Highest-paying jobs with a master’s degree
The best-paid is nurse anesthetists, with a median of $236,590 a year. 17 of the 40 occupations here have a median of $100,000 or more. The median for all U.S. occupations is $50,980.
How this list is built. Occupations where the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists “Master's degree” as the typical education needed to enter the occupation (Employment Projections 2025–35). Some workers in these jobs have more or less education than the typical entrant.
Source BLS-OEWS · Period May 2025 · # = national rank shown on each page40 records · annual wages, USD
| No. | Occupation | Median | Top 10% earn over | Typical entry | Jobs 2025–35 | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nurse Anesthetists | $236,590 | $339,500 | Master's | +9.7% | 51,840 |
| 2 | Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | $193,950 | $247,220 | Master's | +6.5% | 790 |
| 3 | Political Scientists | $142,080 | $195,190 | Master's | -2.0% | 5,540 |
| 4 | Computer and Information Research Scientists | $140,300 | $230,630 | Master's | +21.8% | 37,200 |
| 5 | Physician Assistants | $135,880 | $190,280 | Master's | +21.1% | 162,150 |
| 6 | Nurse Midwives | $134,040 | $188,320 | Master's | +11.5% | 7,920 |
| 7 | Nurse Practitioners | $132,300 | $174,420 | Master's | +41.0% | 323,040 |
| 8 | Mathematicians | $126,710 | $195,190 | Master's | +0.6% | 2,030 |
| 9 | Economists | $124,720 | $238,060 | Master's | +4.7% | 17,790 |
| 10 | Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other | $115,210 | $195,190 | Master's | +5.5% | 28,630 |
| 11 | Psychologists, All Other | $110,840 | $168,520 | Master's | +2.3% | 18,820 |
| 12 | Sociologists | $106,030 | $172,550 | Master's | +3.8% | 2,260 |
| 13 | Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $105,870 | $167,770 | Master's | -0.3% | 328,330 |
| 14 | Statisticians | $105,650 | $174,050 | Master's | +11.0% | 29,030 |
| 15 | Education Administrators, Postsecondary | $104,590 | $215,620 | Master's | +1.8% | 180,470 |
| 16 | Occupational Therapists | $100,330 | $131,950 | Master's | +14.8% | 162,450 |
| 17 | Genetic Counselors | $100,040 | $138,760 | Master's | +10.4% | 3,740 |
| 18 | Speech-Language Pathologists | $97,870 | $134,160 | Master's | +16.6% | 183,390 |
| 19 | School Psychologists | $95,990 | $142,330 | Master's | +0.8% | 63,940 |
| 20 | Urban and Regional Planners | $89,320 | $134,490 | Master's | +3.9% | 44,230 |
| 21 | Epidemiologists | $87,220 | $138,800 | Master's | +18.7% | 12,090 |
| 22 | Orthotists and Prosthetists | $81,110 | $119,810 | Master's | +12.9% | 9,390 |
| 23 | Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $78,620 | $163,350 | Master's | +2.2% | 93,560 |
| 24 | Instructional Coordinators | $77,440 | $121,670 | Master's | +1.6% | 227,760 |
| 25 | Historians | $76,750 | $131,810 | Master's | +3.0% | 3,450 |
| 26 | Acupuncturists | $76,040 | $161,470 | Master's | +8.6% | 7,830 |
| 27 | Anthropologists and Archeologists | $70,770 | $108,060 | Master's | +6.0% | 8,990 |
| 28 | Survey Researchers | $69,460 | $130,860 | Master's | -4.8% | 8,290 |
| 29 | Librarians and Media Collections Specialists | $68,270 | $103,990 | Master's | +2.6% | 133,790 |
| 30 | Healthcare Social Workers | $67,880 | $100,360 | Master's | +8.5% | 187,630 |
| 31 | Marriage and Family Therapists | $66,940 | $123,730 | Master's | +13.5% | 66,740 |
| 32 | Archivists | $64,550 | $110,550 | Master's | +3.4% | 7,970 |
| 33 | Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $64,330 | $104,770 | Master's | +2.9% | 353,310 |
| 34 | Curators | $63,420 | $107,140 | Master's | +4.9% | 12,150 |
| 35 | Athletic Trainers | $62,520 | $88,760 | Master's | +12.7% | 30,500 |
| 36 | Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | $60,280 | $104,170 | Master's | +10.3% | 132,810 |
| 37 | Farm and Home Management Educators | $60,220 | $85,060 | Master's | -3.2% | 8,220 |
| 38 | Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $59,350 | $97,590 | Master's | +18.4% | 491,930 |
| 39 | Counselors, All Other | $50,860 | $91,940 | Master's | +5.9% | 28,580 |
| 40 | Rehabilitation Counselors | $46,850 | $77,170 | Master's | +2.2% | 94,740 |
“No.” is the position in this list. Each occupation page shows its rank among all occupations. Wages exclude the self-employed, overtime and non-production bonuses.