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1 / 50#50. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $126,310
- Median hourly wage: $60.73
- Total employment: 5,350 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Seattle 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 Seattle, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $128,440
- Median hourly wage: $61.75
- Total employment: 550 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $129,900
- Median hourly wage: $62.45
- Total employment: 17,770 people (8.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $131,640
- Median hourly wage: $63.29
- Total employment: 7,300 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Web and digital interface designers
- Median annual wage: $132,310
- Median hourly wage: $63.61
- Total employment: 6,400 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $132,580
- Median hourly wage: $63.74
- Total employment: 13,940 people (6.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $133,310
- Median hourly wage: $64.09
- Total employment: 1,380 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $134,030
- Median hourly wage: $64.44
- Total employment: 8,130 people (3.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $134,230
- Median hourly wage: $64.54
- Total employment: 10,400 people (5.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $134,750
- Median hourly wage: $64.79
- Total employment: 1,750 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $135,280
- Median hourly wage: $65.04
- Total employment: 160 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $135,480
- Median hourly wage: $65.14
- Total employment: 6,580 people (3.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $135,830
- Median hourly wage: $65.30
- Total employment: 150 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Lobanov // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Nuclear engineers
- Median annual wage: $135,870
- Median hourly wage: $65.32
- Total employment: Not available
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15 / 50#36. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $137,090
- Median hourly wage: $65.91
- Total employment: 2,330 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $138,480
- Median hourly wage: $66.58
- Total employment: 360 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $138,970
- Median hourly wage: $66.81
- Total employment: 4,220 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $139,260
- Median hourly wage: $66.95
- Total employment: 3,040 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. Emergency management directors
- Median annual wage: $139,630
- Median hourly wage: $67.13
- Total employment: 130 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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20 / 50#31. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $140,810
- Median hourly wage: $67.70
- Total employment: 1,100 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $141,280
- Median hourly wage: $67.93
- Total employment: 30,890 people (14.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FrameStockFootages // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Special effects artists and animators
- Median annual wage: $142,690
- Median hourly wage: $68.60
- Total employment: 2,160 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $142,830
- Median hourly wage: $68.67
- Total employment: 1,590 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $143,050
- Median hourly wage: $68.78
- Total employment: 620 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Art directors
- Median annual wage: $143,490
- Median hourly wage: $68.99
- Total employment: 1,460 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $152,660
- Median hourly wage: $73.40
- Total employment: 4,490 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $153,910
- Median hourly wage: $74.00
- Total employment: 4,780 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $155,880
- Median hourly wage: $74.94
- Total employment: Not available
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $156,860
- Median hourly wage: $75.41
- Total employment: 610 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $157,290
- Median hourly wage: $75.62
- Total employment: 6,100 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $166,880
- Median hourly wage: $80.23
- Total employment: 3,370 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $167,110
- Median hourly wage: $80.34
- Total employment: 1,560 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $167,970
- Median hourly wage: $80.76
- Total employment: Not available
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $168,750
- Median hourly wage: $81.13
- Total employment: 7,580 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $169,250
- Median hourly wage: $81.37
- Total employment: 1,280 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $169,340
- Median hourly wage: $81.42
- Total employment: 72,730 people (34.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $172,440
- Median hourly wage: $82.90
- Total employment: 6,950 people (3.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $173,880
- Median hourly wage: $83.60
- Total employment: 7,200 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $174,070
- Median hourly wage: $83.69
- Total employment: 1,150 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $174,130
- Median hourly wage: $83.72
- Total employment: 5,350 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $178,550
- Median hourly wage: $85.84
- Total employment: 3,670 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $180,770
- Median hourly wage: $86.91
- Total employment: 9,460 people (4.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $183,640
- Median hourly wage: $88.29
- Total employment: 4,560 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $192,970
- Median hourly wage: $92.77
- Total employment: 140 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mark_Kostich // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $201,780
- Median hourly wage: $97.01
- Total employment: 40 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $208,230
- Median hourly wage: $100.11
- Total employment: 2,260 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $212,450
- Median hourly wage: $102.14
- Total employment: 13,900 people (6.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $214,220
- Median hourly wage: $102.99
- Total employment: 400 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Chief executives (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 2,620 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 3,520 people (1.69 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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