Highest paying jobs in Decatur that require a bachelor’s degree

While college and university tuition costs may be skyrocketing, a bachelor’s degree remains essential to many high-paying jobs across the United States.

Annual tuition and fees at four-year colleges rose 10 to 14% on average from 2010-11 to 2021-22, National Center for Education Statistics data shows. For many students, this means taking out loans. Federal student loan recipients who earned a bachelor’s degree in 2016 borrowed an average of over $45,000 to earn their degree, as measured four years after graduation.

While expensive, bachelor’s degrees provide higher earnings potential for U.S. workers. A Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis from 2021 shows that bachelor’s degree holders make $277 more weekly than the median for all jobs, and $525 more than those whose highest education level is a high school diploma. What’s more, the unemployment rate is lower for bachelor’s degree holders at 3.5%, compared to 4.7% for all U.S. workers.

To be sure, not all jobs that require a bachelor’s pay well. So, if you’re going to get an undergraduate degree, what jobs will pay enough to make it worthwhile?

Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Decatur that require a bachelor’s degree. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.

Keep reading to discover the highest-paying jobs that require a bachelor’s degree in Decatur.

This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 366 metros.

Canva

#50. Special education teachers, middle school

– Median annual wage: $46,280
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: 70 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#49. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors

– Median annual wage: $50,860
– Median hourly wage: $24.45
– Total employment: 100 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#48. Public relations specialists

– Median annual wage: $54,330
– Median hourly wage: $26.12
– Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#47. Market research analysts and marketing specialists

– Median annual wage: $56,050
– Median hourly wage: $26.95
– Total employment: 150 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rido // Shutterstock

#46. Human resources specialists

– Median annual wage: $57,340
– Median hourly wage: $27.57
– Total employment: 210 people (3.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

#45. Social and community service managers

– Median annual wage: $57,900
– Median hourly wage: $27.84
– Total employment: 70 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#44. Elementary school teachers, except special education

– Median annual wage: $59,150
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: 1,050 people (18.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

B Brown // Shutterstock

#43. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education

– Median annual wage: $59,630
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: 420 people (7.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Mongta Studio // Shutterstock

#42. Cost estimators

– Median annual wage: $60,260
– Median hourly wage: $28.97
– Total employment: 100 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#41. Registered nurses

– Median annual wage: $60,600
– Median hourly wage: $29.13
– Total employment: 760 people (13.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DGLimages // Shutterstock

#40. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school

– Median annual wage: $60,670
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: 40 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#39. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents

– Median annual wage: $60,690
– Median hourly wage: $29.18
– Total employment: Not available

GLRL // Shutterstock

#38. Buyers and purchasing agents

– Median annual wage: $61,660
– Median hourly wage: $29.64
– Total employment: 210 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

comzeal images // Shutterstock

#37. Loan officers

– Median annual wage: $62,180
– Median hourly wage: $29.89
– Total employment: 210 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ImageFlow // Shutterstock

#36. Accountants and auditors

– Median annual wage: $62,410
– Median hourly wage: $30.00
– Total employment: 520 people (9.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#35. Compliance officers

– Median annual wage: $64,590
– Median hourly wage: $31.05
– Total employment: 70 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#34. Personal financial advisors

– Median annual wage: $67,710
– Median hourly wage: $32.55
– Total employment: 50 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

#33. Network and computer systems administrators

– Median annual wage: $70,000
– Median hourly wage: $33.66
– Total employment: 100 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

#32. Management analysts

– Median annual wage: $73,350
– Median hourly wage: $35.26
– Total employment: 70 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock

#31. Occupational health and safety specialists

– Median annual wage: $74,510
– Median hourly wage: $35.82
– Total employment: 70 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Undrey // Shutterstock

#30. Financial and investment analysts

– Median annual wage: $79,180
– Median hourly wage: $38.07
– Total employment: 30 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock

#29. Logisticians

– Median annual wage: $80,320
– Median hourly wage: $38.62
– Total employment: 120 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

#28. Training and development specialists

– Median annual wage: $80,850
– Median hourly wage: $38.87
– Total employment: 120 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#27. Medical and health services managers

– Median annual wage: $81,170
– Median hourly wage: $39.03
– Total employment: 190 people (3.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#26. Electronics engineers, except computer

– Median annual wage: $81,350
– Median hourly wage: $39.11
– Total employment: 50 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

boonchoke // Shutterstock

#25. Business operations specialists, all other

– Median annual wage: $82,350
– Median hourly wage: $39.59
– Total employment: 60 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#24. Construction managers

– Median annual wage: $93,140
– Median hourly wage: $44.78
– Total employment: 190 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock

#23. Software developers

– Median annual wage: $96,210
– Median hourly wage: $46.26
– Total employment: 150 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#22. General and operations managers

– Median annual wage: $97,090
– Median hourly wage: $46.68
– Total employment: 1,020 people (17.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#21. Computer systems analysts

– Median annual wage: $98,570
– Median hourly wage: $47.39
– Total employment: 70 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#20. Materials engineers

– Median annual wage: $100,420
– Median hourly wage: $48.28
– Total employment: 60 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#19. Industrial engineers

– Median annual wage: $100,700
– Median hourly wage: $48.41
– Total employment: 490 people (8.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aslysun // Shutterstock

#18. Chemists

– Median annual wage: $100,830
– Median hourly wage: $48.47
– Total employment: 40 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#17. Human resources managers

– Median annual wage: $101,710
– Median hourly wage: $48.90
– Total employment: 50 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#16. Purchasing managers

– Median annual wage: $102,350
– Median hourly wage: $49.21
– Total employment: 50 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#15. Chemical engineers

– Median annual wage: $102,920
– Median hourly wage: $49.48
– Total employment: 60 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#14. Managers, all other

– Median annual wage: $103,520
– Median hourly wage: $49.77
– Total employment: 90 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#13. Environmental engineers

– Median annual wage: $103,870
– Median hourly wage: $49.94
– Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#12. Civil engineers

– Median annual wage: $104,100
– Median hourly wage: $50.05
– Total employment: 110 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#11. Mechanical engineers

– Median annual wage: $104,520
– Median hourly wage: $50.25
– Total employment: 300 people (5.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#10. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors

– Median annual wage: $109,990
– Median hourly wage: $52.88
– Total employment: 80 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

#9. Computer network architects

– Median annual wage: $111,610
– Median hourly wage: $53.66
– Total employment: 60 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#8. Sales managers

– Median annual wage: $116,500
– Median hourly wage: $56.01
– Total employment: 100 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#7. Electrical engineers

– Median annual wage: $120,000
– Median hourly wage: $57.69
– Total employment: 160 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock

#6. Computer and information systems managers

– Median annual wage: $124,950
– Median hourly wage: $60.07
– Total employment: 60 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#5. Financial managers

– Median annual wage: $126,870
– Median hourly wage: $60.99
– Total employment: 130 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

#4. Marketing managers

– Median annual wage: $128,000
– Median hourly wage: $61.54
– Total employment: 40 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock

#3. Industrial production managers

– Median annual wage: $138,880
– Median hourly wage: $66.77
– Total employment: 190 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock

#2. Facilities managers

– Median annual wage: $151,330
– Median hourly wage: $72.76
– Total employment: 30 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#1. Architectural and engineering managers

– Median annual wage: $152,150
– Median hourly wage: $73.15
– Total employment: 110 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)