Earning top dollar typically requires more education than an undergraduate degree can provide. Doctors, lawyers, and professors need extra years of focused study for their chosen fields, but they’re not alone. Graduate degrees in fields like business, teaching, and public health build specialized knowledge that can fast-track a career—and one’s salary.
Many hiring managers view a master’s degree as the equivalent of two years of work experience, giving graduate degree holders a leg up. In 2024, master’s degree holders earned a weekly median of $1,840, a 19% premium over undergraduate degree holders. Doctorates earned $2,278, and professional degree holders earned $2,363.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Albany that require a graduate degree in Albany. This includes doctorates, master’s degrees, and professional degrees. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis…