
Highest paying jobs in Houston that require a bachelor's degree
Highest paying jobs in Houston that require a bachelor's degree
While college and university tuition costs may be skyrocketing, many still believe a bachelor’s degree is essential to landing a high-paying job in the United States. Stacker compiled a list of the highest paying jobs that typically require a bachelors in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.
Whether highly technical, scientific, or based in finance or the arts, all the jobs require keeping up to date with the latest developments in culture, commerce, or tech.
Keep reading to discover the highest-paying jobs that require a bachelor degree in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX.
You may also like: Most common jobs in Houston
#50. Computer programmers
- Annual mean salary: $93,460
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,080
National
- Annual mean salary: $96,650
- Employment: 152,610
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($144,130)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($126,220)
--- Dalton, GA ($123,500)
#49. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Annual mean salary: $94,100
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,620
National
- Annual mean salary: $91,900
- Employment: 100,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($120,430)
--- Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL ($115,450)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,780)
#48. Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents
- Annual mean salary: $95,400
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,200
- Employment: 52,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Stockton-Lodi, CA ($102,470)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($99,710)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($98,850)

#47. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $98,210
- #116 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,230
National
- Annual mean salary: $102,750
- Employment: 266,160
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($150,760)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($141,470)
--- Iowa City, IA ($138,870)

#46. Management analysts
- Annual mean salary: $99,100
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,610
National
- Annual mean salary: $100,530
- Employment: 768,450
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Dothan, AL ($135,020)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($127,320)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($125,250)
You may also like: Highest-rated breakfast restaurants in Houston, according to Tripadvisor
#45. Chemists
- Annual mean salary: $101,570
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,340
National
- Annual mean salary: $89,130
- Employment: 80,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($131,290)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($115,790)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($108,330)

#44. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $104,430
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,140
National
- Annual mean salary: $93,260
- Employment: 426,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($154,880)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($141,290)
--- Memphis, TN-MS-AR ($121,180)
#43. Information security analysts
- Annual mean salary: $104,490
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,280
National
- Annual mean salary: $113,270
- Employment: 157,220
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($150,820)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($149,250)
--- Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($135,080)
#42. Civil engineers
- Annual mean salary: $104,910
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,930
National
- Annual mean salary: $95,490
- Employment: 304,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($119,720)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($116,550)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($115,120)
#41. Industrial engineers
- Annual mean salary: $108,120
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,470
National
- Annual mean salary: $95,200
- Employment: 293,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($142,770)
--- Midland, TX ($129,440)
--- Billings, MT ($126,170)
You may also like: Highest-rated brunch restaurants in Houston, according to Tripadvisor
#40. Marine engineers and naval architects
- Annual mean salary: $109,390
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $97,820
- Employment: 7,380
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($153,630)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($126,010)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($109,390)
#39. Construction managers
- Annual mean salary: $110,020
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 10,120
National
- Annual mean salary: $108,210
- Employment: 284,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($160,710)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($149,050)
--- Napa, CA ($145,430)
#38. Electrical engineers
- Annual mean salary: $110,040
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,180
National
- Annual mean salary: $107,890
- Employment: 186,020
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($148,870)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($133,640)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($124,680)

#37. Software developers
- Annual mean salary: $110,150
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 18,110
National
- Annual mean salary: $120,990
- Employment: 1,364,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($167,420)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($158,320)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($148,220)
#36. Advertising and promotions managers
- Annual mean salary: $112,150
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $142,860
- Employment: 22,520
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($193,980)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($182,520)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($166,620)
You may also like: Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Houston, according to Tripadvisor

#35. Actuaries
- Annual mean salary: $112,170
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
National
- Annual mean salary: $125,300
- Employment: 23,040
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($245,520)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($144,550)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($144,320)
#34. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Annual mean salary: $112,290
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,690
National
- Annual mean salary: $115,490
- Employment: 107,170
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($152,060)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($138,480)
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($136,310)
#33. General and operations managers
- Annual mean salary: $114,780
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 78,630
National
- Annual mean salary: $115,250
- Employment: 2,984,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($165,340)
--- Trenton, NJ ($165,030)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($159,210)
#32. Natural sciences managers
- Annual mean salary: $116,270
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,710
National
- Annual mean salary: $156,110
- Employment: 74,760
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($222,360)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($219,240)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($216,750)

#31. Computer systems analysts
- Annual mean salary: $116,770
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 12,850
National
- Annual mean salary: $102,210
- Employment: 505,150
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($141,290)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($131,650)
--- Huntsville, AL ($118,690)
You may also like: Highest-rated seafood restaurants in Houston, according to Tripadvisor

#30. Materials scientists
- Annual mean salary: $117,220
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $104,790
- Employment: 6,690
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($142,410)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($135,480)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($133,380)
#29. Nuclear engineers
- Annual mean salary: $118,530
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $121,760
- Employment: 12,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($153,790)
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($143,500)
--- Niles-Benton Harbor, MI ($141,090)

#28. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
- Annual mean salary: $118,870
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
National
- Annual mean salary: $100,450
- Employment: 7,370
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boulder, CO ($152,290)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($150,970)
--- Oklahoma City, OK ($149,070)

#27. Sales engineers
- Annual mean salary: $120,170
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,060
National
- Annual mean salary: $118,630
- Employment: 59,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salisbury, MD-DE ($169,330)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($158,740)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($158,320)

#26. Medical and health services managers
- Annual mean salary: $120,300
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 8,890
National
- Annual mean salary: $119,840
- Employment: 436,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($162,110)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($157,340)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($156,370)
You may also like: Highest-rated pizza restaurants in Houston, according to Tripadvisor
#25. Personal financial advisors
- Annual mean salary: $120,790
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,150
National
- Annual mean salary: $119,960
- Employment: 263,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($172,780)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($161,010)
--- East Stroudsburg, PA ($158,790)
#24. Computer network architects
- Annual mean salary: $122,550
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,040
National
- Annual mean salary: $120,650
- Employment: 168,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,600)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($152,900)
--- Rapid City, SD ($145,810)
#23. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $123,690
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 990
National
- Annual mean salary: $99,700
- Employment: 22,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($127,700)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($123,690)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($122,770)

#22. Training and development managers
- Annual mean salary: $124,000
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 730
National
- Annual mean salary: $128,800
- Employment: 35,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($180,360)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($176,270)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($166,410)
#21. Emergency management directors
- Annual mean salary: $124,780
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $84,800
- Employment: 10,320
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($142,000)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($124,780)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($123,170)
You may also like: Cities with the fastest growing home prices in Houston metro area
#20. Mechanical engineers
- Annual mean salary: $125,970
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 8,480
National
- Annual mean salary: $97,000
- Employment: 278,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($137,540)
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($128,790)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($127,030)
#19. Operations research analysts
- Annual mean salary: $127,330
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,630
National
- Annual mean salary: $95,830
- Employment: 98,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($164,730)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($127,330)
--- Austin-Round Rock, TX ($118,710)

#18. Materials engineers
- Annual mean salary: $128,070
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
National
- Annual mean salary: $101,950
- Employment: 21,530
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boulder, CO ($135,680)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($134,720)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($129,400)

#17. Computer hardware engineers
- Annual mean salary: $128,300
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 740
National
- Annual mean salary: $136,230
- Employment: 73,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($185,210)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($183,320)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($161,580)
#16. Environmental engineers
- Annual mean salary: $131,700
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 910
National
- Annual mean salary: $100,220
- Employment: 42,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($131,700)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($127,470)
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($127,160)
You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants in Houston, according to Tripadvisor
#15. Aerospace engineers
- Annual mean salary: $133,260
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,500
National
- Annual mean salary: $122,970
- Employment: 56,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA ($166,060)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($149,490)
--- Boulder, CO ($148,990)

#14. Industrial production managers
- Annual mean salary: $136,080
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,590
National
- Annual mean salary: $117,780
- Employment: 192,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($155,640)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($153,860)
--- Fort Collins, CO ($153,470)

#13. Sales managers
- Annual mean salary: $137,260
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 10,040
National
- Annual mean salary: $142,390
- Employment: 453,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($198,960)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($196,910)
--- Boulder, CO ($182,820)

#12. Human resources managers
- Annual mean salary: $139,850
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,950
National
- Annual mean salary: $136,590
- Employment: 166,530
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($190,020)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($186,930)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($175,410)
#11. Marketing managers
- Annual mean salary: $142,100
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,370
National
- Annual mean salary: $153,440
- Employment: 278,690
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($210,280)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($198,870)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($191,310)
You may also like: Highest-rated Chinese restaurants in Houston, according to Tripadvisor
#10. Compensation and benefits managers
- Annual mean salary: $142,820
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
National
- Annual mean salary: $139,470
- Employment: 15,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($190,560)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($187,770)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,130)

#9. Purchasing managers
- Annual mean salary: $143,730
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,670
National
- Annual mean salary: $134,590
- Employment: 69,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($181,030)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,010)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($174,760)
#8. Computer and information systems managers
- Annual mean salary: $158,760
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,630
National
- Annual mean salary: $162,930
- Employment: 485,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,030)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($211,470)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($202,800)
#7. Petroleum engineers
- Annual mean salary: $159,790
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,850
National
- Annual mean salary: $145,720
- Employment: 22,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($214,700)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($175,590)
--- Anchorage, AK ($169,650)

#6. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
- Annual mean salary: $161,290
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,700
National
- Annual mean salary: $103,550
- Employment: 23,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($161,290)
--- Corpus Christi, TX ($156,870)
--- Midland, TX ($156,270)
You may also like: Dogs available for adoption in Houston

#5. Financial managers
- Annual mean salary: $161,510
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 12,050
National
- Annual mean salary: $153,460
- Employment: 681,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($209,100)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($201,330)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($188,900)
#4. Chemical engineers
- Annual mean salary: $173,640
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,890
National
- Annual mean salary: $121,840
- Employment: 24,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($173,640)
--- Anchorage, AK ($159,010)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($152,820)
#3. Architectural and engineering managers
- Annual mean salary: $182,830
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,730
National
- Annual mean salary: $158,970
- Employment: 187,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,000)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($206,050)
--- Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL ($198,430)

#2. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Annual mean salary: $219,810
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $198,190
- Employment: 81,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($255,250)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($243,380)
--- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($242,540)
#1. Chief executives
- Annual mean salary: $298,960
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,250
National
- Annual mean salary: $213,020
- Employment: 200,480
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($313,440)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($298,960)
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($296,480)
You may also like: Highest-rated barbecue restaurants in Houston