Careers that need a bachelor's degree
83 occupations where BLS lists the typical entry education as a bachelor's degree, sorted by median pay.
Updated
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers | $232,140 | +8.3% | 11,200 | Bachelor's degree |
| Chief executives | $213,990 | +3.2% | 19,100 | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer and information systems managers | $175,140 | +15.8% | 53,500 | Bachelor's degree |
| Architectural and engineering managers | $171,270 | +5.5% | 14,900 | Bachelor's degree |
| Natural sciences managers | $167,220 | +8.2% | 9,200 | Bachelor's degree |
| Marketing managers | $166,790 | +6.9% | 34,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| Financial managers | $166,570 | +9.7% | 65,600 | Bachelor's degree |
| Human resources managers | $149,280 | +5.5% | 16,800 | Bachelor's degree |
| Sales managers | $148,270 | +4.5% | 47,300 | Bachelor's degree |
| Purchasing managers | $148,080 | +4.0% | 6,400 | Bachelor's degree |
| Public relations managers | $146,910 | +5.7% | 6,100 | Bachelor's degree |
| Software developers | $135,980 | +10.2% | 95,300 | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer network architects | $134,050 | +7.7% | 9,600 | Bachelor's degree |
| Information security analysts | $129,180 | +21.0% | 14,100 | Bachelor's degree |
| Industrial production managers | $126,060 | +2.6% | 17,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| Medical and health services managers | $123,860 | +24.2% | 62,300 | Bachelor's degree |
| Electrical engineers | $120,630 | +9.9% | 11,400 | Bachelor's degree |
| Data scientists | $120,230 | +34.6% | 24,800 | Bachelor's degree |
| Construction managers | $114,990 | +9.1% | 49,700 | Bachelor's degree |
| Art directors | $114,850 | +4.2% | 12,200 | Bachelor's degree |
| Administrative services managers | $114,130 | +5.2% | 22,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| Facilities managers | $106,660 | +4.6% | 14,200 | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer systems analysts | $105,850 | +7.9% | 32,900 | Bachelor's degree |
| General and operations managers | $105,770 | +5.0% | 285,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| Personal financial advisors | $105,070 | +1.4% | 17,100 | Bachelor's degree |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products | $104,920 | +1.2% | 23,600 | Bachelor's degree |
| Software quality assurance analysts and testers | $104,300 | +5.7% | 10,700 | Bachelor's degree |
| Mechanical engineers | $104,110 | +11.2% | 17,800 | Bachelor's degree |
| Web and digital interface designers | $104,000 | +6.0% | 8,300 | Bachelor's degree |
| Financial and investment analysts | $102,740 | +7.2% | 24,700 | Bachelor's degree |
| Industrial engineers | $102,440 | +12.4% | 23,100 | Bachelor's degree |
| Project management specialists | $102,320 | +6.7% | 76,500 | Bachelor's degree |
| Management analysts | $101,860 | +10.1% | 94,100 | Bachelor's degree |
| Civil engineers | $100,840 | +6.4% | 22,700 | Bachelor's degree |
| Architects, except landscape and naval | $99,280 | +4.3% | 6,900 | Bachelor's degree |
| Network and computer systems administrators | $99,130 | -4.1% | 13,400 | Bachelor's degree |
| Registered nurses | $97,550 | +5.6% | 180,800 | Bachelor's degree |
| Web developers | $92,650 | +3.8% | 5,300 | Bachelor's degree |
| Chemists | $91,240 | +6.4% | 5,900 | Bachelor's degree |
| Producers and directors | $90,360 | +4.0% | 12,100 | Bachelor's degree |
| Occupational health and safety specialists | $90,150 | +18.5% | 17,100 | Bachelor's degree |
| Operations research analysts | $88,940 | +11.9% | 7,500 | Bachelor's degree |
| Accountants and auditors | $83,680 | +5.0% | 115,300 | Bachelor's degree |
| Logisticians | $82,320 | +17.6% | 26,600 | Bachelor's degree |
| Environmental scientists and specialists, including health | $82,220 | +6.1% | 7,300 | Bachelor's degree |
| Insurance underwriters | $81,370 | -3.8% | 6,800 | Bachelor's degree |
| Compliance officers | $80,730 | +3.8% | 32,700 | Bachelor's degree |
| Social and community service managers | $80,390 | +7.2% | 18,500 | Bachelor's degree |
| Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling | $79,520 | +6.0% | 5,100 | Bachelor's degree |
| Market research analysts and marketing specialists | $78,760 | +7.0% | 82,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| Cost estimators | $78,740 | -3.1% | 17,600 | Bachelor's degree |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents | $78,660 | +1.4% | 35,100 | Bachelor's degree |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists | $78,210 | +6.0% | 9,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| Editors | $77,920 | -1.1% | 7,900 | Bachelor's degree |
| Buyers and purchasing agents | $77,710 | +6.0% | 47,200 | Bachelor's degree |
| Writers and authors | $76,910 | -0.3% | 11,900 | Bachelor's degree |
| Loan officers | $76,690 | +1.1% | 17,100 | Bachelor's degree |
| Dietitians and nutritionists | $76,400 | +7.7% | 5,700 | Bachelor's degree |
| Human resources specialists | $75,940 | +6.4% | 73,700 | Bachelor's degree |
| Public relations specialists | $74,750 | +1.8% | 23,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| Special education teachers, secondary school | $74,260 | -0.2% | 10,400 | Bachelor's degree |
| Fundraisers | $72,550 | +5.5% | 10,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education | $72,040 | -0.2% | 63,500 | Bachelor's degree |
| Training and development specialists | $69,280 | +10.8% | 46,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| Property appraisers and assessors | $67,960 | +3.5% | 5,200 | Bachelor's degree |
| Interior designers | $67,190 | +2.7% | 7,700 | Bachelor's degree |
| Special education teachers, middle school | $66,810 | -0.4% | 6,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists | $66,270 | +3.0% | 7,900 | Bachelor's degree |
| Career/technical education teachers, secondary school | $66,270 | -0.4% | 6,400 | Bachelor's degree |
| Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school | $65,120 | -0.4% | 16,400 | Bachelor's degree |
| Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education | $64,370 | -0.4% | 38,800 | Bachelor's degree |
| Health education specialists | $64,070 | +5.6% | 6,900 | Bachelor's degree |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education | $63,970 | -0.4% | 87,500 | Bachelor's degree |
| Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary | $63,820 | -0.3% | 8,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| Graphic designers | $62,960 | -1.7% | 16,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians | $62,930 | +2.7% | 20,800 | Bachelor's degree |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education | $62,680 | -0.3% | 11,900 | Bachelor's degree |
| Meeting, convention, and event planners | $61,160 | +5.8% | 16,800 | Bachelor's degree |
| Interpreters and translators | $60,170 | +2.0% | 6,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| Child, family, and school social workers | $59,550 | +4.4% | 33,900 | Bachelor's degree |
| Education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare | $59,300 | -3.1% | 5,200 | Bachelor's degree |
| Biological technicians | $57,510 | +7.4% | 9,400 | Bachelor's degree |
| Coaches and scouts | $47,320 | +6.1% | 36,400 | Bachelor's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, Table 1.2 Occupational projections, 2025–35, and worker characteristics, 2025 ↗. Employment is for 2025, projections to 2035; median annual wage is for 2025; openings are the projected annual average for 2025–35. Figures are national, not local. Data last downloaded Oct 16, 2026.