Earning a bachelor’s degree is a pricey proposition. Figuring in not just tuition and college fees but also the cost of books, supplies, and room and board, the Education Data Initiative has calculated that an in-state student living on campus for four years at a public institution will pay an average of $103,456 for his or her college education, while an out-of-state student will need $174,885 — rising to as much as $215,796 at a private institution. And that’s for students who earn their BA in four years; some 60% take six. (An education will cost even more, of course, at one of the most expensive colleges in every state.)
Why bother with a degree, then? Because it pays off in the long run. The Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities has calculated that holders of BAs earn as much as $1 million more over the course of their careers than those with only a high school diploma.
To find the highest paying jobs in the Boston metro area that require a bachelor’s degree, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data at the metro area level. Data on median annual wage nationwide and in Boston for all occupations as well as per occupation comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics as of May 2020. BLS employment growth projections are for 2020 to 2030.
Note that for many of these positions, a bachelor’s degree would be the absolute minimum requirement but not necessarily sufficient in itself. For instance, many financial management and marketing jobs would require an MBA, while many kinds of engineers would need a master’s degree or doctorate.
Boston is home to several Fortune 500 companies, including General Electric and Liberty Mutual. The city also has an abundance of top universities, which draw in students from all over the world. Some stay for jobs after graduation, and this pool of talent has allowed the city to become a hub for research and technology. Boston’s life science and biotechnology industries are especially strong, but there are also plenty of engineering and tech jobs that run the STEM gamut. (Tech jobs are among the 25 highest-paying jobs in America.)
Click here to see the highest-paying jobs in Boston that require a bachelor’s degree
Whatever the field, these are all positions that could lead to long, profitable careers.
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25. Engineers, All Other
> Median annual wage in Boston: $118,910
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:115.0%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $103,380
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:2,490
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 2.7%
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24. Actuaries
> Median annual wage in Boston: $119,540
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:107.7%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $111,030
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:740
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 24.5%
Source: skynesher / E+ via Getty Images
23. Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
> Median annual wage in Boston: $121,130
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:112.6%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $107,540
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:3,490
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 6.2%
Source: fizkes / iStock via Getty Images
22. Advertising and Promotions Managers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $121,190
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:90.8%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $133,460
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:900
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 10.3%
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21. Aerospace Engineers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $122,450
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:103.2%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $118,610
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:770
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 8.3%
Source: sturti / Getty Images
20. Medical and Health Services Managers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $124,430
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:119.3%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $104,280
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:13,010
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 32.5%
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19. Public Relations and Fundraising Managers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $124,880
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:105.4%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $118,430
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:4,100
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 12.7%
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18. Training and Development Managers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $125,440
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:108.5%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $115,640
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:1,580
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 10.7%
Source: Chainarong Prasertthai / iStock via Getty Images
17. Compensation and Benefits Managers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $126,390
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:101.0%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $125,130
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:720
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 3.7%
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16. Personal Financial Advisors
> Median annual wage in Boston: $131,360
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:147.1%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $89,330
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:6,820
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 4.6%
Source: JackF / iStock via Getty Images
15. General and Operations Managers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $131,670
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:127.0%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $103,650
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:69,110
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 9.4%
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14. Personal Service Managers, All Other; Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling; and Managers, All Other
> Median annual wage in Boston: $133,090
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:114.4%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $116,350
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:6,760
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 7.4%
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13. Industrial Production Managers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $133,290
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:122.5%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $108,790
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:4,700
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 5.3%
Source: gorodenkoff / iStock via Getty Images
12. Computer Network Architects
> Median annual wage in Boston: $134,040
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:114.8%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $116,780
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:4,680
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 5.4%
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Source: Deagreez / Getty Images
11. Purchasing Managers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $138,210
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:109.7%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $125,940
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:2,530
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 6.2%
Source: nd3000 / iStock via Getty Images
10. Marketing Managers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $142,460
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:100.2%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $142,170
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:16,010
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 10.0%
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9. Sales Managers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $142,920
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:108.0%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $132,290
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:14,910
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 7.0%
Source: pixelfit / Getty Images
8. Human Resources Managers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $145,870
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:120.3%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $121,220
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:5,660
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 9.2%
Source: vladans / Getty Images
7. Financial Managers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $146,370
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:109.1%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $134,180
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:29,200
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 17.3%
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Source: golubovy / Getty Images
6. Computer Hardware Engineers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $147,000
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:123.0%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $119,560
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:1,840
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 1.7%
Source: Digital Vision. / Photodisc via Getty Images
5. Nuclear Engineers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $148,020
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:127.4%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $116,140
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:210
> Projected employment growth nationwide: – 8.1%
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Source: PeopleImages / Getty Images
4. Computer and Information Systems Managers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $157,030
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:103.9%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $151,150
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:19,320
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 10.9%
Source: vm / E+ via Getty Images
3. Architectural and Engineering Managers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $161,870
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:108.3%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $149,530
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:7,940
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 4.1%
Source: AlexeyPetrov / iStock via Getty Images
2. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $175,070
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:108.8%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $160,970
> Total employment for occupation in Houston: 00
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 13.8%
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1. Natural Sciences Managers
> Median annual wage in Boston: $193,060
> Wage as pct. of median wage for all occupations:140.0%
> Median annual wage for occupation nationwide: $137,940
> Total employment for occupation in Houston:3,660
> Projected employment growth nationwide: 5.7%
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