Do you feel called to educate others to live healthy lives through fitness? Do you feel called to coach others to enjoy athletic competition through sport participation? If so, pursuing a graduate physical education degree could be a great option for you.
Physical educators work on the front lines each day to help students stay healthy, not just physically but also mentally and emotionally. With about 13.7 million overweight or obese children in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these educators can play a key role in reversing the trend. Many also serve as leaders and change agents in their communities, whether as coaches, counselors, or managers in a variety of settings.
Here’s a look at the graduate physical education degree programs Azusa Pacific University offers, and the many careers your education could lead to.
M.S. in Physical Education
Earning a graduate physical education degree doesn’t mean you have to become a teacher. In fact, APU offers concentrations and specializations that allow you to tailor your skills and interests for careers in athletics, leadership, or counseling.
“APU’s graduate physical education programs are time-honored, with the first graduate
physical curriculum offered approximately 50 years ago,” said Cindy Tanis, Ph.D., director of graduate physical education and an associate professor at Azusa Pacific. “The program has transitioned over time according to professional standards and credentials, becoming what is now the prestigious Master of Science in Physical Education.”
Non-teaching jobs you can find with an M.S. in Physical Education include:
Athletic coach
Health and wellness coordinator
High school/college athletic counselor
High school/college athletic director
You can even merge sports and business with APU’s sport management concentrations—a highly marketable distinction that can provide you the skills and insights needed to become a manager, PR professional, or even a sports entrepreneur.
“This program is thorough and well-rounded, leaving the graduate confident in their ability to be a difference-maker in their community and in the lives of those whom they serve,” said Kody Moffat, M.S. ’19, a professor and men’s water polo coach at Palomar College. “The master’s in physical education program at Azusa Pacific University equipped me with the knowledge, resources, network, and confidence to be successful as I continue to pursue teaching and coaching at the community college level.”
M.A. in Physical Education with Single Subject Teaching Credential
If you know academics is the career path you want to pursue, the single subject teaching credential at APU may be the path for you. This program equips students to teach at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
“The master’s degree program was a great source of information, and I still refer to some of the projects I did to help me now when I am teaching,” said Lani Ruh, ’17, a professor and water polo and swimming coach at Mt. San Antonio College. “I was able to get my dream career because of the help, support, and encouragement by those in the program! College is an important time of growing and learning in a young person’s life, and it is a blessing to be able to be a part of their journey.”
Those who successfully complete this program earn a 2042 Preliminary Single Subject Teaching Credential from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, meaning they can teach physical education in California.
Other jobs you can get with this degree include:
Adventure/outdoor educator
Athletic director
Coach
College professor
Fitness instructor
Health/wellness teacher
While a master’s degree isn’t required to teach physical education in K-12 settings, having one can set you apart from other candidates when you look for your first job. Plus, your salary will likely be higher than if you only have a bachelor’s degree.
M.A. in Physical Education with Adapted Physical Education Added Authorization
It might surprise you to learn that children and adults with disabilities are at the greatest risk for obesity, per the CDC, and health care costs for this demographic surpass $44 billion each year in America. If you want to serve this demographic in need of change agents—and challenge yourself professionally in the process—APU’s M.A. in Physical Education with Adapted Physical Education Added Authorization can help you do just that.
More specifically, the 15-unit Adapted Physical Education Added Authorization specialization allows you to develop the pedagogical abilities needed to instruct all students. In addition, you can learn how to assess and develop gross motor skill goals, write an Individualized Education Program (IEP), and learn how to impact students with physical and intellectual disabilities.
“You get to know your students at a more personable level, help them achieve their goals, advocate for their rights, and make a difference in their physical education,” said Margarita Pulido, M.A. ’19, an adapted physical education teacher in the Anaheim Elementary School District. “It is a career that requires you to think critically and outside the box, be creative and patient, and most importantly, have fun.”
Potential careers you could pursue with this degree and experience include:
Camp/activities program directo
College professorr
Special education lobbyist/activist
Special education teacher
As you can see, a physical education degree can be tailored to meet your individual career goals. “APU offers multiple options and emphases related to physical education to help students find the program that aligns with their career path,” said Tanis. When deciding which path to pursue, Tanis recommends asking questions such as: Is the program long-standing and reputable? Is it accredited? Does the program have professors trained in physical education? And if you want to make a difference through physical education and sport, earning an advanced degree will set you up for career success from the start.
Curious to learn more about potential career paths and related degree programs at Azusa Pacific University? Explore APU’s graduate programs in physical education to discover additional insights.
(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 Mobile, AL 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.
#31. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $28,090 (#265 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 50
National – Annual mean salary: $54,540 (116,780 employed) – Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree – Metros with highest average pay: — Madera, CA ($92,870) — Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($91,480) — Santa Rosa, CA ($89,730)
Job description: Assess and treat individuals with mental, emotional, or substance abuse problems, including abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drugs. Activities may include individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, case management, client advocacy, prevention, and education.
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#30. Healthcare social workers
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $48,520 (#320 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 150
National – Annual mean salary: $60,470 (176,110 employed) – Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree – Metros with highest average pay: — San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($100,410) — San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($98,980) — Salinas, CA ($95,690)
Job description: Provide individuals, families, and groups with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses. Services include advising family caregivers. Provide patients with information and counseling, and make referrals for other services. May also provide case and care management or interventions designed to promote health, prevent disease, and address barriers to access to healthcare.
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#29. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $51,520 (#292 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 300
National – Annual mean salary: $62,320 (292,230 employed) – Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree – Metros with highest average pay: — Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($91,420) — El Centro, CA ($91,110) — Fresno, CA ($90,860)
Job description: Advise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services.
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#28. Rehabilitation counselors
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $52,830 (#22 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 40
National – Annual mean salary: $42,080 (100,260 employed) – Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree – Metros with highest average pay: — California-Lexington Park, MD ($74,170) — Trenton, NJ ($66,330) — Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA ($64,940)
Job description: Counsel individuals to maximize the independence and employability of persons coping with personal, social, and vocational difficulties that result from birth defects, illness, disease, accidents, aging, or the stress of daily life. Coordinate activities for residents of care and treatment facilities. Assess client needs and design and implement rehabilitation programs that may include personal and vocational counseling, training, and job placement.
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#27. Urban and regional planners
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $53,220 (#166 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 40
National – Annual mean salary: $79,410 (38,190 employed) – Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree – Metros with highest average pay: — San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($109,910) — Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($108,860) — San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($107,810)
Job description: Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.
#26. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $54,030 (#109 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 80
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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#25. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $57,490 (#106 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 80
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.
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#24. Speech-language pathologists
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $61,310 (#333 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 140
National – Annual mean salary: $83,240 (148,450 employed) – Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree – Metros with highest average pay: — Modesto, CA ($128,540) — Santa Rosa, CA ($120,920) — Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($115,480)
Job description: Assess and treat persons with speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders. May select alternative communication systems and teach their use. May perform research related to speech and language problems.
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#23. Education teachers, postsecondary
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $61,340 (#83 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 40
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.
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#22. Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $62,170 (#259 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 50
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.
#21. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $64,900 (#79 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 70
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.
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#20. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $74,580 (#77 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 40
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.
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $74,710 (#83 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 70
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.
14 / 31Simon Fraser Universtiy // flickr
#18 (tie). Instructional coordinators
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $74,710 (#72 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 90
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.
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#17. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $77,390 (#61 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 50
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.
#16. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $85,970 (#249 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 160
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.
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#15. Physician assistants
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $86,340 (#299 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 90
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.
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#14. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $87,000 (#52 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 50
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.
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#13. Veterinarians
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $88,810 (#217 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 70
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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#12. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $89,080 (#24 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 150
National – Annual mean salary: $84,060 (61,100 employed) – Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree – Metros with highest average pay: — Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($145,990) — Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($120,040) — Savannah, GA ($117,610)
Job description: Demonstrate and teach patient care in classroom and clinical units to nursing students. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $90,380 (#358 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 300
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.
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#10. Occupational therapists
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $91,800 (#73 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 80
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.
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#9. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $92,550 (#57 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 100
National – Annual mean salary: $124,890 (200,040 employed) – Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree – Metros with highest average pay: — Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($211,500) — Jackson, MS ($195,830) — Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($176,930)
Job description: Teach courses in health specialties, in fields such as dentistry, laboratory technology, medicine, pharmacy, public health, therapy, and veterinary medicine.
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#8. Physical therapists
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $94,070 (#92 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 160
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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#7. Business teachers, postsecondary
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $107,750 (#41 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 70
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.
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $125,280 (#48 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 260
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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#5. Pharmacists
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $138,110 (#45 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: data not available
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.
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#4. Dentists, general
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $153,390 (#205 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 80
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.
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#3. Nurse anesthetists
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $154,230 (#90 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 140
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.
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#2. Family medicine physicians
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $256,160 (#34 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 100
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.
Mobile, AL – Annual mean salary: $258,680 (#17 highest pay among all metros) – Employment: 40
National – Annual mean salary: $271,440 (28,590 employed) – Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree – Metros with highest average pay: — Pittsburgh, PA ($307,390) — Duluth, MN-WI ($306,350) — Tallahassee, FL ($303,600)
