Careers that need a graduate degree
23 occupations where BLS lists the typical entry education as a master's, doctoral or professional degree, sorted by median pay.
Updated
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawyers | $159,670 | +4.7% | 28,700 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Pharmacists | $140,910 | +5.2% | 12,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Physician assistants | $135,880 | +21.1% | 11,500 | Master's degree |
| Nurse practitioners | $132,300 | +41.0% | 29,400 | Master's degree |
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | $107,310 | +17.9% | 24,900 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary | $105,870 | -0.3% | 20,600 | Master's degree |
| Education administrators, postsecondary | $104,590 | +1.8% | 14,500 | Master's degree |
| Medical scientists, except epidemiologists | $103,410 | +12.6% | 10,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Physical therapists | $102,760 | +11.9% | 13,400 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Occupational therapists | $100,330 | +14.8% | 10,000 | Master's degree |
| Business teachers, postsecondary | $99,080 | +5.9% | 7,600 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Speech-language pathologists | $97,870 | +16.6% | 12,500 | Master's degree |
| Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary | $80,250 | +17.1% | 8,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary | $78,620 | +2.2% | 8,000 | Master's degree |
| Instructional coordinators | $77,440 | +1.6% | 23,100 | Master's degree |
| Education teachers, postsecondary | $75,350 | +2.5% | 5,300 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Librarians and media collections specialists | $68,270 | +2.6% | 12,600 | Master's degree |
| Healthcare social workers | $67,880 | +8.5% | 16,900 | Master's degree |
| Marriage and family therapists | $66,940 | +13.5% | 6,900 | Master's degree |
| Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors | $64,330 | +2.9% | 27,800 | Master's degree |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | $60,280 | +10.3% | 12,500 | Master's degree |
| Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors | $59,350 | +18.4% | 50,500 | Master's degree |
| Rehabilitation counselors | $46,850 | +2.2% | 8,200 | Master'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.