Higher education leads to higher salaries for many types of workers. For some Americans who decide to pursue graduate degrees, additional education can be a key to unlocking higher salaries in a variety of high-skill fields. Approximately 13% of American adults aged 25 or older hold a graduate, professional, or doctoral degree.
In this study, AdvisorSmith examines the highest-paying jobs for graduate degree holders based upon the annual median income for each job. We determined which jobs required a graduate, professional, or doctoral degree by examining the percentage of workers in the field who hold a graduate degree of any kind. We selected fields where over 40% of workers have a graduate, doctoral, or professional degree.
Our study found that the highest-paying jobs for graduate degree holders were primarily in health care professions, with these jobs taking over half of the top 25 spots. Other fields that also had high pay included law, scientific professions including computing and math, and political science and economics.
The median annual salary for workers with a master’s degree was $77,844, while professional degree holders earned a median salary of $96,772, and doctoral degree holders earned a median annual salary of $97,916.
Below, we list the top 25 highest-paying jobs for graduate degree holders in the United States.
Top 25 Highest Paying Jobs With a Graduate Degree
1. Specialist Physicians
BLS Category: Physicians, All Other; and Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric
Annual Median Salary: $206,500
Total Jobs: 390,680
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 97.7%
Medical specialists had the highest median salaries for workers with graduate degrees. Virtually all of these doctors had a graduate degree, as medical school is required graduate study for almost all doctors. With the United States spending over 17% of GDP on healthcare, and specialized medical care in high demand in the country, specialized doctors were the highest-paid profession among graduate degree holders.
2. Family Medicine Physicians
Annual Median Salary: $205,590
Total Jobs: 109,370
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 97.7%
Family medicine physicians also earned high salaries. These doctors treat adults and children and are the backbone of the primary care workforce in the United States. Whether we have a cold or an ankle sprain, oftentimes, we look to family medicine physicians first. Like all doctors, family medicine physicians are required to attend medical school, followed by a multi-year residency.
3. Internal Medicine Physicians
BLS Category: General Internal Medicine Physicians
Annual Median Salary: $201,590
Total Jobs: 44,610
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 97.7%
Internal medicine physicians typically treat adults and also serve as the point of primary care for the health needs of Americans. These physicians undergo similar training to family medicine physicians, with four years of medical school and multiple years of residency.
4. Pediatricians
BLS Category: Pediatricians, General
Annual Median Salary: $175,310
Total Jobs: 29,740
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 97.7%
Pediatricians specialize in the health care of children and undergo similar training to family medicine and internal medicine doctors, but focused on the health needs of those under age 18. Many people with children prefer to take their children to see pediatricians. While still highly paid, pediatricians earn a significantly lower median salary than family or internal medicine practitioners.
5. Nurse Anesthetists
Annual Median Salary: $174,790
Total Jobs: 43,570
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 85.4%
Nurse anesthetists administer anesthesia to patients usually during surgical or other medical procedures. To perform this job, a nurse anesthetist needs to be certified and usually must hold either a master’s degree or a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. In many states, nurse anesthetists must work under the supervision of a medical doctor or anesthesiologist, but in a few states, they are allowed to practice independently.
6. General Dentists
BLS Category: Dentists, General
Annual Median Salary: $155,600
Total Jobs: 110,730
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 100.0%
General dentists help keep our teeth healthy. Besides cleaning and diagnostic examinations, dentists also perform procedures such as filling cavities, root canals, and extracting diseased teeth. With oral health linked closely to overall bodily health, dentists play an important role in our overall health. Dentists need to attend four years at an accredited dental school and then become licensed by their state.
7. Specialty Dentists
BLS Category: Dentists, All Other Specialists
Annual Median Salary: $147,220
Total Jobs: 5,330
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 100.0%
Dental specialists are also considered to have a high paying job that requires graduate training. Like general dentists, specialty dentists must attend four years of dental school and be licensed. In addition, they may attend an optional residency program after graduation for specialized fields.
8. Judges
BLS Category: Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
Annual Median Salary: $136,910
Total Jobs: 28,670
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 93.0%
Judges are legal professionals that generally work for local, state, and federal governments. In this role, they adjudicate court cases and provide judgements. Judges can work in civil or criminal courts. In most cases, judges are required to be lawyers, which means that they have attended law school and have passed the bar exam. However, in some states and jurisdictions, nonlawyers are able to become judges.
9. Natural Sciences Managers
Annual Median Salary: $129,100
Total Jobs: 67,720
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 58.3%
Natural sciences managers are managers in fields such as life sciences, physical sciences, math, and statistics who oversee the work of teams of scientists. They can work for private companies such as pharmaceutical companies, or research laboratories. These managers usually have a background in the scientific field in which they work, and they are responsible for guiding and coordinating the process of scientific research and development.
10. Pharmacists
Annual Median Salary: $128,090
Total Jobs: 311,200
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 66.5%
Pharmacists are responsible for dispensing drugs prescribed by other health practitioners such as doctors and nurse practitioners. They also inform patients about how to use their medication and any side effects that medication may cause. Another important role of pharmacists is to ensure that the interactions between multiple drugs that patients may be taking are safe.
11. Podiatrists
Annual Median Salary: $126,240
Total Jobs: 9,770
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 100.0%
Podiatrists are doctors that specialize in the treatment of the foot and ankles. Podiatrists hold the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree, which is focused on the treatment of the foot and ankles, and also are trained in surgical procedures on the feet. Podiatrists, similarly to medical doctors, study for four years at medical school and have subsequent multi-year residencies.
12. Lawyers
Annual Median Salary: $122,960
Total Jobs: 657,170
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 93.0%
Lawyers are professionals who assist clients with the law. This may include representing clients in court, drafting legal documents, advising on transactions, and providing advice on managing legal risks. Becoming a lawyer requires three years of law school followed by passing a state bar examination in order to be licensed to practice law in a state. Lawyers hold the most common profession in the top 25 highest paid professions for workers with graduate degrees.
13. Physicists
Annual Median Salary: $122,850
Total Jobs: 16,730
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 76.3%
Physicists conduct research in physics and develop theories about how the physical world works using experiments and observations. Physicists can work for academic or governmental research organizations such as the Department of Energy, labs in universities, or corporations doing research on materials such as lasers or semiconductors. Over 75% of physicists have a graduate degree.
14. Computer and Information Research Scientists
Annual Median Salary: $122,840
Total Jobs: 30,780
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 59.3%
Computer research scientists conduct fundamental research in computer science to create new innovations. Research scientists are at the forefront of creating new knowledge and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with computer algorithms. While being a software engineer doesn’t necessarily require graduate-level education, doing computer and information research frequently does, as almost 60% of the workers in this role have a graduate degree.
15. Political Scientists
Annual Median Salary: $122,220
Total Jobs: 6,010
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 53.6%
Political scientists study the political systems in the United States and in other countries. They are often employed by government and academic institutions to study topics such as political decision-making and public option and the structure of government. Given the importance of politics in terms of the daily lives that citizens lead, political scientists are highly paid, although the absolute number of workers in this field is small.
16. Optometrists
Annual Median Salary: $115,250
Total Jobs: 39,420
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 100.0%
Optometrists are responsible for providing vision correction services to their clients, such as glasses or contact lenses. Additionally, optometrists can diagnose and detect diseases of the eye and can also prescribe some drugs to treat some eye conditions. Optometrists are required to attend four-year Doctor of Optometry programs, and many also choose to do a one-year optional residency program after graduation. Optometrists must pass a board exam to become licensed to practice.
17. Astronomers
Annual Median Salary: $114,590
Total Jobs: 2,070
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 76.3%
Astronomers study space, stars, planets, and other phenomena outside of our planet. Most astronomers work for academic institutions such as universities, observatories, space institutes, or research institutes. The majority of astronomers have doctoral degrees in astronomy or physics.
18. College and University Law Teachers
BLS Category: Law Teachers, Postsecondary
Annual Median Salary: $113,530
Total Jobs: 16,180
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 76.8%
Law professors teach students about the law. Law professors are responsible for teaching and research, and they generally work at universities with law schools. The vast majority of law professors are lawyers, although some teachers in specialty areas may not necessarily be lawyers themselves.
19. Physician Assistants
Annual Median Salary: $112,260
Total Jobs: 120,090
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 78.0%
Physician assistants are health care professionals who provide primary care to individuals under the supervision of a physician. Many of the tasks that a family medicine doctor or internal medicine doctor performs can also be performed by a physician assistant, such as physical examinations, diagnosis of illnesses, and in some cases, prescribing drugs. Physician assistants usually require 1,000 or more hours of health care or patient care experience, along with two years of physician assistant school. After graduating, physician assistants are required to pass a certification exam.
20. Physical Scientists
BLS Category: Physical Scientists, All Other
Annual Median Salary: $109,910
Total Jobs: 17,550
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 72.8%
Physical scientists conduct research into the physical world. This job classification includes those that do research into sensing data about the physical world, such as managing natural resources, urban planning, or security. The majority of these scientists hold a graduate degree.
21. Nurse Practitioners
Annual Median Salary: $109,820
Total Jobs: 200,600
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 91.5%
Nurse practitioners are health care professionals who are independently licensed and also provide primary care to individuals. Nurse practitioners can diagnose and treat illnesses, prescribe medication, and perform some of the tasks traditionally done by doctors. Nurse practitioners follow more of a disease prevention approach which includes health education as compared with the medical model, which is more disease-centered. To become a nurse practitioner, nurses must first become registered nurses and then earn a master’s degree in nursing. Some schools also offer a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree as well. Nurses must also earn an Advanced Practice Nursing License to practice as a nurse practitioner.
22. Mathematicians
Annual Median Salary: $105,030
Total Jobs: 2,630
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 61.3%
Mathematicians conduct research on new discoveries in mathematics or apply mathematical theory to other disciplines like science or business. Most mathematicians work for academic institutions or research institutions. The majority of mathematicians hold a graduate degree.
23. Nurse Midwives
Annual Median Salary: $105,030
Total Jobs: 6,930
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 91.5%
Nurse midwives are licensed nurses who provide and help coordinate health care during the birthing process. In addition to the birth process, nurse midwives also provide education and health promotion services, and they can also conduct examinations and provide diagnosis and treatment. They can work in private practice, at hospitals, birth centers, health clinics, or in-home births. Generally, nurse midwives earn either a master’s degree in nursing or a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.
24. Economists
Annual Median Salary: $105,020
Total Jobs: 19,000
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 75.2%
Economists study the workings of the economy and prepare reports or plans. Economists use statistical techniques to evaluate and process economic data. Economists can work for academic institutions, government departments, or financial institutions. Most professional economists have master’s or doctoral degrees in economics.
25. College and University Economics Teachers
BLS Category: Economics Teachers, Postsecondary
Annual Median Salary: $104,370
Total Jobs: 13,270
Percent of Workers with a Graduate or Professional Degree: 76.8%
Economics professors generally research and teach economics at academic institutions such as universities. Most economics teachers at the college and university level have either a master’s or doctoral degree in economics.
Top 100 Highest Paying Jobs with a Graduate, Professional, or Doctorate Degree
The table below lists the top 100 highest-paying jobs for workers with a graduate, professional, or doctoral degree. Additionally, we list the number of jobs nationwide for each job classification, the annual median income for the job, and the percentage of workers in the field who hold a master’s, doctoral, or professional degree.
| Rank | Job Title | Total Jobs | Annual Median Salary | % of Workers with Graduate or Professional Degree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physicians, All Other; and Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 390,680 | $206,500 | 97.7% |
| 2 | Family Medicine Physicians | 109,370 | $205,590 | 97.7% |
| 3 | General Internal Medicine Physicians | 44,610 | $201,590 | 97.7% |
| 4 | Pediatricians, General | 29,740 | $175,310 | 97.7% |
| 5 | Nurse Anesthetists | 43,570 | $174,790 | 85.4% |
| 6 | Dentists, General | 110,730 | $155,600 | 100.0% |
| 7 | Dentists, All Other Specialists | 5,330 | $147,220 | 100.0% |
| 8 | Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | 28,670 | $136,910 | 93.0% |
| 9 | Natural Sciences Managers | 67,720 | $129,100 | 58.3% |
| 10 | Pharmacists | 311,200 | $128,090 | 66.5% |
| 11 | Podiatrists | 9,770 | $126,240 | 100.0% |
| 12 | Lawyers | 657,170 | $122,960 | 93.0% |
| 13 | Physicists | 16,730 | $122,850 | 76.3% |
| 14 | Computer and Information Research Scientists | 30,780 | $122,840 | 59.3% |
| 15 | Political Scientists | 6,010 | $122,220 | 53.6% |
| 16 | Optometrists | 39,420 | $115,250 | 100.0% |
| 17 | Astronomers | 2,070 | $114,590 | 76.3% |
| 18 | Law Teachers, Postsecondary | 16,180 | $113,530 | 76.8% |
| 19 | Physician Assistants | 120,090 | $112,260 | 78.0% |
| 20 | Physical Scientists, All Other | 17,550 | $109,910 | 72.8% |
| 21 | Nurse Practitioners | 200,600 | $109,820 | 91.5% |
| 22 | Mathematicians | 2,630 | $105,030 | 61.3% |
| 23 | Nurse Midwives | 6,930 | $105,030 | 91.5% |
| 24 | Economists | 19,000 | $105,020 | 75.2% |
| 25 | Economics Teachers, Postsecondary | 13,270 | $104,370 | 76.8% |
| 26 | Psychologists, All Other | 14,220 | $101,790 | 92.3% |
| 27 | Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 36,080 | $101,010 | 76.8% |
| 28 | Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | 14,380 | $97,870 | 93.0% |
| 29 | Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 201,920 | $97,320 | 76.8% |
| 30 | Materials Scientists | 6,710 | $96,810 | 41.5% |
| 31 | Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 271,020 | $96,400 | 57.3% |
| 32 | Veterinarians | 74,540 | $95,460 | 100.0% |
| 33 | Education Administrators, Postsecondary | 144,880 | $95,410 | 57.3% |
| 34 | Atmospheric and Space Scientists | 9,290 | $95,380 | 41.1% |
| 35 | Biochemists and Biophysicists | 31,360 | $94,490 | 54.0% |
| 36 | Data Scientists and Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | 30,810 | $94,280 | 61.3% |
| 37 | Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | 630 | $92,880 | 92.3% |
| 38 | Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | 29,200 | $92,040 | 49.2% |
| 39 | Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 11,020 | $92,040 | 76.8% |
| 40 | Statisticians | 39,090 | $91,160 | 61.3% |
| 41 | Physics Teachers, Postsecondary | 13,780 | $89,590 | 76.8% |
| 42 | Physical Therapists | 233,350 | $89,440 | 64.0% |
| 43 | Environmental Engineers | 53,150 | $88,860 | 40.3% |
| 44 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | 127,180 | $88,790 | 73.9% |
| 45 | Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary | 6,780 | $87,900 | 76.8% |
| 46 | Business Teachers, Postsecondary | 83,920 | $87,200 | 76.8% |
| 47 | Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary | 5,850 | $86,220 | 76.8% |
| 48 | Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 15,750 | $85,930 | 76.8% |
| 49 | Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,770 | $85,450 | 76.8% |
| 50 | Education Administrators, All Other | 44,550 | $85,450 | 57.3% |
| 51 | Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 31,800 | $85,180 | 76.8% |
| 52 | Occupational Therapists | 133,570 | $84,950 | 53.3% |
| 53 | Sociologists | 2,630 | $83,420 | 53.6% |
| 54 | Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other | 33,690 | $83,330 | 53.6% |
| 55 | Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 53,090 | $83,300 | 76.8% |
| 56 | Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 9,470 | $83,260 | 76.8% |
| 57 | Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 6,060 | $82,430 | 76.8% |
| 58 | Biological Scientists, All Other | 40,100 | $82,220 | 54.0% |
| 59 | Geographers | 1,400 | $81,540 | 53.6% |
| 60 | Hydrologists | 6,440 | $81,270 | 49.2% |
| 61 | Architects, Except Landscape and Naval | 105,850 | $80,750 | 42.8% |
| 62 | Geography Teachers, Postsecondary | 3,970 | $80,520 | 76.8% |
| 63 | Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary | 21,380 | $79,550 | 76.8% |
| 64 | Speech-Language Pathologists | 154,360 | $79,120 | 87.3% |
| 65 | Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists | 113,270 | $78,200 | 92.3% |
| 66 | Chemists | 83,530 | $77,630 | 41.5% |
| 67 | Audiologists | 13,590 | $77,600 | 86.5% |
| 68 | Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 10,600 | $77,070 | 76.8% |
| 69 | Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | 37,480 | $76,620 | 76.8% |
| 70 | Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 2,150 | $76,480 | 76.8% |
| 71 | Life Scientists, All Other | 6,450 | $75,910 | 73.9% |
| 72 | Microbiologists | 18,270 | $75,650 | 54.0% |
| 73 | Acupuncturists and Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other | 36,500 | $75,640 | 65.3% |
| 74 | Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary | 13,850 | $75,290 | 76.8% |
| 75 | Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary | 23,490 | $75,240 | 76.8% |
| 76 | History Teachers, Postsecondary | 21,030 | $75,170 | 76.8% |
| 77 | Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | 59,680 | $74,600 | 76.8% |
| 78 | Urban and Regional Planners | 38,560 | $74,350 | 57.7% |
| 79 | Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 51,150 | $73,690 | 76.8% |
| 80 | Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary | 13,640 | $72,070 | 76.8% |
| 81 | Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other | 16,830 | $71,530 | 76.8% |
| 82 | Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 4,390 | $71,410 | 76.8% |
| 83 | Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | 84,290 | $71,360 | 49.2% |
| 84 | Epidemiologists | 7,410 | $70,990 | 73.9% |
| 85 | Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | 29,120 | $70,630 | 76.8% |
| 86 | Chiropractors | 35,010 | $70,340 | 91.7% |
| 87 | Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | 24,860 | $69,990 | 76.8% |
| 88 | Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | 94,060 | $69,530 | 76.8% |
| 89 | Landscape Architects | 20,280 | $69,360 | 42.8% |
| 90 | Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | 201,320 | $68,970 | 76.8% |
| 91 | Food Scientists and Technologists | 13,460 | $68,970 | 45.5% |
| 92 | English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | 67,930 | $68,490 | 76.8% |
| 93 | Instructional Coordinators | 176,690 | $66,290 | 51.3% |
| 94 | Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 61,300 | $65,510 | 76.8% |
| 95 | Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 15,880 | $64,380 | 76.8% |
| 96 | Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | 6,090 | $63,930 | 93.0% |
| 97 | Historians | 3,040 | $63,680 | 53.6% |
| 98 | Anthropologists and Archeologists | 6,720 | $63,670 | 53.6% |
| 99 | Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | 19,250 | $63,270 | 54.0% |
| 100 | Soil and Plant Scientists | 14,150 | $63,200 | 45.5% |
Methodology
This study examined the highest-paying jobs in which a graduate, professional, or doctoral degree is required. To identify jobs in which graduate education is necessary, we used data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on educational attainment for workers in approximately 800 job categories. The categories listed by the BLS include the following:
- Less than high school diploma
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Some college, no degree
- Associate’s degree
- Bachelor’s degree
- Master’s degree
- Doctoral or professional degree
To determine jobs that require a graduate degree, we added together the percentage of workers with a master’s degree and the percentage of workers with a doctoral or professional degree for each job. We then selected jobs where 40% or more of workers possessed a master’s, doctoral, or professional degree.
After selecting from these professions, we used salary data from the BLS’s Occupational Employment Statistics to determine the annual median salary for each of the jobs for workers with graduate degrees. We ranked these jobs by the annual median salary to determine the top 25 and top 100 highest paying jobs for workers with a graduate degree.
Sources
1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Educational attainment for workers 25 years and older by detailed occupation
2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics
