Csomos Attila // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Hydrologists
- Median annual wage: $90,610
- Median hourly wage: $43.56
- Total employment: 70 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Olympia 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 Olympia, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $90,780
- Median hourly wage: $43.65
- Total employment: 170 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Web and digital interface designers
- Median annual wage: $91,920
- Median hourly wage: $44.19
- Total employment: 150 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $92,860
- Median hourly wage: $44.64
- Total employment: 50 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Francesco Scatena // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Cartographers and photogrammetrists
- Median annual wage: $92,980
- Median hourly wage: $44.70
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $95,690
- Median hourly wage: $46.01
- Total employment: 180 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $96,110
- Median hourly wage: $46.21
- Total employment: 80 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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8 / 50#43. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $97,790
- Median hourly wage: $47.02
- Total employment: 150 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Biological scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $100,190
- Median hourly wage: $48.17
- Total employment: 90 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $101,170
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,030 people (8.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $102,470
- Median hourly wage: $49.27
- Total employment: 890 people (7.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
12 / 50#38. Financial examiners (tie)
- Median annual wage: $102,530
- Median hourly wage: $49.29
- Total employment: 140 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Civil engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $102,530
- Median hourly wage: $49.29
- Total employment: 840 people (6.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $103,850
- Median hourly wage: $49.93
- Total employment: 2,140 people (16.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
15 / 50#35. Software quality assurance analysts and testers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $104,020
- Median hourly wage: $50.01
- Total employment: 340 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Computer systems analysts (tie)
- Median annual wage: $104,020
- Median hourly wage: $50.01
- Total employment: 680 people (5.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $104,920
- Median hourly wage: $50.44
- Total employment: 60 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $105,090
- Median hourly wage: $50.52
- Total employment: 140 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
industryviews // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school
- Median annual wage: $105,610
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $106,100
- Median hourly wage: $51.01
- Total employment: 210 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,420
- Median hourly wage: $51.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $106,530
- Median hourly wage: $51.21
- Total employment: 200 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
B Brown // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $106,970
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 510 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $108,070
- Median hourly wage: $51.96
- Total employment: 240 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Web developers
- Median annual wage: $108,190
- Median hourly wage: $52.01
- Total employment: Not available
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26 / 50#25. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $109,250
- Median hourly wage: $52.52
- Total employment: 720 people (5.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $111,900
- Median hourly wage: $53.80
- Total employment: 360 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Social scientists and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $113,590
- Median hourly wage: $54.61
- Total employment: 60 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $114,700
- Median hourly wage: $55.14
- Total employment: 280 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $116,040
- Median hourly wage: $55.79
- Total employment: 110 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $116,120
- Median hourly wage: $55.83
- Total employment: 110 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $116,730
- Median hourly wage: $56.12
- Total employment: 3,480 people (27.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Labor relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $118,970
- Median hourly wage: $57.20
- Total employment: 150 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $119,990
- Median hourly wage: $57.69
- Total employment: 70 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $120,440
- Median hourly wage: $57.91
- Total employment: 260 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $121,650
- Median hourly wage: $58.49
- Total employment: 40 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $122,460
- Median hourly wage: $58.87
- Total employment: 1,970 people (15.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $129,610
- Median hourly wage: $62.31
- Total employment: 200 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $130,900
- Median hourly wage: $62.93
- Total employment: 220 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $131,160
- Median hourly wage: $63.06
- Total employment: 110 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $135,080
- Median hourly wage: $64.94
- Total employment: 700 people (5.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $135,450
- Median hourly wage: $65.12
- Total employment: 340 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $135,500
- Median hourly wage: $65.14
- Total employment: 200 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $136,590
- Median hourly wage: $65.67
- Total employment: 110 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $138,350
- Median hourly wage: $66.51
- Total employment: 140 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $139,430
- Median hourly wage: $67.03
- Total employment: 650 people (5.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $141,520
- Median hourly wage: $68.04
- Total employment: 230 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $149,710
- Median hourly wage: $71.97
- Total employment: 260 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $156,870
- Median hourly wage: $75.42
- Total employment: 250 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $216,720
- Median hourly wage: $104.19
- Total employment: 140 people (1.12 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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