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Highest paying jobs in Norfolk that require a bachelor's degree

·Stacker

fizkes // Shutterstock
fizkes // Shutterstock
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While college and university tuition costs may be skyrocketing, a bachelor's degree remains essential to many high-paying jobs across the United States.

Annual tuition and fees at four-year colleges rose 10 to 14% on average from 2010-11 to 2021-22, National Center for Education Statistics data shows. For many students, this means taking out loans. Federal student loan recipients who earned a bachelor's degree in 2016 borrowed an average of over $45,000 to earn their degree, as measured four years after graduation.

While expensive, bachelor's degrees provide higher earnings potential for U.S. workers. A Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis from 2021 shows that bachelor's degree holders make $277 more weekly than the median for all jobs, and $525 more than those whose highest education level is a high school diploma. What's more, the unemployment rate is lower for bachelor's degree holders at 3.5%, compared to 4.7% for all U.S. workers.

To be sure, not all jobs that require a bachelor's pay well. So, if you're going to get an undergraduate degree, what jobs will pay enough to make it worthwhile?

Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Norfolk that require a bachelor's degree. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.

Keep reading to discover the highest-paying jobs that require a bachelor's degree in Norfolk.

This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.

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#50. Management analysts

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1 / 50

#50. Management analysts

- Median annual wage: $95,160
- Median hourly wage: $45.75
- Total employment: 6,180 people (8.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#48. Nuclear engineers (tie)

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2 / 50

#48. Nuclear engineers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $96,030
- Median hourly wage: $46.17
- Total employment: 840 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#48. Electrical engineers (tie)

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3 / 50

#48. Electrical engineers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $96,030
- Median hourly wage: $46.17
- Total employment: 980 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#47. Project management specialists

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4 / 50

#47. Project management specialists

- Median annual wage: $96,740
- Median hourly wage: $46.51
- Total employment: 5,060 people (6.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#46. Environmental engineers

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5 / 50

#46. Environmental engineers

- Median annual wage: $96,910
- Median hourly wage: $46.59
- Total employment: 280 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#45. Software quality assurance analysts and testers

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6 / 50

#45. Software quality assurance analysts and testers

- Median annual wage: $97,040
- Median hourly wage: $46.66
- Total employment: 750 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#44. Construction managers

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7 / 50

#44. Construction managers

- Median annual wage: $98,180
- Median hourly wage: $47.20
- Total employment: 1,050 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Advertising and promotions managers

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8 / 50

#43. Advertising and promotions managers

- Median annual wage: $99,240
- Median hourly wage: $47.71
- Total employment: 40 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#42. Data scientists

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9 / 50

#42. Data scientists

- Median annual wage: $99,670
- Median hourly wage: $47.92
- Total employment: 450 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#40. Financial risk specialists

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11 / 50

#40. Financial risk specialists

- Median annual wage: $100,890
- Median hourly wage: $48.50
- Total employment: 130 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. Computer systems analysts

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12 / 50

#39. Computer systems analysts

- Median annual wage: $101,320
- Median hourly wage: $48.71
- Total employment: 3,350 people (4.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#38. Computer occupations, all other

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13 / 50

#38. Computer occupations, all other

- Median annual wage: $101,420
- Median hourly wage: $48.76
- Total employment: 2,730 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#35. Education administrators, all other (tie)

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14 / 50

#35. Education administrators, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $101,500
- Median hourly wage: $48.80
- Total employment: 220 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#35. Social scientists and related workers, all other (tie)

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15 / 50

#35. Social scientists and related workers, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $101,500
- Median hourly wage: $48.80
- Total employment: 480 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#35. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors (tie)

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16 / 50

#35. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors (tie)

- Median annual wage: $101,500
- Median hourly wage: $48.80
- Total employment: 50 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#34. Medical and health services managers

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17 / 50

#34. Medical and health services managers

- Median annual wage: $102,320
- Median hourly wage: $49.19
- Total employment: 1,820 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Facilities managers

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18 / 50

#33. Facilities managers

- Median annual wage: $102,410
- Median hourly wage: $49.24
- Total employment: 320 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. Database administrators

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19 / 50

#32. Database administrators

- Median annual wage: $102,630
- Median hourly wage: $49.34
- Total employment: 630 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#30. Fundraising managers

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21 / 50

#30. Fundraising managers

- Median annual wage: $104,460
- Median hourly wage: $50.22
- Total employment: 80 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Electronics engineers, except computer

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22 / 50

#29. Electronics engineers, except computer

- Median annual wage: $104,670
- Median hourly wage: $50.32
- Total employment: 530 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. Computer network architects

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23 / 50

#28. Computer network architects

- Median annual wage: $106,610
- Median hourly wage: $51.25
- Total employment: 920 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Natural sciences managers

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24 / 50

#27. Natural sciences managers

- Median annual wage: $106,690
- Median hourly wage: $51.29
- Total employment: 180 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#26. Information security analysts

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25 / 50

#26. Information security analysts

- Median annual wage: $106,740
- Median hourly wage: $51.32
- Total employment: 1,440 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#25. Training and development managers

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26 / 50

#25. Training and development managers

- Median annual wage: $107,270
- Median hourly wage: $51.57
- Total employment: 160 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Software developers

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27 / 50

#24. Software developers

- Median annual wage: $107,780
- Median hourly wage: $51.82
- Total employment: 7,140 people (9.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Operations research analysts

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28 / 50

#23. Operations research analysts

- Median annual wage: $107,850
- Median hourly wage: $51.85
- Total employment: 500 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#22. Materials engineers

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29 / 50

#22. Materials engineers

- Median annual wage: $111,010
- Median hourly wage: $53.37
- Total employment: 110 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#21. Computer hardware engineers

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30 / 50

#21. Computer hardware engineers

- Median annual wage: $111,160
- Median hourly wage: $53.44
- Total employment: 310 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#20. Engineers, all other

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31 / 50

#20. Engineers, all other

- Median annual wage: $118,360
- Median hourly wage: $56.90
- Total employment: 1,250 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#19. Database architects

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32 / 50

#19. Database architects

- Median annual wage: $119,080
- Median hourly wage: $57.25
- Total employment: 340 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#18. Physical scientists, all other

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33 / 50

#18. Physical scientists, all other

- Median annual wage: $120,060
- Median hourly wage: $57.72
- Total employment: 250 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#17. Mathematical science occupations, all other

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34 / 50

#17. Mathematical science occupations, all other

- Median annual wage: $120,710
- Median hourly wage: $58.03
- Total employment: 60 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#16. Industrial production managers

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35 / 50

#16. Industrial production managers

- Median annual wage: $121,000
- Median hourly wage: $58.17
- Total employment: 480 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#15. Aerospace engineers

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36 / 50

#15. Aerospace engineers

- Median annual wage: $123,700
- Median hourly wage: $59.47
- Total employment: 790 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#14. Managers, all other

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37 / 50

#14. Managers, all other

- Median annual wage: $125,480
- Median hourly wage: $60.33
- Total employment: 1,790 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#13. Compensation and benefits managers

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38 / 50

#13. Compensation and benefits managers

- Median annual wage: $125,750
- Median hourly wage: $60.46
- Total employment: 30 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. Purchasing managers

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39 / 50

#12. Purchasing managers

- Median annual wage: $125,810
- Median hourly wage: $60.49
- Total employment: 470 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#10. Human resources managers

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41 / 50

#10. Human resources managers

- Median annual wage: $126,070
- Median hourly wage: $60.61
- Total employment: 510 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#9. Medical dosimetrists

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42 / 50

#9. Medical dosimetrists

- Median annual wage: $126,790
- Median hourly wage: $60.96
- Total employment: 30 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#8. Public relations managers

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43 / 50

#8. Public relations managers

- Median annual wage: $127,930
- Median hourly wage: $61.51
- Total employment: 170 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#7. Financial managers

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44 / 50

#7. Financial managers

- Median annual wage: $132,640
- Median hourly wage: $63.77
- Total employment: 2,000 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#5. Marketing managers

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46 / 50

#5. Marketing managers

- Median annual wage: $138,320
- Median hourly wage: $66.50
- Total employment: 620 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#4. Architectural and engineering managers

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47 / 50

#4. Architectural and engineering managers

- Median annual wage: $142,440
- Median hourly wage: $68.48
- Total employment: 650 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#3. Computer and information systems managers

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48 / 50

#3. Computer and information systems managers

- Median annual wage: $143,260
- Median hourly wage: $68.88
- Total employment: 1,390 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#2. Sales engineers

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49 / 50

#2. Sales engineers

- Median annual wage: $167,350
- Median hourly wage: $80.46
- Total employment: 170 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. Chief executives

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50 / 50

#1. Chief executives

- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 950 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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