Careers that need an advanced degree
Seven hundred and thirty-one careers where a graduate or doctoral credential is the standard entry path, careers where a master's, doctoral or professional credential is the standard entry path, including medicine, law, academic research and senior specialist roles. Each card below carries the typical preparation path, the salary range from entry to senior level, and a short read on what the work actually involves day to day. You are looking at page 13 of 15 for careers that need an advanced degree.
731 careers in Careers that need an advanced degree, page 13 of 15
Real Estate Developer / Property Developer
Bachelor's in Real Estate, Finance, Construction Management, or Architecture; MBA or MRED advantageous · $135,000
Conceives, finances, and manages real estate development projects from land acquisition through construction to sale or…
Real Estate Fund Manager / REIT Manager
Bachelor's in Finance or Real Estate; MBA or CFA strongly preferred · $165,000
Manages real estate investment funds or REITs, making acquisition and disposition decisions, overseeing portfolio…
Real Estate Portfolio Manager
Bachelor's in Finance or Real Estate; MBA or CFA preferred · $145,000
Manages a portfolio of real estate assets for institutional investors, pension funds, or family offices, optimizing…
Real Estate Private Equity Analyst
Bachelor's in Finance, Real Estate, or Economics; MBA or MRED strongly preferred · $95,000
Conducts investment analysis for real estate private equity firms, evaluating acquisition targets, building complex…
Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
Doctoral Degree · $75,890
Teach courses pertaining to recreation, leisure, and fitness studies, including exercise physiology and facilities…
Red Team Operator / Offensive Security Engineer
Bachelor's in Computer Science or Cybersecurity; OSCP, OSCE, CRTO certifications · $130,000
Conducts advanced adversary simulation exercises against enterprise environments, emulating real-world threat actors to…
Regional Director of Operations
Bachelor's Degree · $130,000
Oversee regional operational activities by leading strategic planning, managing budgets, optimizing processes, ensuring…
Regulatory Capital Analyst (Basel III/IV)
Bachelor's or Master's in Finance, Math, or Economics; FRM valued · $115,000
Calculates and reports regulatory capital requirements under Basel III/IV frameworks, managing RWA optimization,…
Research Engineer
Master's Degree · $110,000
Designs, develops, and optimizes experimental and computational systems to advance scientific knowledge and create…
Research Institute Director / CEO
PhD (postdoctoral experience expected) · $250,000
Leads a research institute or R&D organization, overseeing scientific programs, grant funding, researcher recruitment,…
Research Scientist (Aerospace)
Doctoral or Professional Degree · $130,000
Conducts fundamental and applied research in aerospace science and engineering. Designs, develops, and tests aerospace…
Research Scientist (Industry)
Doctoral or Professional Degree · $130,000
Conducts scientific research and experiments within a corporate setting, focusing on developing new products,…
Research Scientist (Nanotechnology)
Doctorate Degree · $120,000
Conducts advanced scientific research in the field of nanotechnology, designing and executing experiments, analyzing…
Restructuring / Turnaround Advisor
Bachelor's in Finance/Accounting; MBA or JD strongly preferred; CFA/CPA valued · $165,000
Advises financially distressed companies and their creditors on debt restructuring, bankruptcy proceedings, liability…
Sales Director
Bachelor's Degree · $150,000
Leads and manages a sales team to achieve revenue targets, develops sales strategies, and fosters client relationships…
SAP S/4HANA Migration Consultant
Bachelor's in IT, Business, or Engineering; SAP S/4HANA certification required · $145,000
Leads the technical and functional migration of legacy SAP ECC systems to SAP S/4HANA, managing data conversion, custom…
SAP Solution Architect
Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science, IT, or Engineering; multiple SAP certifications · $155,000
Designs enterprise-wide SAP solution architectures spanning multiple modules and integrations, ensuring technical…
School District Superintendent
Doctoral degree (EdD/PhD in Education Leadership) · $175,000
Leads a public school district, overseeing curriculum, budgets, personnel, facilities, and student outcomes while…
School Psychologists
Post-Master's Certificate · $86,930
Diagnose and implement individual or schoolwide interventions or strategies to address educational, behavioral, or…
Science / Health Journalist
Bachelor's in Journalism + Science background; Master's in Science Communication preferred · $62,000
Covers scientific research, medical breakthroughs, public health issues, and environmental science for general…
Science Editor
Master's Degree · $90,000
Edits scientific manuscripts and publications to ensure clarity, accuracy, and adherence to editorial standards. This…
Science Entrepreneur / Biotech Founder
Ph.D. in Science or Engineering; MBA helpful · $145,000
Translates scientific discoveries into commercial ventures, founding biotech or deeptech startups, raising venture…
Science Policy Advisor
Ph.D. in Science + Policy experience; Master's in Public Policy helpful · $95,000
Advises government officials, agencies, and organizations on science and technology policy, translating research…
SD-WAN / Network Architect
Bachelor's in IT or Computer Science; Cisco CCDE/CCIE, SASE vendor certifications · $135,000
Designs enterprise-wide network architectures including SD-WAN deployments, SASE frameworks, and hybrid cloud…
Search / Information Retrieval Engineer
Bachelor's degree (MS/PhD valued) · $185,000
Builds and optimizes search systems including indexing, ranking algorithms, query understanding, and relevance tuning…
Sector Specialist / Industry Coverage Analyst
Bachelor's in Finance/Economics; MBA preferred; deep industry experience · $155,000
Provides deep industry expertise within an investment bank, covering specific sectors such as technology, healthcare,…
Seismic / Earthquake Engineer
Master's degree (Structural/Earthquake Engineering; PhD valued) · $115,000
Specializes in designing structures to resist earthquake forces, performing seismic hazard analysis, dynamic structural…
Seismologist
Master's degree · $93,580
Seismologists are geoscientists who specialize in the study of earthquakes and seismic waves. They monitor and analyze…
Senior Data Scientist
Master's Degree · $145,000
Lead complex data science projects from problem framing through model deployment, mentoring junior scientists and…
Senior Equity Research Analyst
Bachelor's in Finance / Economics (MBA preferred) · $350,000
Leads equity research team, manages coverage universe, builds client relationships, and directs research strategy and…
Senior ESG Research Analyst
Master's Degree · $125,000
Conduct in-depth research and analysis of companies' environmental, social, and governance practices to produce…
Senior Pastor / Head Minister (Large Church / Megachurch)
Master of Divinity (MDiv) or equivalent · $120,000
Leads a large church or megachurch congregation, overseeing worship, pastoral care, preaching, staff management, campus…
Senior Research Scientist
Doctoral Degree · $130,000
Conducts advanced scientific research, designs experiments, analyzes complex data, and publishes findings to advance…
Senior Technical Program Manager
Bachelor's Degree · $160,000
Orchestrates complex technical projects from inception to delivery, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and…
Serial Entrepreneur
Master's degree or higher · Highly variable, can be very high with successful ventures.
Identify and launch new business ventures driven by innovation and risk-taking, continuously generating ideas and…
Set and Exhibit Designers
Bachelor's Degree · $66,280
Design special exhibits and sets for film, video, television, and theater productions. May study scripts, confer with…
Simulation Engineer (Software)
Master's degree (Physics/Engineering/CS) · $135,000
Develops simulation software for physics, engineering, training, and digital twin applications, building models that…
Skills-Based Organization Strategist
Master's Degree · $145,000
Lead the transformation of the organization from traditional job-based to skills-based talent management by designing…
Social Enterprise / B-Corp CEO
Bachelor's degree (MBA/MPA common) · $180,000
Leads a social enterprise or B-Corporation, balancing profit with purpose, managing impact measurement, stakeholder…
Social Services Agency Director
Master's degree (MSW/MPA) · $130,000
Leads a social services agency (public or nonprofit), overseeing child welfare, family services, disability services,…
Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary
Doctoral Degree · $76,210
Teach courses in social work. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of…
Sociologists
Doctoral Degree · $101,690
Study human society and social behavior by examining the groups and social institutions that people form, as well as…
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary
Doctoral Degree · $82,540
Teach courses in sociology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of…
Software Architect
Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science or Software Engineering · $165,000
Defines the high-level structure of software systems, making critical technology decisions on architecture patterns,…
Soil and Plant Scientists
Master's Degree · $71,410
Conduct research in breeding, physiology, production, yield, and management of crops and agricultural plants or trees,…
Space Systems Consultant
Master's Degree · $140,000
Advises clients on the design, development, and implementation of complex space systems, leveraging expertise in…
Special Education Teachers, Preschool
Bachelor's Degree · $62,190
Teach academic, social, and life skills to preschool-aged students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities.…
Speech-Language Pathologists
Master's Degree · $95,410
Assess and treat persons with speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders. May select alternative communication…
Sports / Performance Biomechanist
Master's degree (Biomechanics/Kinesiology; PhD valued for research roles) · $78,000
Applies biomechanical analysis to optimize athletic performance and reduce injury risk, using motion capture, force…
Sports Agent / Talent Agency CEO
Bachelor's degree (JD/MBA common) · $200,000
Leads a sports or talent agency, representing athletes or entertainers in contract negotiations, endorsements, and…