Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $91,990
- Median hourly wage: $44.23
- Total employment: 400 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Spokane 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 Spokane, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $92,090
- Median hourly wage: $44.27
- Total employment: 790 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Biological scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $92,410
- Median hourly wage: $44.43
- Total employment: 50 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $92,600
- Median hourly wage: $44.52
- Total employment: 90 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $92,860
- Median hourly wage: $44.64
- Total employment: 200 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $93,940
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,000 people (3.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Music directors and composers
- Median annual wage: $94,020
- Median hourly wage: $45.20
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Web developers
- Median annual wage: $95,890
- Median hourly wage: $46.10
- Total employment: 140 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $95,940
- Median hourly wage: $46.12
- Total employment: 520 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $96,190
- Median hourly wage: $46.24
- Total employment: 400 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,570
- Median hourly wage: $46.91
- Total employment: 610 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,790
- Median hourly wage: $47.01
- Total employment: 80 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,990
- Median hourly wage: $47.11
- Total employment: 220 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $98,860
- Median hourly wage: $47.53
- Total employment: 1,540 people (6.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
B Brown // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $99,260
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,090 people (4.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $99,290
- Median hourly wage: $47.73
- Total employment: 6,480 people (25.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Life scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $100,000
- Median hourly wage: $48.08
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $100,070
- Median hourly wage: $48.11
- Total employment: 220 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martynova Anna // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Career/technical education teachers, middle school
- Median annual wage: $104,370
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $105,870
- Median hourly wage: $50.90
- Total employment: 190 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $107,230
- Median hourly wage: $51.55
- Total employment: 110 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $107,570
- Median hourly wage: $51.72
- Total employment: 160 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $109,750
- Median hourly wage: $52.77
- Total employment: 70 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $109,990
- Median hourly wage: $52.88
- Total employment: 110 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $111,420
- Median hourly wage: $53.57
- Total employment: 3,570 people (13.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $113,170
- Median hourly wage: $54.41
- Total employment: 360 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $115,960
- Median hourly wage: $55.75
- Total employment: 340 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $119,560
- Median hourly wage: $57.48
- Total employment: 100 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $119,660
- Median hourly wage: $57.53
- Total employment: 50 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $120,050
- Median hourly wage: $57.72
- Total employment: 440 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $121,530
- Median hourly wage: $58.43
- Total employment: 1,760 people (6.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $122,170
- Median hourly wage: $58.74
- Total employment: 140 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $123,160
- Median hourly wage: $59.21
- Total employment: 120 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $123,270
- Median hourly wage: $59.26
- Total employment: 740 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $123,390
- Median hourly wage: $59.32
- Total employment: 60 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $124,140
- Median hourly wage: $59.69
- Total employment: 190 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $130,620
- Median hourly wage: $62.80
- Total employment: 200 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $131,860
- Median hourly wage: $63.40
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $132,250
- Median hourly wage: $63.58
- Total employment: 590 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $132,480
- Median hourly wage: $63.69
- Total employment: 530 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $133,790
- Median hourly wage: $64.32
- Total employment: 80 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $134,240
- Median hourly wage: $64.54
- Total employment: 90 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $136,590
- Median hourly wage: $65.67
- Total employment: 70 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $137,550
- Median hourly wage: $66.13
- Total employment: 100 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $140,080
- Median hourly wage: $67.35
- Total employment: 610 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $154,780
- Median hourly wage: $74.41
- Total employment: 760 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Legislators
- Median annual wage: $157,080
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $163,200
- Median hourly wage: $78.46
- Total employment: 190 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $167,200
- Median hourly wage: $80.39
- Total employment: 550 people (2.17 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: 190 people (0.74 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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