KSai23 // Shutterstock
1 / 39#39. Chiropractors
- Median annual wage: $44,910
- Median hourly wage: $21.59
- Total employment: 70 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Ogden 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 Ogden that require a graduate degree in Ogden. 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 / 39#38. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Median annual wage: $45,890
- Median hourly wage: $22.06
- Total employment: 230 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
3 / 39#37. Rehabilitation counselors
- Median annual wage: $46,700
- Median hourly wage: $22.45
- Total employment: 110 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleksii Didok // Shutterstock
4 / 39#36. Judicial law clerks
- Median annual wage: $48,860
- Median hourly wage: $23.49
- Total employment: 90 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
5 / 39#35. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Median annual wage: $50,980
- Median hourly wage: $24.51
- Total employment: 300 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
6 / 39#34. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $55,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 39#33. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $62,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 450 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
8 / 39#32. Athletic trainers
- Median annual wage: $62,680
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
9 / 39#31. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $63,030
- Median hourly wage: $30.30
- Total employment: 150 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
10 / 39#30. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $64,560
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VH-studio // Shutterstock
11 / 39#29. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Median annual wage: $65,280
- Median hourly wage: $31.39
- Total employment: 610 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
12 / 39#28. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $73,320
- Median hourly wage: $35.25
- Total employment: 240 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 39#27. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $74,430
- Median hourly wage: $35.79
- Total employment: 110 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
14 / 39#26. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $76,610
- Median hourly wage: $36.83
- Total employment: 70 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
15 / 39#25. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $79,080
- Median hourly wage: $38.02
- Total employment: 490 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
16 / 39#24. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $79,440
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
17 / 39#23. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $80,130
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daxiao Productions // Shutterstock
18 / 39#22. Marriage and family therapists
- Median annual wage: $80,260
- Median hourly wage: $38.59
- Total employment: 280 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
19 / 39#21. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Median annual wage: $81,300
- Median hourly wage: $39.09
- Total employment: 800 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
20 / 39#20. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $84,720
- Median hourly wage: $40.73
- Total employment: 130 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
21 / 39#19. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $87,380
- Median hourly wage: $42.01
- Total employment: 140 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
22 / 39#18. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $89,000
- Median hourly wage: $42.79
- Total employment: 110 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock
23 / 39#17. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Median annual wage: $89,150
- Median hourly wage: $42.86
- Total employment: 40 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
24 / 39#16. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $92,500
- Median hourly wage: $44.47
- Total employment: 200 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
25 / 39#15. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $92,750
- Median hourly wage: $44.59
- Total employment: 760 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
26 / 39#14. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $94,590
- Median hourly wage: $45.48
- Total employment: 480 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 39#13. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $121,400
- Median hourly wage: $58.37
- Total employment: 360 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
28 / 39#12. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $121,690
- Median hourly wage: $58.50
- Total employment: 110 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
29 / 39#11. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $122,400
- Median hourly wage: $58.85
- Total employment: 410 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
30 / 39#10. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $125,500
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 510 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kzenon // Shutterstock
31 / 39#9. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $132,590
- Median hourly wage: $63.75
- Total employment: 90 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
32 / 39#8. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $135,290
- Median hourly wage: $65.04
- Total employment: 400 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
33 / 39#7. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $135,850
- Median hourly wage: $65.31
- Total employment: 230 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
34 / 39#6. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $138,620
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
35 / 39#5. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $221,550
- Median hourly wage: $106.51
- Total employment: 80 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
36 / 39#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 310 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
37 / 39#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
38 / 39#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 130 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 39#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.13 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.
