Although college and university tuition fees can skyrocket, many still believe that a bachelor’s degree is essential to land a well-paying job in the United States. Stacker pulled data for 2019, released in 2020, from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and compiled a list of the highest paying jobs that require a bachelor’s degree.

Many of the highest paying jobs are highly technical or scientific, requiring a thorough understanding of thermodynamics, nuclear energy, or forensic chemistry. Others are engineering jobs with civil, industrial, environmental, mechanical or biomedical specializations. Jobs for accountants, budget analysts and CFOs require an understanding of the intricacies of finance and numbers. Computer skills are found in most high-paying jobs, especially as programmers, systems analysts, and software designers and developers.

While some positions require creativity and artistry, such as producers and directors who create blockbuster movies, TV shows, theatrical productions and hit commercials, most require a combination of these valuable skills. Landscape architects must be creative and computer literate; technical writers are blacksmiths of words who interpret complex data, and animators use computer-generated images to bring their artistic visions to life. The highest paying job on the list requires a complex mix of “all of the above.” All jobs require keeping up with the latest developments, whether in fashion trends, cybersecurity or tax policy.

Stacker considered 166 jobs listed by the BLS Professional Handbook, with a bachelor’s degree as the typical training needed for an entry-level position. Jobs are ranked based on 2019 median annual income. Employment projections are also from the BLS. Jobs with “all others†in the name were excluded as they were aggregates of multiple jobs, and wage data was not accurate for a specific job.

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