What Jobs Require a College Degree? Roles with Strong Salaries across Industries

Many high-paying careers across healthcare, education, business, construction, and technology require a specialized college degree. This article presents key roles, average salaries, and the academic paths required to enter these professions.

By Brad Nakase, Attorney

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Introduction

There are many different businesses with a wide range of jobs that call for a college degree. The majority seek a bachelor’s or master’s degree, while some positions can call for an associate’s degree. We have put up a list of positions from different sectors that provide a variety of experiences and excellent pay.

When exploring career paths, a common question people ask is: “What jobs require a college degree?” In this post, we describe each position and arrange the positions by pay using the Salaries data.

What jobs require a college degree in the healthcare sector?

There is a lot of accountability in the healthcare industry, but there is also a lot of expertise and specialty areas available. These five positions, which span the healthcare industry, all call for a degree.

  1. Manager: Medical Services

The national average salary is $75984 a year.

A medical services manager, often known as a hospital administrator, is in charge of many different health and medical facilities, including managing employees and establishing departmental objectives. They might be in charge of particular divisions and medical facilities, such as assisted living facilities. Managers oversee employees and establish objectives to enhance healthcare & services.

A bachelor’s degree in either health management or health administration is required.

  1. Registered Nurse

The national average salary is $70822 a year.

Main responsibilities: In order to assess symptoms or identify problems, registered nurses perform initial assessments and supervise the care of each patient. They oversee the execution of plans and create and carry out nursing strategies for the staff. Registered nurses work with physicians & family and streamline the work of other medical specialists to ensure that patients receive safe and complete care/treatment.

A Bachelor’s degree or a Nursing master’s degree is the educational requirement.

  1. Physiotherapist

The national average salary is $85831 per year.

Physical therapists assist individuals in recovering after an injury or surgery. They help in restoring the movement, avoid future injury, and work together with the patient a lot in the design and follow the therapeutic regimen.

D.P.T., or Doctor of Physical Therapy, is the academic requirement.

  1. Speech pathologist

The national average salary is $82922 per year.

Speech pathologists offer their help to patients who are recovering after being attacked by a stroke or other problems that can damage the speech or the swallowing process. Speech pathologists identify the speech problems and offer treatment plans. They might help a patient learn how to sound out letters or words or employ muscle-building methods.

A bachelor’s degree in speech pathology, education, psychology, communication sciences, or literature is required.

  1. Nuclear Engineer

The national average salary is $93838 a year.

Nuclear engineers build innovative cancer treatment technologies, like proton therapy. In order to identify the best applications for radioactive material in treatment or medicine, nuclear engineers research its qualities and applications.

A Nuclear engineering bachelor’s degree is the educational requirement.

What jobs require a college degree in the education sector?

It might seem reasonable to require a particular level of education in order to work in the field of education. These are five positions in education that require a college degree, ranging from administration to teaching.

  1. School counselor

The average salary in the United States is $55573 a year.

Counselors in schools work in liaison with teachers and other school administrators in order to act upon the academic and social concerns of the students. A school counselor can administer tests of aptitude and personality in order to identify the interests of a student. In addition to offering academic advice, counselors assist students in establishing both short- and long-term objectives.

A Bachelor’s degree in the liberal arts, teaching, or psychology is needed.

  1. Teacher

The national mean salary is $45468 a year.

Main responsibilities: To promote education and learning, teachers collaborate with families and students. To support the concepts of learning, they produce lesson plans, exams, quizzes, and essays. In addition to that, they support students in setting objectives and adjusting to expectations. In order to promote kids’ learning and development, teachers frequently collaborate closely with families, administrators, and students.

A Bachelor’s degree in the field taught, such as science, history, etc., is the educational requirement.

  1. Tutoring English to individuals of other languages

The average salary (US) is $45711 a year.

Teachers specializing in English as a second language (ESL) have learners who are studying the language in the country or overseas. They may work in language schools or private institutes or government schools, or as tutors.

A bachelor’s degree in teaching English as a foreign language, English, writing, or education is required.

  1. Director of Education

The national average salary is $64285 a year.

The education director’s main responsibilities include hiring instructors and enforcing school rules, among other education directives. Education directors oversee the implementation of the curriculum and instructional strategies. They could be employed by governmental or private educational institutions.

Academic prerequisites: Business administration or education bachelor’s degrees (certain jobs may require a license)

  1. Social worker in schools

The average salary (USA) is $58939 a year.

School social workers help the struggling learners and their families who are victims of abuse, addiction, or accidents. They assess students and provide counseling programs or therapies. School counselors offer guidance and assistance to families during the academic year.

A Social work bachelor’s degree is required.

What jobs require a college degree in the business industry?

For someone who is focused on their job, studying business for their degree can be a wise choice. Five lucrative business jobs that call for a college degree are listed below.

  1. Manager of Finance

$102,857 annually is the average pay nationwide.

Main responsibilities: The responsibility of overseeing a company’s budget in order to optimize profits and minimize losses falls on finance managers. They provide cost-cutting strategies or provide suggestions for budget enhancements. Monthly and quarterly reports are filed by finance managers, who also keep an eye on operations for delays or order modifications.

A bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, accounting, or economics is the prerequisite.

  1. Manager of marketing

The average pay nationwide is $70,297 annually.

Marketing strategies formulated by marketing managers have definite goals of the business, like expansion, launching a new product or service, or any combination thereof. They have the duty of carrying out the marketing strategy and also collaborating with groups in achieving deadlines or milestones. Regular reports that outline objectives, progress, and results, when applicable, are filed by marketing managers.

The requirement is a bachelor’s degree in marketing or a closely related field.

  1. Manager of Sales

The average pay nationwide is $81,041 annually.

The manager of sales is in charge of recruiting and educating sales staff. To create strategies that enhance the customer experience during sales, they assess the wants and needs of the client. Regular reports are filed by sales managers, who also inform higher management of sales objectives and enhancements.

The academic prerequisite is a bachelor’s degree in marketing, accounting, finance, or statistics.

  1. Economist

The average pay nationwide is $111,940 annually.

Economists’ main responsibilities are to examine data and assess manufacturing or distribution trends. To create an economic outlook for the future, economists use historical data. They forecast the state of the economy or publish reports on it using statistical methods, software, and mathematical models.

A bachelor’s degree in marketing, public administration, business management, finance, real estate, or economic development is needed.

  1. CEO

$136,754 annually is the average pay nationwide.

Main responsibilities: The chief executive officer is in charge of managing and budgeting for the majority of the company. CEOs manage marketing, sales, and finances and make changes to the business to make it better. While some CEOs have a more comprehensive role, others manage daily operations.

A business administration bachelor’s or master’s degree or a similar discipline is generally required.

What jobs require a college degree in the design and construction industry?

Architecture and engineering are examples of this area, and success in these fields usually requires a strong educational background. There are many different jobs in building & design, but here are five that call for a degree.

  1. Industrial Engineer

The average annual wage nationwide is $80,816.

Industrial engineers evaluate equipment and create safe and effective procedures. They assist in establishing security and monitoring standards and test gear for quality assurance. Industrial engineers contribute to the financial planning of new or current structures and offer suggestions for labor or cost savings.

Educational prerequisites: a bachelor’s degree in information engineering, engineering management, civil engineering, agricultural engineering, or industrial engineering.

  1. Architectural Engineer

The national average wage is $79,724 annually.

Architectural engineers work with architects, as well as other members of the team, to meet building specifications or rules, or laws. To develop project plans, they examine schematics and drawings. To ensure that safety and code requirements are being followed, architectural engineers keep an eye on the building process of construction.

A Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or architecture is the requirement.

  1. Construction Manager

The average pay nationwide is $84,874 annually.

Construction managers oversee most of the activities undertaken by a project, starting from the beginning up to completion. To create a project plan and make sure safety and construction regulations are followed, they collaborate with designers & engineers. Construction managers collaborate with construction teams and accomplish timelines and specifications by meeting with clients.

A Bachelor’s degree in engineering, architecture, construction science, or construction management is the prerequisite.

  1. Electrical engineer

The average annual wage nationwide is $95,119.

The work of the electrical engineers is to control/manage the electrical system that is in operation in the building, as well as oversee the design process of the system. In order to support these components through routine maintenance inspections and repair orders, they analyze schematics and blueprints to create a plan.

The students in electrical engineering usually take up a bachelor’s degree, which is approved by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

The national average wage is $89,424 annually.

  1. Mechanical Engineer

The average annual wage nationwide is $89,424

Main responsibilities: Designing, constructing, and testing mechanical and thermal devices is the responsibility of mechanical engineers. They create systems that either enhance existing systems or discover fresh, creative applications for mechanical and thermal systems. Prototypes can be designed and their production and utilization managed by mechanical engineers.

A Mechanical engineering bachelor’s degree is required.

What jobs require a college degree in the technology industry?

Although trends are constantly changing, technology is a rapidly expanding area with plenty of potential for creativity and opportunity. See five college-degree-required technology occupations below, ranging from concept to execution.

  1. Designer of video games

The average annual wage nationwide is $76,887.

Main responsibilities: Usually, video game creators have firsthand knowledge of how video games operate. The goal of game designers is to enhance games or fix glitches. In fields like augmented reality, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence, they might be very strong.

A Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, or game design is required.

  1. Web developer

The average annual wage nationwide is $77,791.

The main job of web developers is to design, plan, and program websites. The senior developers consult with the designers, clients, and other computer experts to develop its usability and functionality. In order to make adjustments or enhancements, they continuously monitor websites and gather user input.

A bachelor’s degree in interactive media design or web design and development is required.

  1. Business analyst for information technology

$73,792 annually is the average pay nationwide.

Main responsibilities: To identify cost-effective plans for introducing new technologies or enhancing existing ones, IT business analysts usually collaborate with higher management. Data on consumer behavior is used by IT business analysts to inform decisions about emerging technology and how it will affect customer interactions and the corporate world.

A bachelor’s degree in information technology, software development, or computer science is required.

  1. Manager of Information Technology

The average pay nationwide is $96,607 annually.

IT managers provide guidance to IT technicians, conduct performance reviews, and make recommendations for professional growth. They oversee the execution of initiatives like updates and upgrades and schedule them.

A bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, or management information systems is required.

  1. Software developer

The average pay nationwide is $108,896 annually.

Through the discovery of faults or discrepancies in the systems available, software developers check the systems and correct them where necessary. They program in training manuals and other documentation, upgrades of the system, and increase its features. Software engineers work together with project managers with the aim of ensuring that the systems are operating as required and making adjustments where they are needed.

A bachelor’s degree in computer science or software engineering is required.

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