Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $81,430
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 380 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Salt Lake City that require a graduate degree
Earning top dollar often requires more education than an undergraduate degree. Of course, doctors, lawyers, and professors all need extra years of focused study in their respective fields, but they're not alone. Graduate degrees in industries like business, engineering, and mathematics build specialized knowledge that can fast-track one's career—and salary.
In 2024, master's degree holders earned a weekly median of $1,840, a 19% premium over undergraduate degree holders. Meanwhile, doctorates earned $2,278, and professional degree holders earned $2,363.
However, wages can vary widely by occupation. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Salt Lake City that require a graduate degree in Salt Lake City. 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.
Beyond offering higher pay, a master's degree may also provide greater job security. The unemployment rate for a master's degree holder was 2.2% in 2024, compared to 2.5% for undergraduate degree holders. Unemployment is close to 1% among those with doctorates and professional degrees.
According to a May 2025 report from ResumeGenius, many employers believe a graduate degree showcases an employee's drive and commitment, leading to better job prospects. But that comes at a price. Between 2000 and 2020, median annual tuition and fees for graduate degree programs increased by 233%. Unsurprisingly, median cumulative grad school debt also increased, rising 47% to $50,000.
Depending on the career field, the expense may be difficult to justify. Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce found that full-time workers with graduate degrees in STEM fields earned $128,000 annually, almost twice as much as their counterparts in humanities and the arts. Meanwhile, a humanities graduate degree brought only 10% more earnings than a bachelor's degree.
Keep reading to find out how much graduate degree holders can earn in different roles.
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2 / 50#49. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $81,920
- Median hourly wage: $39.38
- Total employment: 230 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Geography teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $84,920
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ESB Professional // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $85,740
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $86,350
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $86,810
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $88,060
- Median hourly wage: $42.34
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $89,250
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $90,270
- Median hourly wage: $43.40
- Total employment: Not available
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10 / 50#41. Genetic counselors
- Median annual wage: $91,620
- Median hourly wage: $44.05
- Total employment: 40 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Orthotists and prosthetists
- Median annual wage: $92,590
- Median hourly wage: $44.51
- Total employment: 50 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $93,310
- Median hourly wage: $44.86
- Total employment: 530 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $93,600
- Median hourly wage: $45.00
- Total employment: 400 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Family and consumer sciences teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $100,130
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $100,260
- Median hourly wage: $48.20
- Total employment: 1,070 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $101,140
- Median hourly wage: $48.63
- Total employment: 450 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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17 / 50#34. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $105,840
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 220 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Audiologists
- Median annual wage: $106,120
- Median hourly wage: $51.02
- Total employment: 80 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $108,880
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $110,140
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 220 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $110,160
- Median hourly wage: $52.96
- Total employment: 790 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock
22 / 50#28. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $113,730
- Median hourly wage: $54.68
- Total employment: 110 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $113,730
- Median hourly wage: $54.68
- Total employment: 200 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $126,290
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 370 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $127,030
- Median hourly wage: $61.07
- Total employment: 1,560 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $127,410
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,030 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $127,500
- Median hourly wage: $61.30
- Total employment: 290 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $128,860
- Median hourly wage: $61.95
- Total employment: 140 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $129,550
- Median hourly wage: $62.29
- Total employment: 3,890 people (4.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $132,790
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 180 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $133,900
- Median hourly wage: $64.37
- Total employment: 30 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $134,390
- Median hourly wage: $64.61
- Total employment: 930 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $137,210
- Median hourly wage: $65.97
- Total employment: 1,790 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Law teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $138,020
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $140,010
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Emergency medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $142,560
- Median hourly wage: $68.54
- Total employment: Not available
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37 / 50#14. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $147,440
- Median hourly wage: $70.88
- Total employment: Not available
Elnur // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Podiatrists
- Median annual wage: $153,900
- Median hourly wage: $73.99
- Total employment: 30 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $160,550
- Median hourly wage: $77.19
- Total employment: 80 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $167,500
- Median hourly wage: $80.53
- Total employment: 2,500 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $177,220
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 2,600 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $193,750
- Median hourly wage: $93.15
- Total employment: 120 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
43 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 460 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 120 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#1. Radiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 220 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Neurologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 70 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.07 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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