Highest paying jobs in Albany and NYC that require a graduate degree

Written by Stacker

Those with graduate degrees earn more on average than those without them—but not all jobs are equal. And while rising tuition costs are enough to turn people away from the prospect of a master’s or doctoral degree, many high-paying professions still require such degrees to get in the door. Stacker compiled a list of the highest- paying jobs that require a graduate degree in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2020 annual mean wage.

The best way to guarantee a high return on investment in a graduate degree is to be aware of professions that pay top-dollar for that added educational investment. Keep reading to see where a graduate degree is required—and can earn you the most.

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#50. Curators

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $75,070 (#9 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,650 (11,750 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA ($83,960)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($81,000)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($79,340)

Job description: Administer collections, such as artwork, collectibles, historic items, or scientific specimens of museums or other institutions. May conduct instructional, research, or public service activities of institution.

#49. Occupational therapists

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $75,130 (#280 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 500

National
- Annual mean salary: $87,480 (126,610 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- The Villages, FL ($115,920)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($115,060)
--- Modesto, CA ($112,870)

Job description: Assess, plan, and organize rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental delays. Use therapeutic techniques, adapt the individual's environment, teach skills, and modify specific tasks that present barriers to the individual.

#48. Sociology teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $75,220 (#41 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 160

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $113,820 (#4 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 1,570

National
- Annual mean salary: $85,180 (13,420 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($130,150)
--- Providence-Warwick, RI-MA ($123,960)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($117,690)

Job description: Teach courses in sociology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#47. Instructional coordinators

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $75,470 (#58 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 1,290

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,160 (174,900 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New Haven, CT ($111,440)
--- Warner Robins, GA ($110,800)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($104,000)

Job description: Develop instructional material, coordinate educational content, and incorporate current technology into instruction in order to provide guidelines to educators and instructors for developing curricula and conducting courses. May train and coach teachers. Includes educational consultants and specialists, and instructional material directors.

#46. Physical therapists

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $78,820 (#347 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 720

National
- Annual mean salary: $91,680 (220,870 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- El Centro, CA ($143,500)
--- Modesto, CA ($123,370)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($119,510)

Job description: Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.

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#45. Communications teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $80,150 (#28 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $80,940 (28,430 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($143,510)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($127,650)
--- Fresno, CA ($122,590)

Job description: Teach courses in communications, such as organizational communications, public relations, radio/television broadcasting, and journalism. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#44. Statisticians

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $81,700 (#60 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 100

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $112,100 (#9 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 1,720

National
- Annual mean salary: $97,170 (38,860 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($127,080)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($120,850)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($118,900)

Job description: Develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information. May specialize in fields such as biostatistics, agricultural statistics, business statistics, or economic statistics. Includes mathematical and survey statisticians.

#43. History teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $83,770 (#37 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $85,630 (20,450 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($146,320)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($141,390)
--- Rochester, NY ($128,550)

Job description: Teach courses in human history and historiography. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#42. Education teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $83,940 (#20 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 250

National
- Annual mean salary: $75,010 (57,560 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($104,950)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($103,700)
--- Stockton-Lodi, CA ($100,980)

Job description: Teach courses pertaining to education, such as counseling, curriculum, guidance, instruction, teacher education, and teaching English as a second language. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#41. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $84,950 (#22 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 310

National
- Annual mean salary: $81,340 (64,800 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($141,420)
--- Fresno, CA ($130,580)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($121,510)

Job description: Teach courses in English language and literature, including linguistics and comparative literature. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

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#40. Economists

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $85,280 (#41 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 60

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $153,610 (#1 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 820

National
- Annual mean salary: $120,880 (17,520 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($153,610)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($148,980)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($142,580)

Job description: Conduct research, prepare reports, or formulate plans to address economic problems related to the production and distribution of goods and services or monetary and fiscal policy. May collect and process economic and statistical data using sampling techniques and econometric methods.

#39. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $86,870 (#39 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 180

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $114,960 (#7 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 4,050

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,760 (49,550 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($147,770)
--- Fresno, CA ($129,330)
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($126,580)

Job description: Teach courses pertaining to mathematical concepts, statistics, and actuarial science and to the application of original and standardized mathematical techniques in solving specific problems and situations. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#38. Business teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $88,100 (#78 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 430

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $125,130 (#21 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 7,760

National
- Annual mean salary: $107,270 (79,810 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($174,050)
--- College Station-Bryan, TX ($172,650)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($149,740)

Job description: Teach courses in business administration and management, such as accounting, finance, human resources, labor and industrial relations, marketing, and operations research. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#37. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $89,910 (#25 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $90,160 (22,900 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($140,300)
--- Providence-Warwick, RI-MA ($119,520)
--- Charlottesville, VA ($112,640)

Job description: Teach courses in philosophy, religion, and theology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#36. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $90,490 (#71 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 570

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $116,610 (#20 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 8,920

National
- Annual mean salary: $101,800 (126,110 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($143,800)
--- New Haven, CT ($142,330)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($136,230)

Job description: Conduct research dealing with the understanding of human diseases and the improvement of human health. Engage in clinical investigation, research and development, or other related activities.

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#35. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $91,140 (#15 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $80,410 (22,790 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($129,500)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($122,220)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($118,390)

Job description: Teach languages and literature courses in languages other than English. Includes teachers of American Sign Language (ASL). Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#34. Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $91,320 (#69 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 440

National
- Annual mean salary: $89,290 (111,320 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($138,550)
--- Jefferson City, MO ($133,640)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($125,020)

Job description: Assess, diagnose, and treat mental and emotional disorders of individuals through observation, interview, and psychological tests. Help individuals with distress or maladjustment understand their problems through their knowledge of case history, interviews with patients, and theory. Provide individual or group counseling services to assist individuals in achieving more effective personal, social, educational, and vocational development and adjustment. May design behavior modification programs and consult with medical personnel regarding the best treatment for patients.

#33. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $91,330 (#33 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 160

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $112,410 (#7 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 2,090

National
- Annual mean salary: $94,630 (21,530 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($140,380)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($136,630)
--- College Station-Bryan, TX ($136,080)

Job description: Teach courses pertaining to the chemical and physical properties and compositional changes of substances. Work may include providing instruction in the methods of qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching, and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#32. Computer science teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $91,750 (#42 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 200

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $115,040 (#14 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 2,910

National
- Annual mean salary: $98,680 (32,230 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($153,430)
--- College Station-Bryan, TX ($150,480)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($143,650)

Job description: Teach courses in computer science. May specialize in a field of computer science, such as the design and function of computers or operations and research analysis. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#31. Psychology teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $92,660 (#28 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 220

National
- Annual mean salary: $89,960 (36,520 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($199,070)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($131,290)
--- Fresno, CA ($129,550)

Job description: Teach courses in psychology, such as child, clinical, and developmental psychology, and psychological counseling. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

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#30. Anthropology and archeology teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $94,210 (#14 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 60

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $127,900 (#2 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 630

National
- Annual mean salary: $98,740 (5,590 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($133,450)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($127,900)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($109,560)

Job description: Teach courses in anthropology or archeology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#29. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $95,860 (#14 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 460

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $110,910 (#8 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 9,410

National
- Annual mean salary: $84,780 (91,170 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($122,920)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($115,740)
--- Rochester, NY ($115,080)

Job description: Teach courses in drama, music, and the arts including fine and applied art, such as painting and sculpture, or design and crafts. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#28. Environmental science teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $97,100 (#10 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 40

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $113,930 (#4 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 420

National
- Annual mean salary: $94,520 (5,860 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($150,620)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($125,850)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($124,540)

Job description: Teach courses in environmental science. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#27. Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $97,280 (#7 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 80

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $115,670 (#4 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 1,290

National
- Annual mean salary: $88,790 (9,960 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($143,090)
--- Rochester, NY ($133,150)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($121,010)

Job description: Teach courses pertaining to the culture and development of an area, an ethnic group, or any other group, such as Latin American studies, women's studies, or urban affairs. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#26. Social work teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $97,490 (#3 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $78,110 (13,580 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($110,520)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($104,020)
--- Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY ($97,490)

Job description: Teach courses in social work. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

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#25. Biological science teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $102,070 (#32 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 250

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $119,770 (#11 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 4,130

National
- Annual mean salary: $101,320 (51,500 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR ($195,730)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($161,980)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($147,290)

Job description: Teach courses in biological sciences. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#24. Physics teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $109,240 (#15 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 70

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $119,430 (#9 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 1,090

National
- Annual mean salary: $101,290 (13,670 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Rochester, NY ($160,370)
--- College Station-Bryan, TX ($148,480)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($141,180)

Job description: Teach courses pertaining to the laws of matter and energy. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#23. Nurse practitioners

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $110,370 (#187 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 560

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $131,370 (#43 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 11,440

National
- Annual mean salary: $114,510 (211,280 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($188,070)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($177,800)
--- Salinas, CA ($155,310)

Job description: Diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a healthcare team. May focus on health promotion and disease prevention. May order, perform, or interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and x rays. May prescribe medication. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.

#22. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $112,310 (#66 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 720

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $162,490 (#7 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $103,010 (262,480 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Modesto, CA ($154,970)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($146,070)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($145,590)

Job description: Plan, direct, or coordinate the academic, administrative, or auxiliary activities of kindergarten, elementary, or secondary schools.

#21. Lawyers

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $114,170 (#169 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 3,210

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $180,160 (#5 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 81,650

National
- Annual mean salary: $148,910 (658,120 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($231,610)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($201,920)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($186,070)

Job description: Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.

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#20. Physician assistants

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $115,680 (#130 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 760
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $131,370 (#43 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 11,440

National
- Annual mean salary: $116,080 (125,280 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($168,220)
--- Waterbury, CT ($165,230)
--- Portsmouth, NH-ME ($158,020)

Job description: Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Conduct complete physicals, provide treatment, and counsel patients. May, in some cases, prescribe medication. Must graduate from an accredited educational program for physician assistants.

#19. Computer and information research scientists

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $118,640 (#29 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 40
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $139,340 (#10 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 1,370

National
- Annual mean salary: $130,890 (30,220 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($170,890)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($163,330)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($150,090)

Job description: Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.

#18. Political science teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $119,700 (#7 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 120

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $129,420 (#4 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 1,390

National
- Annual mean salary: $100,970 (15,130 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($163,420)
--- Providence-Warwick, RI-MA ($144,260)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($129,530)

Job description: Teach courses in political science, international affairs, and international relations. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#17. Pharmacists

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $120,310 (#274 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 930
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $123,290 (#229 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 20,360

National
- Annual mean salary: $125,460 (315,470 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Madera, CA ($165,350)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($162,540)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($161,120)

Job description: Dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. May advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosage, interactions, and side effects of medications.

#16. Veterinarians

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $121,740 (#37 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 280

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $127,400 (#26 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 2,980

National
- Annual mean salary: $108,350 (73,710 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($169,220)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($150,370)
--- Akron, OH ($150,330)

Job description: Diagnose, treat, or research diseases and injuries of animals. Includes veterinarians who conduct research and development, inspect livestock, or care for pets and companion animals.

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#15. Economics teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $123,520 (#22 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 100

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $136,580 (#12 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 1,710

National
- Annual mean salary: $123,720 (13,080 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Providence-Warwick, RI-MA ($180,450)
--- Rochester, NY ($175,010)
--- Pittsburgh, PA ($171,450)

Job description: Teach courses in economics. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#14. Optometrists

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $131,530 (#54 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 50

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $138,000 (#40 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 1,660

National
- Annual mean salary: $125,440 (36,690 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Columbia, SC ($228,340)
--- New Haven, CT ($186,950)
--- Evansville, IN-KY ($182,980)

Job description: Diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system. Examine eyes and visual system, diagnose problems or impairments, prescribe corrective lenses, and provide treatment. May prescribe therapeutic drugs to treat specific eye conditions.

#13. Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $132,160 (#5 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 270

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $124,300 (#8 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 1,370

National
- Annual mean salary: $104,710 (11,750 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($147,900)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($138,440)
--- College Station-Bryan, TX ($135,290)

Job description: Teach courses in the physical sciences, except chemistry and physics. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching, and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

#12. Physicists

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $149,410 (#8 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: data not available

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $159,290 (#3 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 1,050

National
- Annual mean salary: $137,700 (16,160 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($170,690)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($164,420)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($159,290)

Job description: Conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories.

#11. Education administrators, postsecondary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $150,190 (#9 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 480

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $146,070 (#2 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 21,130

National
- Annual mean salary: $115,200 (140,880 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ithaca, NY ($205,810)
--- Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC ($178,210)
--- Charlottesville, VA ($176,040)

Job description: Plan, direct, or coordinate student instruction, administration, and services, as well as other research and educational activities, at postsecondary institutions, including universities, colleges, and junior and community colleges.

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#10. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $151,690 (#28 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 210

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $160,620 (#13 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 1,610

National
- Annual mean salary: $131,850 (28,550 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($211,940)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($210,160)
--- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL ($185,950)

Job description: Arbitrate, advise, adjudicate, or administer justice in a court of law. May sentence defendant in criminal cases according to government statutes or sentencing guidelines. May determine liability of defendant in civil cases. May perform wedding ceremonies.

#9. Podiatrists

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $159,400 (#16 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 30

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $172,400 (#13 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 1,040

National
- Annual mean salary: $151,110 (9,710 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA ($229,330)
--- Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC ($226,260)
--- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC ($221,380)

Job description: Diagnose and treat diseases and deformities of the human foot.

#8. Pediatricians, general

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $180,850 (#40 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 60

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $172,640 (#6 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $184,570 (27,550 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($280,860)
--- State College, PA ($275,730)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($275,610)

Job description: Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and injuries in children. May refer patients to specialists for further diagnosis or treatment, as needed.

#7. Dentists, general

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $216,280 (#53 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 150

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $162,490 (#7 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $180,830 (95,920 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Dover-Durham, NH-ME ($286,540)
--- North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL ($278,790)
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($278,390)

Job description: Examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums. May treat diseases of nerve, pulp, and other dental tissues affecting oral hygiene and retention of teeth. May fit dental appliances or provide preventive care.

#6. Obstetricians and gynecologists

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $218,000 (#41 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 70

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $222,410 (#38 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 2,080

National
- Annual mean salary: $239,120 (18,900 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI ($294,450)
--- Tulsa, OK ($294,400)
--- Albuquerque, NM ($292,740)

Job description: Provide medical care related to pregnancy or childbirth. Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases of women, particularly those affecting the reproductive system. May also provide general care to women. May perform both medical and gynecological surgery functions.

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#5. Family medicine physicians

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $223,080 (#128 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 180

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $207,450 (#166 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 3,980

National
- Annual mean salary: $214,370 (98,590 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA ($309,800)
--- Napa, CA ($302,040)
--- Gadsden, AL ($292,110)

Job description: Diagnose, treat, and provide preventive care to individuals and families across the lifespan. May refer patients to specialists when needed for further diagnosis or treatment.

#4. Nurse anesthetists

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $228,750 (#6 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 180

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $218,380 (#12 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 1,660

National
- Annual mean salary: $189,190 (41,960 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Duluth, MN-WI ($271,940)
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($262,890)
--- Green Bay, WI ($239,140)

Job description: Administer anesthesia, monitor patient's vital signs, and oversee patient recovery from anesthesia. May assist anesthesiologists, surgeons, other physicians, or dentists. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.

#3. Psychiatrists

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $260,860 (#19 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 110

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $180,160 (#5 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 81,650

National
- Annual mean salary: $217,100 (25,540 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($297,710)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($289,580)
--- Kansas City, MO-KS ($287,220)

Job description: Diagnose, treat, and help prevent mental disorders.

#2. General internal medicine physicians

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $266,190 (#20 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: data not available

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $162,490 (#7 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $210,960 (50,600 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Rochester, MN ($315,830)
--- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC ($314,080)
--- Wichita Falls, TX ($311,260)

Job description: Diagnose and provide nonsurgical treatment for a wide range of diseases and injuries of internal organ systems. Provide care mainly for adults and adolescents, and are based primarily in an outpatient care setting.

#1. Surgeons, except ophthalmologists

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Annual mean salary: $277,610 (#24 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 120

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $214,810 (#69 highest pay among all metros)
- Employment: 2,970

National
- Annual mean salary: $251,650 (37,900 employed)
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sioux City, IA-NE-SD ($305,480)
--- Akron, OH ($297,710)
--- Lincoln, NE ($296,150)

Job description: Diagnose and perform surgery to treat and prevent rheumatic and other diseases in the musculoskeletal system.

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