Lowest Paying Jobs That Require a PhD

Special Report

Published: December 14, 2023 9:26 am

In the hierarchy of academic degrees awarded in the United States, professional and doctoral degrees are at the top. Covering a wide range of highly-specialized fields of study, including architecture, computer science, law, medicine, philosophy, and physics, these degree programs often last for over half a decade – and their successful completion demands a high level of both interest and aptitude.

Not only rigorous and time consuming, professional and doctoral degree programs are also expensive. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the average cost of a doctorate is just under $151,000, while some professional degree programs, such as medical school or law school, cost over $200,000. These expenses do not include the opportunity costs of forgoing a full-time job during the period of enrollment.

While the upfront costs of both time and money for doctoral or professional degree programs is high, so too is the potential pay off. According to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most full-time workers with these degrees earn over $108,000 a year, nearly $34,000 more than the median salary among those with only a bachelor’s degree. (These are the college majors most likely to earn six figure salaries.)

Of course, for many, if not most doctoral or professional degree candidates, higher earning potential is not the only consideration. And many of those who choose a particular Ph.D. or professional degree program for reasons other than money may find themselves in careers that pay far less than most others with similar educational requirements.

Using 2022 median annual wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 24/7 Wall St. identified the lowest paying jobs that require a Ph.D. or professional degree.

Among the 40 occupations on this list, the typical, full-time worker earns anywhere from $103,260 a year to $57,490 – or between about $4,700 and $50,100 less than the typical worker with a doctoral or professional degree. (Here is a look at the 25 lowest paying college majors.)

These jobs fall into one of four broad categories: life, physical, and social sciences; legal occupations; educational instruction and library occupations; and health care practitioners and technical occupations. The vast majority of them are postsecondary teaching positions.

Jobs in the private sector tend to pay more than jobs within the government – and many of these occupations are concentrated in the public sector. Across all occupations, local, state, and federal government positions account for 14.5% of employment, according to the BLS. In all but four of the jobs on this list, public sector employment exceeds the national average – including 32 occupations where over 50% of the workforce are employed by the government.

Here are the lowest paying jobs that require a PhD.

40. Veterinarians

Source: Kateryna Kukota / iStock via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $103,260
Total employment: 78,810
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +19.7%
Employment by sector: Public 3.2%; private 96.8%

39. Postsecondary Health Specialties Teachers

Source: SDI Productions / E+ via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $100,300
Total employment: 207,700
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +19.1%
Employment by sector: Public 54.3%; private 45.7%

38. Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists

Source: Vladimir Borovic / iStock via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $99,930
Total employment: 110,550
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +9.8%
Employment by sector: Public 17.6%; private 82.4%

37. Postsecondary Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers

Source: Hispanolistic / E+ via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $97,770
Total employment: 11,150
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +3.6%
Employment by sector: Public 72.3%; private 27.7%

36. Physical Therapists

Source: wutwhanfoto / iStock via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $97,720
Total employment: 229,740
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +15.1%
Employment by sector: Public 8.7%; private 91.3%

35. Postsecondary Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers

Source: ronstik / iStock via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $96,500
Total employment: 1,270
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +5.2%
Employment by sector: Public 94.5%; private 5.5%

34. Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers

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Median annual wage: $94,990
Total employment: 12,490
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +1.1%
Employment by sector: Public 100.0%; private 0.0%

33. Postsecondary Architecture Teachers

Source: andresr / E+ via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $93,220
Total employment: 6,420
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +3.8%
Employment by sector: Public 58.3%; private 41.7%

32. Clinical and Counseling Psychologists

Source: lorenzoantonucci / iStock via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $90,130
Total employment: 62,880
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +11.4%
Employment by sector: Public 16.1%; private 83.9%

31. Postsecondary Business Teachers

Source: SDI Productions / E+ via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $88,790
Total employment: 78,410
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +6.9%
Employment by sector: Public 55.3%; private 44.7%

30. Postsecondary Physics Teachers

Source: Tero Vesalainen / iStock via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $86,550
Total employment: 12,860
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +3.8%
Employment by sector: Public 67.2%; private 32.8%

29. Postsecondary Agricultural Sciences Teachers

Source: alvarez / Getty Images

Median annual wage: $85,860
Total employment: 8,240
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +4.8%
Employment by sector: Public 93.7%; private 6.3%

28. Postsecondary Anthropology and Archeology Teachers

Source: microgen / Getty Images

Median annual wage: $85,000
Total employment: 4,930
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +4.0%
Employment by sector: Public 67.7%; private 32.3%

27. Postsecondary Computer Science Teachers

Source: gorodenkoff / iStock via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $84,760
Total employment: 33,870
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +5.3%
Employment by sector: Public 66.6%; private 33.4%

26. Postsecondary Political Science Teachers

Source: Cimmerian / Getty Images

Median annual wage: $83,770
Total employment: 15,190
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +3.7%
Employment by sector: Public 59.0%; private 41.0%

25. Postsecondary Environmental Science Teachers

Source: Pablo_K / Getty Images

Median annual wage: $83,040
Total employment: 6,240
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +4.2%
Employment by sector: Public 70.6%; private 29.4%

24. Audiologists

Source: peakSTOCK / iStock via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $82,680
Total employment: 13,940
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +10.6%
Employment by sector: Public 11.5%; private 88.5%

23. Postsecondary Geography Teachers

Source: skynesher / E+ via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $81,920
Total employment: 3,340
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +4.4%
Employment by sector: Public 85.0%; private 15.0%

22. Postsecondary Biological Science Teachers

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Median annual wage: $81,650
Total employment: 49,920
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +8.6%
Employment by sector: Public 64.8%; private 35.2%

21. Postsecondary Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers

Source: honglouwawa / Getty Images

Median annual wage: $80,910
Total employment: 9,340
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +3.9%
Employment by sector: Public 58.2%; private 41.8%

20. Postsecondary Chemistry Teachers

Source: howtogoto / iStock via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $80,720
Total employment: 20,650
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +3.5%
Employment by sector: Public 63.7%; private 36.3%

19. Postsecondary History Teachers

Source: utah778 / iStock via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $79,400
Total employment: 18,250
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +1.3%
Employment by sector: Public 64.5%; private 35.5%

18. Postsecondary Sociology Teachers

Source: Chris Ryan / OJO Images via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $78,970
Total employment: 12,030
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +3.7%
Employment by sector: Public 68.2%; private 31.8%

17. Postsecondary Psychology Teachers

Source: monkeybusinessimages / iStock via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $78,810
Total employment: 40,050
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +5.2%
Employment by sector: Public 55.3%; private 44.7%

16. Postsecondary Philosophy and Religion Teachers

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Median annual wage: $78,780
Total employment: 21,620
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +2.7%
Employment by sector: Public 29.4%; private 70.6%

15. Postsecondary Nursing Instructors and Teachers

Source: wanderluster / E+ via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $78,580
Total employment: 69,190
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +18.2%
Employment by sector: Public 52.6%; private 47.4%

14. Postsecondary Mathematical Science Teachers

Source: gorodenkoff / iStock via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $77,420
Total employment: 46,560
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +3.2%
Employment by sector: Public 77.5%; private 22.5%

13. Postsecondary Teachers

Source: skynesher / E+ via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $76,920
Total employment: 214,520
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +3.6%
Employment by sector: N/A

12. Postsecondary Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers

Consumer Behavior Class (CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED) by Ed Schipul

Median annual wage: $76,440
Total employment: 2,420
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +3.9%
Employment by sector: Public 87.6%; private 12.4%

11. Postsecondary Library Science Teachers

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Median annual wage: $76,370
Total employment: 4,330
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +4.1%
Employment by sector: Public 78.3%; private 21.7%

10. Postsecondary Communications Teachers

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Median annual wage: $76,250
Total employment: 27,350
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +3.4%
Employment by sector: Public 68.8%; private 31.2%

9. Postsecondary Foreign Language and Literature Teachers

Source: GaudiLab / iStock via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $76,030
Total employment: 19,520
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +1.4%
Employment by sector: Public 57.3%; private 42.7%

8. Postsecondary Social Sciences Teachers

Source: SDI Productions / Getty Images

Median annual wage: $75,390
Total employment: 16,200
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +2.6%
Employment by sector: Public 70.9%; private 29.1%

7. Chiropractors

Source: DragonImages / Getty Images

Median annual wage: $75,380
Total employment: 37,740
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +8.8%
Employment by sector: Public 0.1%; private 99.9%

6. Postsecondary English Language and Literature Teachers

Source: recep-bg / iStock via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $74,280
Total employment: 57,680
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +1.2%
Employment by sector: Public 72.7%; private 27.3%

5. Postsecondary Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers

Source: izusek / E+ via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $72,650
Total employment: 13,400
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +3.3%
Employment by sector: Public 69.8%; private 30.2%

4. Postsecondary Education Teachers

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Median annual wage: $66,930
Total employment: 58,280
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +3.7%
Employment by sector: Public 58.7%; private 41.3%

3. Postsecondary Social Work Teachers

Source: SeventyFour / iStock via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $66,510
Total employment: 12,050
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +4.0%
Employment by sector: Public 60.5%; private 39.5%

2. Postsecondary Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers

Source: Juanmonino / E+ via Getty Images

Median annual wage: $64,990
Total employment: 13,900
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +2.7%
Employment by sector: Public 79.4%; private 20.6%

1. Judicial Law Clerks

Source: IuriiSokolov / Getty Images

Median annual wage: $57,490
Total employment: 15,540
Projected employment change, 2022 to 2032: +2.3%
Employment by sector: Public 100.0%; private 0.0%

Methodology

To determine the lowest paying jobs that require a PhD, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on median earnings and typical education requirements from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Detailed occupations that typically require a doctoral or professional degree for entry were ranked based on median annual wage in 2022.

Data for typical education requirements for entry are from the BLS Employment Projections program, while data on median annual wage in 2022 is from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. Supplemental data on total employment is from the BLS OEWS. Data on projected employment change from 2022 to 2032 is from the BLS EP.