: 1,310 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $107,760
- Median hourly wage: $51.81
- Total employment: 5,230 people (4.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $107,850
- Median hourly wage: $51.85
- Total employment: 1,440 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $108,240
- Median hourly wage: $52.04
- Total employment: 80 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $108,760
- Median hourly wage: $52.29
- Total employment: 5,700 people (5.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $109,220
- Median hourly wage: $52.51
- Total employment: 490 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $110,030
- Median hourly wage: $52.90
- Total employment: 610 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $113,930
- Median hourly wage: $54.77
- Total employment: 1,210 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#22. Engineers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $115,360
- Median hourly wage: $55.46
- Total employment: 900 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#22. Physical scientists, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $115,360
- Median hourly wage: $55.46
- Total employment: 190 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Natural sciences managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $115,360
- Median hourly wage: $55.46
- Total employment: 440 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $119,870
- Median hourly wage: $57.63
- Total employment: 4,810 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $120,030
- Median hourly wage: $57.71
- Total employment: 140 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $121,520
- Median hourly wage: $58.42
- Total employment: 930 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Another77 // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Petroleum engineers
- Median annual wage: $122,980
- Median hourly wage: $59.12
- Total employment: 180 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $123,110
- Median hourly wage: $59.19
- Total employment: 270 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $123,590
- Median hourly wage: $59.42
- Total employment: 1,260 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $124,110
- Median hourly wage: $59.67
- Total employment: 560 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $125,210
- Median hourly wage: $60.20
- Total employment: 6,890 people (6.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $128,810
- Median hourly wage: $61.93
- Total employment: 1,530 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $129,260
- Median hourly wage: $62.15
- Total employment: 680 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $129,850
- Median hourly wage: $62.43
- Total employment: 2,740 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $131,500
- Median hourly wage: $63.22
- Total employment: 3,940 people (3.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $132,620
- Median hourly wage: $63.76
- Total employment: 370 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Atmospheric and space scientists
- Median annual wage: $132,850
- Median hourly wage: $63.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $134,230
- Median hourly wage: $64.53
- Total employment: 370 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mark_Kostich // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $138,650
- Median hourly wage: $66.66
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $145,080
- Median hourly wage: $69.75
- Total employment: 4,550 people (4.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $146,450
- Median hourly wage: $70.41
- Total employment: Not available
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $160,900
- Median hourly wage: $77.36
- Total employment: 3,980 people (3.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $164,960
- Median hourly wage: $79.31
- Total employment: 1,250 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $226,660
- Median hourly wage: $108.97
- Total employment: 510 people (0.46 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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