One of the main reasons people go to college and graduate school is to find a high-paying job when they're done.

But a college education and a prestigious job do not necessarily mean you'll be raking in the cash.

Some of these gigs, like being an architect or an optometrist, pay well below what you might expect.

Using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on the mean salary of full-time civilian workers, we've picked out some of the most prestigious jobs that have surprisingly low earnings.


Average annual earnings: $111,640

Job description: They perform eye exams and make just a fraction as much as some medical professionals. For comparison, the average physician earns $191,880 a year, and dentists, who undergo a similar amount of training, earn $168,870. 

Educational requirements: A bachelor's degree is required, followed by a four-year stint in optometry school to earn an O.D. A residency sometimes follows that for those who want to pursue a particular specialty. 

Biomedical engineers

Average annual earnings: $93,960




Average annual earnings: $77,740

Job description: Chemists study the properties, structures, and reactions of substances and develop new products or processes for making them.


Budget analysts

Average annual earnings: $72,560

Job description: Help companies, organizations, or the government organize finances and set program budgets.


Credit analysts

Average annual earnings: $72,590

Job description: These analysts look at credit data and financial statements of people and companies to determine the risk of extending a loan or credit.


Architects, surveyors, and cartographers

Average annual earnings: $71,790

Job description: Architects plan and design buildings and other types of structures.

Educational requirements: Most accredited architecture programs in the United States that grant the license needed to practice are five-year programs that combine a bachelor's and master's. Two-year master's programs are available as well, though some skip the master's degree. A license is required.


Average annual earnings: $74,310

Job description: Psychologists diagnose and evaluate mental and emotional disorders. They also conduct research on the same.


Accountants and auditors

Average annual earnings: $72,500

Job description: Accountants serve a variety of functions: calculating, reporting, and checking financial information for individuals and companies. Auditors perform systematic evaluations of data, records, statements, or performance for a legal or other purpose.  

Educational requirements: Both jobs generally require at least a bachelor's, and those with an accounting degree will often work toward becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Some employers prefer a master's or an MBA with a focus on accounting. 


Average annual earnings: $77,550 (area, ethnic, or cultural studies), $74,210 (mathematical science), $68,360 (English language and literature)


Educational requirements: Generally a Ph.D. is required. A master's might be enough for some teachers at community colleges. 

Zoologists and marine/wildlife biologists

Average annual earnings: $62,610




Average annual earnings: $39,320




Average annual earnings: $56,300

Job description: Advise people on healthy eating habits or on achieving a specific health goal. 

Educational requirements: Most people with this job have a bachelor's and some supervised training. Additionally, many states require a license. 

Graphic designers

Average annual earnings: $49,610

Job description: Design and execute visual material, by hand or using software, for logos, advertising material, and more. 

Educational requirements: A bachelor's in graphic design is typically expected. 

Post-doctoral fellows

Average annual earnings: Varies by type and funder, but at entry, the NIH offers a $42,000 stipend.

Job description: Works with scientists to conduct research in the area of their expertise to develop skills and publish before pursuing a job as a full researcher or professor. 

Educational requirements: A Ph.D. is required. 

Chefs and head cooks

Average annual earnings: $46,620



Marriage and family therapists

Average annual earnings: $51,690

Job description: Diagnose and treat mental and emotional health issues to help couples and families have more fulfilling relationships.

Educational requirements: Graduate degree required, either a master's degree or a doctorate.


Average annual earnings: $46,620

Job description: Prepare bodies for interment in conformity with legal requirements. The unpleasant task of handling the dead nets less than $50,000 a year.

Educational requirements: Embalmers must be certified by a state licensing board, a process that includes an apprenticeship that takes between one and three years, depending on the state.


Average annual earnings: $44,360

Job description: They gather and report the news in newspapers and magazines, as well as on television and radio.

Educational requirements: None, but the vast majority of job postings request at least a bachelor's degree. 

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