indukas // Shutterstock

Highest paying jobs in Huntsville that require a graduate degree

Those with graduate degrees earn more on average than those without them—but not all jobs are equal. And while rising tuition costs are enough to turn people away from the prospect of a master’s or doctoral degree, many high-paying professions still require such degrees to get in the door. Stacker compiled a list of the highest- paying jobs that require a graduate degree in Huntsville, AL using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2020 annual mean wage.

The best way to guarantee a high return on investment in a graduate degree is to be aware of professions that pay top-dollar for that added educational investment. Keep reading to see where a graduate degree is required—and can earn you the most.

You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants in Huntsville, according to Tripadvisor

DGLimages // Shutterstock

#36. Mental health and substance abuse social workers

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $36,290 (#243 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 90

National
– Annual mean salary: $54,540 (116,780 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Madera, CA ($92,870)
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($91,480)
— Santa Rosa, CA ($89,730)

Job description: Assess and treat individuals with mental, emotional, or substance abuse problems, including abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drugs. Activities may include individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, case management, client advocacy, prevention, and education.

Canva

#35. Healthcare social workers

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $49,660 (#308 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 210

National
– Annual mean salary: $60,470 (176,110 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($100,410)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($98,980)
— Salinas, CA ($95,690)

Job description: Provide individuals, families, and groups with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses. Services include advising family caregivers. Provide patients with information and counseling, and make referrals for other services. May also provide case and care management or interventions designed to promote health, prevent disease, and address barriers to access to healthcare.

National Eye Institute // Flickr

#34. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $51,670 (#136 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 160

National
– Annual mean salary: $101,800 (126,110 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($143,800)
— New Haven, CT ($142,330)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($136,230)

Job description: Conduct research dealing with the understanding of human diseases and the improvement of human health. Engage in clinical investigation, research and development, or other related activities.

VH-studio // Shutterstock

#33. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $52,060 (#280 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 390

National
– Annual mean salary: $62,320 (292,230 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($91,420)
— El Centro, CA ($91,110)
— Fresno, CA ($90,860)

Job description: Advise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services.

Tulane Public Relations // Wikimedia Commons

#32. Sociology teachers, postsecondary

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $54,000 (#54 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $85,180 (13,420 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($130,150)
— Providence-Warwick, RI-MA ($123,960)
— San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($117,690)

Job description: Teach courses in sociology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Huntsville that don’t require a college degree

Wikimedia Commons

#31. Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $55,460 (#272 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $89,290 (111,320 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Santa Rosa, CA ($138,550)
— Jefferson City, MO ($133,640)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($125,020)

Job description: Assess, diagnose, and treat mental and emotional disorders of individuals through observation, interview, and psychological tests. Help individuals with distress or maladjustment understand their problems through their knowledge of case history, interviews with patients, and theory. Provide individual or group counseling services to assist individuals in achieving more effective personal, social, educational, and vocational development and adjustment. May design behavior modification programs and consult with medical personnel regarding the best treatment for patients.

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#30. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $57,420 (#100 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 160

National
– Annual mean salary: $84,780 (91,170 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($122,920)
— Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($115,740)
— Rochester, NY ($115,080)

Job description: Teach courses in drama, music, and the arts including fine and applied art, such as painting and sculpture, or design and crafts. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

COD Newsroom // Flickr

#29. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $60,490 (#97 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 180

National
– Annual mean salary: $81,340 (64,800 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($141,420)
— Fresno, CA ($130,580)
— San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($121,510)

Job description: Teach courses in English language and literature, including linguistics and comparative literature. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#28. Farm and home management educators

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $60,750 (#6 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: data not available

National
– Annual mean salary: $54,870 (8,090 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Athens-Clarke County, GA ($86,660)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($67,800)
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($67,630)

Job description: Instruct and advise individuals and families engaged in agriculture, agricultural-related processes, or home management activities. Demonstrate procedures and apply research findings to advance agricultural and home management activities. May develop educational outreach programs. May instruct on either agricultural issues such as agricultural processes and techniques, pest management, and food safety, or on home management issues such as budgeting, nutrition, and child development.

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

#27. Computer science teachers, postsecondary

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $62,490 (#86 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $98,680 (32,230 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($153,430)
— College Station-Bryan, TX ($150,480)
— San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($143,650)

Job description: Teach courses in computer science. May specialize in a field of computer science, such as the design and function of computers or operations and research analysis. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

You may also like: Most common jobs in Huntsville

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#26. Biological science teachers, postsecondary

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $62,520 (#101 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 120

National
– Annual mean salary: $101,320 (51,500 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR ($195,730)
— San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($161,980)
— Salt Lake City, UT ($147,290)

Job description: Teach courses in biological sciences. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

#25. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $64,680 (#94 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 130

National
– Annual mean salary: $86,760 (49,550 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($147,770)
— Fresno, CA ($129,330)
— Ann Arbor, MI ($126,580)

Job description: Teach courses pertaining to mathematical concepts, statistics, and actuarial science and to the application of original and standardized mathematical techniques in solving specific problems and situations. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Fabrice Florin // flickr

#24. Education teachers, postsecondary

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $67,520 (#62 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 160

National
– Annual mean salary: $75,010 (57,560 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Salt Lake City, UT ($104,950)
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($103,700)
— Stockton-Lodi, CA ($100,980)

Job description: Teach courses pertaining to education, such as counseling, curriculum, guidance, instruction, teacher education, and teaching English as a second language. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Irina.stelea // Wikimedia Commons

#23. History teachers, postsecondary

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $68,140 (#69 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $85,630 (20,450 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fresno, CA ($146,320)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($141,390)
— Rochester, NY ($128,550)

Job description: Teach courses in human history and historiography. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Canva

#22. Speech-language pathologists

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $68,690 (#297 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 190

National
– Annual mean salary: $83,240 (148,450 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Modesto, CA ($128,540)
— Santa Rosa, CA ($120,920)
— Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($115,480)

Job description: Assess and treat persons with speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders. May select alternative communication systems and teach their use. May perform research related to speech and language problems.

You may also like: Highest and lowest paying health care jobs in Huntsville

Simon Fraser Universtiy // flickr

#21. Instructional coordinators

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $69,330 (#119 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 140

National
– Annual mean salary: $70,160 (174,900 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New Haven, CT ($111,440)
— Warner Robins, GA ($110,800)
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($104,000)

Job description: Develop instructional material, coordinate educational content, and incorporate current technology into instruction in order to provide guidelines to educators and instructors for developing curricula and conducting courses. May train and coach teachers. Includes educational consultants and specialists, and instructional material directors.

Canva

#20. Statisticians

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $71,750 (#85 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 30

National
– Annual mean salary: $97,170 (38,860 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($127,080)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($120,850)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($118,900)

Job description: Develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information. May specialize in fields such as biostatistics, agricultural statistics, business statistics, or economic statistics. Includes mathematical and survey statisticians.

Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock

#19. Business teachers, postsecondary

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $72,410 (#101 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 170

National
– Annual mean salary: $107,270 (79,810 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Ann Arbor, MI ($174,050)
— College Station-Bryan, TX ($172,650)
— Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($149,740)

Job description: Teach courses in business administration and management, such as accounting, finance, human resources, labor and industrial relations, marketing, and operations research. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Mark Warner // Flickr

#18. Social work teachers, postsecondary

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $74,620 (#19 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: data not available

National
– Annual mean salary: $78,110 (13,580 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Ann Arbor, MI ($110,520)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($104,020)
— Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY ($97,490)

Job description: Teach courses in social work. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

David Bibo // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $76,620 (#335 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 340

National
– Annual mean salary: $103,010 (262,480 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Modesto, CA ($154,970)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($146,070)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($145,590)

Job description: Plan, direct, or coordinate the academic, administrative, or auxiliary activities of kindergarten, elementary, or secondary schools.

You may also like: Metros where people in Huntsville are getting new jobs

Fae // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Psychology teachers, postsecondary

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $77,030 (#69 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $89,960 (36,520 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Santa Rosa, CA ($199,070)
— Bakersfield, CA ($131,290)
— Fresno, CA ($129,550)

Job description: Teach courses in psychology, such as child, clinical, and developmental psychology, and psychological counseling. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock

#15. Occupational therapists

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $83,010 (#187 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 100

National
– Annual mean salary: $87,480 (126,610 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— The Villages, FL ($115,920)
— Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($115,060)
— Modesto, CA ($112,870)

Job description: Assess, plan, and organize rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental delays. Use therapeutic techniques, adapt the individual’s environment, teach skills, and modify specific tasks that present barriers to the individual.

Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock

#14. Physical therapists

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $86,530 (#245 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 320

National
– Annual mean salary: $91,680 (220,870 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— El Centro, CA ($143,500)
— Modesto, CA ($123,370)
— Visalia-Porterville, CA ($119,510)

Job description: Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#13. Education administrators, postsecondary

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $95,310 (#151 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 290

National
– Annual mean salary: $115,200 (140,880 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Ithaca, NY ($205,810)
— Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC ($178,210)
— Charlottesville, VA ($176,040)

Job description: Plan, direct, or coordinate student instruction, administration, and services, as well as other research and educational activities, at postsecondary institutions, including universities, colleges, and junior and community colleges.

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#12. Nurse practitioners

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $99,850 (#313 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 630

National
– Annual mean salary: $114,510 (211,280 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($188,070)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($177,800)
— Salinas, CA ($155,310)

Job description: Diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a healthcare team. May focus on health promotion and disease prevention. May order, perform, or interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and x rays. May prescribe medication. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.

You may also like: Highest-rated seafood restaurants in Huntsville, according to Tripadvisor

Ohiodominican // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Physician assistants

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $100,480 (#260 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $116,080 (125,280 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Salinas, CA ($168,220)
— Waterbury, CT ($165,230)
— Portsmouth, NH-ME ($158,020)

Job description: Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Conduct complete physicals, provide treatment, and counsel patients. May, in some cases, prescribe medication. Must graduate from an accredited educational program for physician assistants.

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#10. Physics teachers, postsecondary

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $106,020 (#21 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: data not available

National
– Annual mean salary: $101,290 (13,670 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Rochester, NY ($160,370)
— College Station-Bryan, TX ($148,480)
— San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($141,180)

Job description: Teach courses pertaining to the laws of matter and energy. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#9. Economics teachers, postsecondary

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $111,380 (#31 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $123,720 (13,080 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Providence-Warwick, RI-MA ($180,450)
— Rochester, NY ($175,010)
— Pittsburgh, PA ($171,450)

Job description: Teach courses in economics. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Austin Community College // Flickr

#8. Veterinarians

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $112,910 (#76 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: data not available

National
– Annual mean salary: $108,350 (73,710 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($169,220)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($150,370)
— Akron, OH ($150,330)

Job description: Diagnose, treat, or research diseases and injuries of animals. Includes veterinarians who conduct research and development, inspect livestock, or care for pets and companion animals.

Rappaport Center // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Lawyers

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $117,370 (#146 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 590

National
– Annual mean salary: $148,910 (658,120 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($231,610)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($201,920)
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($186,070)

Job description: Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.

You may also like: Dogs available for adoption in Huntsville

Grace Nichols // U.S. Air Force

#6. Pharmacists

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $127,410 (#153 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 400

National
– Annual mean salary: $125,460 (315,470 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Madera, CA ($165,350)
— Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($162,540)
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($161,120)

Job description: Dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. May advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosage, interactions, and side effects of medications.

indukas // Shutterstock

#5. Physicists

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $129,480 (#24 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $137,700 (16,160 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($170,690)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($164,420)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($159,290)

Job description: Conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories.

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

#4. Computer and information research scientists

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $131,920 (#15 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 250

National
– Annual mean salary: $130,890 (30,220 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($170,890)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($163,330)
— Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($150,090)

Job description: Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.

Canva

#3. Nurse anesthetists

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $158,970 (#85 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 300

National
– Annual mean salary: $189,190 (41,960 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Duluth, MN-WI ($271,940)
— Ann Arbor, MI ($262,890)
— Green Bay, WI ($239,140)

Job description: Administer anesthesia, monitor patient’s vital signs, and oversee patient recovery from anesthesia. May assist anesthesiologists, surgeons, other physicians, or dentists. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.

Canva

#2. Dentists, general

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $164,120 (#181 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 190

National
– Annual mean salary: $180,830 (95,920 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Dover-Durham, NH-ME ($286,540)
— North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL ($278,790)
— Portland-South Portland, ME ($278,390)

Job description: Examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums. May treat diseases of nerve, pulp, and other dental tissues affecting oral hygiene and retention of teeth. May fit dental appliances or provide preventive care.

You may also like: Highest-rated barbecue restaurants in Huntsville

Canva

#1. Family medicine physicians

Huntsville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $198,310 (#186 highest pay among all metros)
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $214,370 (98,590 employed)
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA ($309,800)
— Napa, CA ($302,040)
— Gadsden, AL ($292,110)

Job description: Diagnose, treat, and provide preventive care to individuals and families across the lifespan. May refer patients to specialists when needed for further diagnosis or treatment.