Patrizio Martorana // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
- Median annual wage: $66,600
- Median hourly wage: $32.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Blacksburg 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 Blacksburg, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
You may also like: Highest-paying management jobs for people in Blacksburg
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $67,490
- Median hourly wage: $32.45
- Total employment: 490 people (6.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
comzeal images // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Loan officers
- Median annual wage: $72,200
- Median hourly wage: $34.71
- Total employment: 70 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $72,250
- Median hourly wage: $34.74
- Total employment: 40 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $72,290
- Median hourly wage: $34.76
- Total employment: 80 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Where people in Blacksburg are looking to buy homes
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $74,120
- Median hourly wage: $35.64
- Total employment: 150 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Special education teachers, middle school
- Median annual wage: $75,860
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
REDPIXEL.PL // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Commercial and industrial designers
- Median annual wage: $76,980
- Median hourly wage: $37.01
- Total employment: 40 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Labor relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $80,670
- Median hourly wage: $38.79
- Total employment: 40 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $80,770
- Median hourly wage: $38.83
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Blacksburg that require a graduate degree
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Fundraisers
- Median annual wage: $80,870
- Median hourly wage: $38.88
- Total employment: 110 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $80,960
- Median hourly wage: $38.92
- Total employment: 70 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $81,430
- Median hourly wage: $39.15
- Total employment: 1,190 people (15.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $81,470
- Median hourly wage: $39.17
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $81,920
- Median hourly wage: $39.39
- Total employment: 170 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in the Blacksburg metro area
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $82,220
- Median hourly wage: $39.53
- Total employment: 40 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $82,280
- Median hourly wage: $39.56
- Total employment: 240 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Web developers
- Median annual wage: $83,920
- Median hourly wage: $40.35
- Total employment: 50 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $84,270
- Median hourly wage: $40.52
- Total employment: 60 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $84,330
- Median hourly wage: $40.54
- Total employment: 40 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated barbecue restaurants in the Blacksburg area by diners
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $85,400
- Median hourly wage: $41.06
- Total employment: 100 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $85,510
- Median hourly wage: $41.11
- Total employment: 410 people (5.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $85,580
- Median hourly wage: $41.15
- Total employment: 180 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $85,590
- Median hourly wage: $41.15
- Total employment: 180 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $86,040
- Median hourly wage: $41.36
- Total employment: 40 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Best restaurants for 8 cuisines in Blacksburg
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $86,240
- Median hourly wage: $41.46
- Total employment: 50 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $86,880
- Median hourly wage: $41.77
- Total employment: 130 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $87,250
- Median hourly wage: $41.95
- Total employment: 430 people (5.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $95,290
- Median hourly wage: $45.81
- Total employment: 1,260 people (16.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $99,580
- Median hourly wage: $47.88
- Total employment: 120 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Blacksburg that require a graduate degree
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $100,450
- Median hourly wage: $48.29
- Total employment: 60 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $101,770
- Median hourly wage: $48.93
- Total employment: 80 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $102,050
- Median hourly wage: $49.06
- Total employment: 30 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $102,230
- Median hourly wage: $49.15
- Total employment: 200 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $103,110
- Median hourly wage: $49.57
- Total employment: 580 people (7.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How much house $1 million buys you in Blacksburg
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $104,690
- Median hourly wage: $50.33
- Total employment: 50 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $105,170
- Median hourly wage: $50.56
- Total employment: 120 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $105,890
- Median hourly wage: $50.91
- Total employment: 110 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $106,680
- Median hourly wage: $51.29
- Total employment: 70 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $120,510
- Median hourly wage: $57.94
- Total employment: 100 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants in Blacksburg by diners
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $123,330
- Median hourly wage: $59.30
- Total employment: 40 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $126,160
- Median hourly wage: $60.65
- Total employment: 130 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $129,250
- Median hourly wage: $62.14
- Total employment: 80 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $131,570
- Median hourly wage: $63.26
- Total employment: 80 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $132,620
- Median hourly wage: $63.76
- Total employment: 60 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in the Blacksburg metro area
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $134,410
- Median hourly wage: $64.62
- Total employment: 200 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $138,490
- Median hourly wage: $66.58
- Total employment: 60 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $139,250
- Median hourly wage: $66.95
- Total employment: 190 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $141,770
- Median hourly wage: $68.16
- Total employment: 80 people (1.08 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: 60 people (0.82 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: Highest-rated cafes in the Blacksburg area by diners
