Career & Jobs: High-Paying Degrees, City Jobs, and Federal Pay in 2025

When thinking about your future, Career & Jobs, the path you take to earn a living and build long-term financial stability. Also known as professional pathways, it’s not just about getting a job—it’s about choosing one that fits your skills, lifestyle, and income goals. Whether you’re just starting college, thinking about switching fields, or helping someone else decide, the right career move can change your life. And in 2025, the rules have changed. Some degrees still open doors to six-figure salaries, while others barely cover rent. Some cities pay way more than others for the same job, and federal pay isn’t what it used to be—even for entry-level workers.

It’s not magic. It’s data. The high paying degrees, college majors that lead to the highest average salaries after graduation. Also known as lucrative college majors, it includes fields like computer science, engineering, and healthcare analytics. These aren’t just popular—they’re proven. A data scientist with a bachelor’s can out-earn a lot of people with master’s degrees in less practical fields. Meanwhile, best paying city jobs, high-income roles concentrated in major urban centers like New York, San Francisco, and Chicago. Also known as top city careers, they include roles in tech, finance, and specialized healthcare that simply don’t pay as well in small towns. Location matters. A software engineer in Seattle makes more than one in Omaha—not because they’re better, but because the market demands it. And then there’s the federal government salary, the official pay scale for U.S. government employees, based on grade levels and geographic location. Also known as GS pay scale, it’s the system that sets the minimum wage for civil servants, from clerks to analysts. The lowest rung? GS-1. It sounds low, but with locality pay and overtime, it’s not always what it seems.

These aren’t random topics. They’re connected. Your degree opens the door. Your city determines how far you can walk through it. And if you’re looking for stability, federal jobs still offer benefits that private companies don’t always match—even if the base pay is lower. You don’t need to be a genius to make smart choices. You just need to know the numbers. Below, you’ll find clear breakdowns of what’s actually earning money right now, not what’s trending on social media. No hype. No guesswork. Just facts you can use to plan your next move.