12 High-Paying Careers That Only Require a Bachelor’s Degree (2022)
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College is not cheap. As a result, you have two goals:
Spend as little time as possible getting your education
Pick a major with a high post-grad salary so you can pay off those student loans ASAP
I get it. That’s why I’ve put together the top 12 highest-paying jobs that only require a bachelor’s degree, along with recommended majors for each as well as relevant subjects to master. And guess what?? You don’t have to be a STEM genius to MAKE BANK (although you will have more options if you are). Below you’ll find the median salary for each career according to US News, along with the projected jobs expected to open from 2020-2030 in each field. Plus… check out number 12 to see which career I’m pursuing. It’s the #3 best technology career according to US News!
1) IT Manager
Median Salary: $151,150
Projected Jobs: 52,700
Information Technology Managers, also known as Computer and Information Systems Managers, are in charge of meeting the growing technology needs of the companies they work for. IT Managers work with executives to define and execute the company’s short and long-term technology goals. In addition, they usually install and upgrade the computer systems to prevent cyber attacks. IT Managers have the technical knowledge to perform the duties of many of the employees they manage, but are more often involved in decision making rather than coding. Although only a bachelor’s degree is required to obtain this position, IT Managers usually have around 5-10 years of work experience. Since technology and cybersecurity systems are always upgrading, and data bandwidth needs continue to grow, IT Managers will be in great demand during the years to come.
Recommended Majors:
Computer Science
Information Science
Key Subjects:
Computer Programming
Software Development
Mathematics
2) Marketing Manager
Median Salary: $151,150
Projected Jobs: 52,700
Do you have a passion for business and marketing? Marketing Managers are employed in many sectors and by many types of institutions, including private companies, tourism organizations, and higher ed. Their main responsibility is to plan and execute marketing campaigns to create awareness and generate revenue for the institution they work for. They also manage a marketing team, work with other departments to craft the marketing plan, and evaluate the success of marketing campaigns. This position may take 5-10 years to achieve, but the best way to fast-track your progress is to gain as much hands-on marketing experience as possible. A proven track record of successful campaigns is the best way to land your marketing dream job, so make sure to secure internships during college and play an important role in interesting projects throughout your career.
Recommended Majors:
Marketing
Journalism
Communications
Advertising
Key Subjects:
Digital Advertising
Social Media Advertising
Current Events
Pop Culture
3) Petroleum Engineer
Median Salary: $137,330
Projected Jobs: 2,200
Petroleum Engineers design equipment to extract oil from reservoirs containing gas and crude oil. Most of their time is spent gathering data and building models to construct the safest and most cost-effective ways to extract the oil. In addition, Petroleum Engineers spend time evaluating systems to improve them, much like an Industrial Engineer. Working in this field requires problem-solving skills, scientific curiosity, and technical knowledge, and it’s one of the best-paying jobs for recent grads!
Recommended Majors:
Petroleum Engineering
Key Subjects:
Internship Experience
Earth Science
Data Management
4) Financial Manager
Median Salary: $134,180
Projected Jobs: 118,200
Are you a person with keen attention to detail and great communication skills? If so, you may want to look into the possibility of becoming a Financial Manager. As the name suggests, Financial Managers oversee the finances of large corporations to small agencies. They keep track of accounting, provide financial reports, calculate profit projections, and stay up to date with state and federal laws and regulations. They also must have stellar communication skills, since they must explain financial reports to members of their organization from other departments. The field of finance management is highly competitive, but is expected to experience high job growth over the coming decade.
Recommended Major:
Finance
Accounting
Economics
Business Administration
Key Subjects:
(Same topics as above)
5) Sales Manager
Median Salary: $132,290
Projected Jobs: 27,900
Unlike the Marketing Manager, the Sales Manager directly oversees the distribution of the company’s product to the customer. They work closely with the marketing team and manage the sales team, setting quotas incentivizing team members to meet short and long-term sales targets. Successful Sales Managers must master the arenas of both brick-and-mortar stores and online shopping experiences as the shopping space evolves. Sales Managers are also heavily involved in the recruiting and hiring process.
Recommended Majors:
Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing
Key Subjects:
Business Law
Economics
Management
Accounting
Mathematics
Finance
Statistics
6) Pilot
Median Salary: $130,440
Projected Jobs: 14,700
Enjoy flying? Pilots are generally grouped into two categories: commercial and airline. Airline pilots work on a predetermined schedule, transporting cargo and passengers to their destinations. On the other hand, commercial pilots often fly for companies, wealthy people, and may even be involved in pesticide application as well as aerial tours, and flights are often not scheduled beforehand. The duties of a pilot include verifying that proper maintenance has been performed on the plane, weather conditions are favorable, and that the aircraft is correctly balanced with cargo and passengers.
Recommended Majors:
Aviation
Aviation Technology
Aerospace Engineering
Key Subjects:
Mechanics
Mathematics
Customer Service
3D Modeling
7) Actuary
Median Salary: $111,030
Projected Jobs: 6,800
Actuarial Science is a field that involves math, financial theory, and statistics to minimize financial risk. Actuaries spend much of their time evaluating what factors increase risk, as well as methods for reducing risk. They also find ways to decrease the impact of unwanted events. Actuaries are especially useful to insurance companies, and the career offers a dynamic and challenging work environment. Paths to pursue include the health, life, and casualty insurance fields.
Recommended Majors:
Mathematics
Statistics
Actuarial Science
Key Subjects:
Risk Probability Modeling
Mathematics
Statistics
Financial Theory
8) Software Developer
Median Salary: $110,140
Projected Jobs: 409,500
Software is an increasingly vital and common technology we come in contact with every day, so it’s no wonder that Software Development is a growing and high-paying field. If you’re very analytical and enjoy problem solving, software development may be for you. Software Developers have a range of responsibilities. They may work with a client to assess their needs and build new software from scratch, or they could be in charge of maintaining and improving existing software. In addition, Software Developers often have to spend long hours debugging code. For some, their primary job is to find a way to break the code by discovering unwanted loopholes! The world of software development surely involves long hours of coding individually, but collaboration is also key to producing a great finished product!
Recommended Majors:
Computer Science
Key Subjects:
Hands-on experience is most important
Employers value coding expertise and interesting technical accomplishments
Related: “How to Make a College List (In 7 Steps)”
9) Medical & Health Services Manager
Median Salary: $104,280
Projected Jobs: 139,600
Medical and Health Services Managers are a key part of helping hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care facilities run efficiently. These professionals are extremely organized and detail-oriented. They must have great communication skills, since much of their work involves communicating with doctors and insurance representatives. In addition, expect to maintain your technical skills, since Medical and Health Services Managers have to adapt with changing software for electronic health records. This career is expected to continue to grow quickly over the coming years because of the needs of the aging boomer population.
Recommended Majors:
Health Administration
Recommended, not required: Medical Manager Certificate through PAHCOM
Key Subjects:
Health Administration
Medical Facility Management
Business Administration
Public Health
10) Business Operations Manager
Median Salary: $103,650
Projected Jobs: 226,300
Business Operations Managers are vital to the operations of many large companies. They perform tasks such as hiring, negotiating contracts, working with departments to plan and manage projects, reviewing the budget, and adapting company procedures as new issues arise. Business Operations Managers are an important part of promoting efficiency within companies to maintain communication between departments and improve systems.
Recommended Majors:
Business Administration
Key Subjects:
Supply Chain Operations
Communication
Logistics
Inventory Management
11) Information Security Analyst
Median Salary: $103,590
Projected Jobs: 47,100
Information Security Analysts are responsible for protecting computer systems from cyber attacks by identifying risks and weaknesses in company network systems. Since most sensitive information is stored online, Information Security Analysts are vital in order to protect against data breaches and increased cybersecurity risks. These professionals may also develop best practices and common standards for security to discover vulnerable areas in systems as well as protocol for dealing with network breaches. It’s important to note that this job was rated #1 in Best Jobs by USNews for factors such as salary, job market, future growth, stress level, and work life balance.
Recommended Majors:
Computer and Information Technology
Information Systems
Key Subjects:
Business Systems
Information Technology
Engineering
Math
Related: “Well-Rounded or Angular Applicants…Which Is Better?”
12) Data Scientist
Median Salary: $98,230
Projected Jobs: 19,800
Data science is a relatively new and growing field, and it’s the career that I’ve chosen to pursue! Data Scientists have a range of responsibilities and skills, but their main goal is to answer a research question using data. Data Scientists must master coding skills as well as analytical skills to find answers within datasets that can sometimes be millions of records long! Data Scientists must also have effective communication skills to be able to efficiently communicate research findings to clients and stakeholders. Collaboration is also a big part of the job as well! Although a lot of the coding and data analytics happens individually, Data Scientists often spend a lot of time collaborating on a project with other professionals from diverse fields, so interdisciplinary communication skills are a must. If you’re highly analytical, a scientist at heart, and you love sharing discoveries with others, data science may be for you!
Recommended Majors:
Data Science
Statistics
Engineering
Mathematics
Key Subjects:
Programming (R, Python, SQL, etc)
Applied Statistics
Computational Analysis
Scientific Communication
Related: “How to Write an Impactful College Application Essay”
A vital part of forming an education strategy that wreaks minimal havoc on your bank account is picking a major that will be lucrative in the long run. You probably have many interests, but keep in mind that you are not bound to pursue one career for the rest of your life. However, the key is to follow a career path that both interests you and pays handsomely. Then, years down the road, you will have the financial flexibility to break free from student debt, start your own business, change careers, travel, you name it!
For more information on how to graduate without debt, sign up for my free workshop below!
