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Master salary
Average master salary
$69,786
Master Salary Overview
The average salary for a master in October 2025 is $69,786 annually, or approximately $34 per hour. Factors influencing this salary include geographic location, industry, and years of experience. For instance, masters in specialized fields such as healthcare and engineering often command higher salaries than those in education or social services.
Salary Variations by State
State-specific data reveals significant disparities in earnings. For example, states like California and New York typically offer higher salaries compared to the national average. Conversely, states with lower living costs may present lower salary averages.
Experience Matters
Years of experience also play a crucial role in determining salary. Entry-level positions for masters can start around $50,000, while seasoned professionals can exceed $90,000 depending on their expertise and role.
Job Opportunities
With a master's degree, individuals can explore various high-paying career paths. Roles in management, healthcare administration, and engineering are particularly lucrative. Leveraging this information can help job seekers target roles that align with their qualifications and financial goals.
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Where can a Master earn more?
Master salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level master | $40,900 | $19.66 |
| Mid-level master | $66,000 | $31.71 |
| Senior-level master | $91,200 | $43.86 |
Average master salary by state
The average master salary in Virginia, New Jersey, and Texas are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average master salary states are Alaska, Louisiana, and Montana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for masters
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $95,676 | $46.00 |
| 2 | Texas | $87,670 | $42.15 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $93,372 | $44.89 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $84,252 | $40.51 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $87,604 | $42.12 |
| 6 | Georgia | $80,228 | $38.57 |
| 7 | Michigan | $82,595 | $39.71 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $80,617 | $38.76 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $79,772 | $38.35 |
| 10 | Kentucky | $79,826 | $38.38 |
| 11 | Indiana | $75,749 | $36.42 |
| 12 | California | $78,507 | $37.74 |
| 13 | Vermont | $74,861 | $35.99 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $71,092 | $34.18 |
| 15 | Maine | $75,374 | $36.24 |
| 16 | Missouri | $77,783 | $37.40 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $75,461 | $36.28 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $71,178 | $34.22 |
| 19 | Maryland | $71,650 | $34.45 |
| 20 | Ohio | $70,404 | $33.85 |
| 21 | Delaware | $69,326 | $33.33 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $68,994 | $33.17 |
| 23 | New York | $73,449 | $35.31 |
| 24 | Idaho | $72,886 | $35.04 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $70,418 | $33.85 |
| 26 | Arizona | $66,153 | $31.80 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $71,328 | $34.29 |
| 28 | Washington | $74,481 | $35.81 |
| 29 | District of Columbia | $67,742 | $32.57 |
| 30 | Colorado | $66,103 | $31.78 |
| 31 | Iowa | $70,463 | $33.88 |
| 32 | Nevada | $62,704 | $30.15 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $63,122 | $30.35 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | $63,884 | $30.71 |
| 35 | Utah | $62,553 | $30.07 |
| 36 | Oregon | $67,650 | $32.52 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $64,614 | $31.06 |
| 38 | Kansas | $66,263 | $31.86 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $65,368 | $31.43 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $47,939 | $23.05 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $61,176 | $29.41 |
| 42 | Florida | $59,978 | $28.84 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $64,201 | $30.87 |
| 44 | Illinois | $60,900 | $29.28 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $59,635 | $28.67 |
| 46 | Alaska | $59,453 | $28.58 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $59,787 | $28.74 |
| 48 | Montana | $57,394 | $27.59 |
| 49 | Alabama | $53,014 | $25.49 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $59,003 | $28.37 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $55,591 | $26.73 |
Highest paying cities for masters
The highest-paying cities for masters are El Paso, TX, Charleston, WV, and Washington, MI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Paso, TX | $89,463 | $43.01 |
| 2 | Charleston, WV | $86,063 | $41.38 |
| 3 | Washington, MI | $83,546 | $40.17 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $83,472 | $40.13 |
| 5 | Philadelphia, PA | $81,569 | $39.22 |
| 6 | Worcester, MA | $80,156 | $38.54 |
| 7 | Alpharetta, GA | $79,702 | $38.32 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO | $76,691 | $36.87 |
| 9 | Tacoma, WA | $75,471 | $36.28 |
| 10 | Columbus, IN | $75,298 | $36.20 |
| 11 | New York, NY | $73,728 | $35.45 |
| 12 | Barberton, OH | $72,533 | $34.87 |
| 13 | Minneapolis, MN | $71,124 | $34.19 |
| 14 | Washington, UT | $68,883 | $33.12 |
| 15 | Hillsboro, OR | $67,702 | $32.55 |
| 16 | Washington, DC | $67,617 | $32.51 |
| 17 | Phoenix, AZ | $66,161 | $31.81 |
| 18 | Denver, CO | $66,027 | $31.74 |
| 19 | Raleigh, NC | $64,861 | $31.18 |
| 20 | Las Vegas, NV | $62,078 | $29.85 |
Master salary details
A master's salary ranges from $38,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $127,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a master's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $127,000 | $10,583 | $61 |
| 75th Percentile | $95,000 | $7,917 | $46 |
| Average | $69,786 | $5,816 | $34 |
| 25th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| 10th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
Highest paying master jobs
The highest paying types of masters are master technician, motor analyst, and master scheduler.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive Mechanic | $42,864 | $3,572 | $20.61 | 95,703 |
| Auto Mechanic | $41,683 | $3,474 | $20.04 | 95,553 |
| Master Automotive Technician | $66,289 | $5,524 | $31.87 | 124,843 |
| Master Electrician | $52,154 | $4,346 | $25.07 | 26,377 |
| Master Technician | $97,027 | $8,086 | $46.65 | 137,644 |
| Master Scheduler | $77,733 | $6,478 | $37.37 | 23,353 |
Top companies hiring masters now:
Which companies pay masters the most?
Master salaries at Pacific Investment Management Company LLC and AEA Investors are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average master salary at companies like Goldman Sachs and North Highland are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pacific Investment Management Company LLC | $141,633 | $68.09 |
| 2 | AEA Investors | $138,956 | $66.81 |
| 3 | Goldman Sachs | $132,055 | $63.49 |
| 4 | North Highland | $131,069 | $63.01 |
| 5 | Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. | $128,927 | $61.98 |
| 6 | Mindbody | $126,864 | $60.99 |
| 7 | Genentech | $124,253 | $59.74 |
| 8 | Hitachi Vantara | $123,364 | $59.31 |
| 9 | TRW Automotive Holdings | $123,124 | $59.19 |
| 10 | Martin Midstream GP | $123,075 | $59.17 |
| 11 | Amazon | $121,994 | $58.65 |
| 12 | Harmonia Holdings Group | $119,653 | $57.53 |
| 13 | The Jane Pauley Community Health Center | $119,140 | $57.28 |
| 14 | Gulfstream Aerospace | $115,535 | $55.55 |
| 15 | International Trucks | $115,452 | $55.51 |
| 16 | Newman and Company | $115,157 | $55.36 |
| 17 | Bosch USA | $114,837 | $55.21 |
| 18 | Charter Global | $113,678 | $54.65 |
| 19 | Applied Materials | $113,574 | $54.60 |
| 20 | Florida Power and Light | $113,300 | $54.47 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Master salary trends
The average master salary has risen by $12,468 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average master earned $57,318 annually, but today, they earn $69,786 a year. That works out to a 15% change in pay for masters over the last decade.
Compare master salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average master salary over time
Compare master salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Master salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $69,800 | $33.55 | +4.4% |
| 2025 | $66,700 | $32.06 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $64,500 | $31.01 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $62,700 | $30.12 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $60,900 | $29.30 | +1.6% |
Recently added master salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centerstone | Master Level Clinician | Muncie, IN | 06/30/2025 | $43,900 |
| Centerstone | Master's Level Therapist | Fort Myers, FL | 06/30/2025 | $36,379 |
| Thriveworks | Master's Level Clinician (Seeking Licsw)-Hybrid | Boston, MA | 06/30/2025 | $55,000 |
| Thriveworks | Master's Level Clinician (Seeking LPC) | Philadelphia, PA | 06/30/2025 | $40,000 |
| Driveline Retail Merchandising | Master Merchandiser | Jackson, MS | 06/29/2025 | $20,870 |
| Driveline Retail Merchandising | Master Merchandiser | Birmingham, AL | 06/29/2025 | $20,870 |
| Driveline Retail Merchandising | Master Merchandiser | Charleston, WV | 06/29/2025 | $25,044 |
| Driveline Retail Merchandising | Master Merchandiser | Virginia Beach, VA | 06/29/2025 | $25,044 |
| Dasstateoh | Master Commissioner | Columbus, OH | 06/29/2025 | $124,925 |
| Yam Worldwide | PXG-Mobile Master Fitter | Oakbrook Terrace, IL | 06/29/2025 | $70,000 |
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