15 Best-Paying College Majors

[vanillacourage]

management.fortune.cnn.com/2012/08/22/college-major-paydays/

Median pay for a recent college graduate with a full-time job in 2010, the researchers found, stood at $53,976. But these 15 majors commanded substantially more:

1. Pre-med $100,000
2. Computer systems engineering $85,000
3. Pharmacy $84,000
4. Chemical engineering $80,000
5. Electrical and electronics engineering $75,000
6. Mechanical engineering $75,000
7. Aerospace and aeronautical engineering $74,000
8. Computer science $73,000
9. Industrial engineering $73,000
10. Physics and astronomy $72,200
11. Civil engineering $70,000
12. Electrical and electronics engineering technology $65,000
13. Economics $63,300
14. Financial management $63,000
15. Mechanical engineering technology $63,000

Clearly, engineers are hot properties, but even the five non-engineering majors on the list require a strong mathematical bent. What if you're not inclined toward math and science? Luckily for liberal arts mavens, College Majors Handbook notes, "Salary is not the only form of payoff from a college education."

Consider: Despite relatively modest median pay of $44,000, well below the roughly $54,000 average for all 58 fields of study, English majors report job satisfaction that is on a par with that of people who make far more money. Likewise, recent grads who majored in history, although they earn $48,000 on average — and often end up working in unrelated fields like sales and marketing — report higher-than-average satisfaction with their chosen path.

Moreover, even at the lower end of the salary scale, the authors point out, higher education leads to more earning power: "The average employed young person with a bachelor's degree earned 81% more in 2011 than his or counterpart with a high school diploma. The earnings premium of individuals with college degrees persists over their lifetime." Given the often jaw-dropping price tag on a sheepskin these days, that's good to know.

[Mrs.Beagle]

What? Psychology isn't on there?

Mind Blown.

[mrssavy42112]

Interesting. Guess I should’ve stayed in that pharmacy program, huh? JK, almost all of the graduates from my class had a wicked time finding jobs. Some still don’t have any 2 years later. I wonder what type of jobs the Physics & Astronomy majors do that bring in that salary? I considered studying that instead, but all of the advisors said the only jobs in that field were either entry level research or professors. Guess they were wrong?

[fuddyduddy]

Aug 22, 2012 14:41:38 GMT -5 mrssavy42112 said:

Interesting. Guess I should’ve stayed in that pharmacy program, huh? JK, almost all of the graduates from my class had a wicked time finding jobs. Some still don’t have any 2 years later. I wonder what type of jobs the Physics & Astronomy majors do that bring in that salary? I considered studying that instead, but all of the advisors said the only jobs in that field were either entry level research or professors. Guess they were wrong?

My cousin studied astronomy and works for NASA. Granted, he has a PhD.

[explorer2001]

I'm a little surprised accounting didn't make the list, but I guess it is somewhat represented by financial management and economics.

[Deleted]

I find this interesting because I don't think I know a single college graduate who makes that much within a few years of graduating. This board aside, of course.

Well, I guess I know a couple of nurses who probably do.

Most people I know (whose salaries I'm aware of) with a bachelor's degree make in the 30-40k range.

I'm also pissed that I still don't make the "median" and I've been in the workforce for 4 years and I have a master's degree.

I will say that I'm happier in my job (in general) than I used to be and I'll agree that that accounts for a lot. I don't care that engineering makes more than me, I don't want to be an engineer.

[Awkward]

Aug 22, 2012 14:52:58 GMT -5 @buckybells said:

I find this interesting because I don't think I know a single college graduate who makes that much within a few years of graduating. This board aside, of course.

I had the same thought, but my friends for the most part are po'. Maybe in VHCOL areas?

[mskitkat]

I seriously wish I had seen this list in college. I would have done chem e instead of pure chem.

[Deleted]

These numbers seem inflated. When I graduated in 2004, most of my friends in ChemE were getting jobs at 45-60K and MechEs were getting about 40-50K. Granted, we are in Texas (L/M COL, but I think a lot of ChemEs are in Texas anyways. Also, median starting salary of $54K for all college graduates seems high.

[Deleted]

These numbers seem high and don't really make sense. A pre-med bachelor's degree makes $100 K? What exactly are they doing? Same thing with pharmacy...presumably they had to actually go on to pharmacy school to make that salary....

[keweenawlove]

Aug 22, 2012 15:03:12 GMT -5 mskitkat said:

I seriously wish I had seen this list in college. I would have done chem e instead of pure chem.

The two are so much different than the name suggests. As a lot of people I know who went into ChemE because they liked chemistry found out.


The numbers for engineering are higher than they should be. When I graduated ME 3 years ago, anything over $65K was in the top 1% for starting salaries.

[Deleted]

Aug 22, 2012 14:41:38 GMT -5 mrssavy42112 said:

Interesting. Guess I should’ve stayed in that pharmacy program, huh? JK, almost all of the graduates from my class had a wicked time finding jobs. Some still don’t have any 2 years later. I wonder what type of jobs the Physics & Astronomy majors do that bring in that salary? I considered studying that instead, but all of the advisors said the only jobs in that field were either entry level research or professors. Guess they were wrong?

My BFF just started pharmacy school. She is adamant there are jobs. I am really afraid she's going to run into issues when she graduates in 4 years when the market is even more oversaturated.

[lolzlala]

Dropping #3 for psychology fail! Where I'm from pharmD earns more like 100k out of school (lots of pharmacists on the brink/past retirement being dragged on until there are young'ns to take over).

[mskitkat]

Aug 22, 2012 15:13:58 GMT -5 keweenawlove said:

Aug 22, 2012 15:03:12 GMT -5 mskitkat said:

I seriously wish I had seen this list in college. I would have done chem e instead of pure chem.

The two are so much different than the name suggests. As a lot of people I know who went into ChemE because they liked chemistry found out.


The numbers for engineering are higher than they should be. When I graduated ME 3 years ago, anything over $65K was in the top 1% for starting salaries.

I also think I would have enjoyed chem e more than pure chem, but I had the crazy idea pure chem was more employable. Don't ask me where I got that nonsense idea.

[aerowife2010]

Aug 22, 2012 15:39:28 GMT -5 jjwritergirl said:

I'm thankful my H had one of these majors and the graduating salary to support us. However, some of those numbers still seem a tad bit inflated. Most of those $70's jobs are more like mid $60's with the people I know.

This exactly. I know DH is at a company that is notorious for paying low on the scale compared to other defense contractors who do the same thing, but these numbers seem a little high based on his major below and where his other friends went.

[Becca]

Aug 22, 2012 14:52:49 GMT -5 explorer2001 said:

I'm a little surprised accounting didn't make the list, but I guess it is somewhat represented by financial management and economics.

I thought the same thing at first - but entry level at the Big 4 pays differently than a staff accountant or A/P clerk. So I bet the major as a whole for entry level salary is skewed downward by the 'non public' positions

[flygirl22]

I'm a ChemE major, and... they seem a bit off. Notice though, they said "median pay for a RECENT college graduate", who knows what recent means per this statistic. If it's 0-5 years, then I could see this being about median. Lots of ChemEs go into Oil, I wasn't one of them, so I would fully expect my starting salary to be slightly less than average. I have a friend that is a CivE that doesn't make NEAR that median according to this 5 years out of college, she does live VLCOL though.

[Deleted]

Aug 22, 2012 15:11:15 GMT -5 @lilly said:

These numbers seem high and don't really make sense. A pre-med bachelor's degree makes $100 K? What exactly are they doing? Same thing with pharmacy...presumably they had to actually go on to pharmacy school to make that salary....

Ditto. What is a pre-med major, anyway? All the premeds I know majored in a field like biology, chemistry, or hell, history.

You have to be quite a few years out of college to make six figures as a physician.

[Deleted]

I am truly shocked civil E is on there--it was always the lowest paying Eng degree & the only that paid less than Architecture. Guess times have changed?

[gt7301b]

Aug 22, 2012 17:35:56 GMT -5 flygirl22 said:

I'm a ChemE major, and... they seem a bit off. Notice though, they said "median pay for a RECENT college graduate", who knows what recent means per this statistic. If it's 0-5 years, then I could see this being about median. Lots of ChemEs go into Oil, I wasn't one of them, so I would fully expect my starting salary to be slightly less than average. I have a friend that is a CivE that doesn't make NEAR that median according to this 5 years out of college, she does live VLCOL though.

These salaries appear about right for an engineer with five years of experience. They do seem high for right out of school

[bronxgirl]

Aug 22, 2012 17:43:02 GMT -5 @redbellpeppers said:

Aug 22, 2012 15:11:15 GMT -5 @lilly said:

These numbers seem high and don't really make sense. A pre-med bachelor's degree makes $100 K? What exactly are they doing? Same thing with pharmacy...presumably they had to actually go on to pharmacy school to make that salary....

Ditto. What is a pre-med major, anyway? All the premeds I know majored in a field like biology, chemistry, or hell, history.

You have to be quite a few years out of college to make six figures as a physician.

As soon as I read "pre- med" I knew the whole thing was going to be BS. Pre-med isn't even a specific majo- it is a prepatory track to ensure you get all your med school pre reqs done during undergrad so you don't have to do any post bac coursework before applying for med school. Even if it were a specific major, what would you do with it without going to med school?

[oukapu]

I think the salaries are really high. I was an engineer.

[emyinpink]

CS undergrads are making six figures starting at the big companies now, so not surprised with that and EE. We do need more girls in tech!

[sillygoosegirl]

Aug 22, 2012 20:11:29 GMT -5 gt7301b said:

Aug 22, 2012 17:35:56 GMT -5 flygirl22 said:

I'm a ChemE major, and... they seem a bit off. Notice though, they said "median pay for a RECENT college graduate", who knows what recent means per this statistic. If it's 0-5 years, then I could see this being about median. Lots of ChemEs go into Oil, I wasn't one of them, so I would fully expect my starting salary to be slightly less than average. I have a friend that is a CivE that doesn't make NEAR that median according to this 5 years out of college, she does live VLCOL though.

These salaries appear about right for an engineer with five years of experience. They do seem high for right out of school

I agree. They seem very high for right out of school. I'd like to think I had rather more than $500/year on your average new grad with the same major in 2010 when I was 5 years out of school! Ouch!

[emyinpink]

Aug 23, 2012 0:44:29 GMT -5 sillygoosegirl said:

Aug 22, 2012 20:11:29 GMT -5 gt7301b said:

These salaries appear about right for an engineer with five years of experience. They do seem high for right out of school

I agree. They seem very high for right out of school. I'd like to think I had rather more than $500/year on your average new grad with the same major in 2010 when I was 5 years out of school! Ouch!

For most tech industry jobs new grad salaries really aren't that far off those who've been working for 5-10 years. The only real difference is folks who go high into management or make it big at a startup.

[boiler717]

I can't comment on the rest, but I think pharmacy is low, but it's also not a Bachelor's degree. Right now the starting salary for retail in is around $115k in MCOL. Nuclear is higher, hospital is lower but that accounts for the majority of grads. Maybe they are averaging those who do post-graduate training?

[chessie]

I have a Computer Science degree and do Computer Networking for my work. But on a side note I should of done the engineering program like DH did, he is more well rounded to do anything in the field. I strongly suggest to anyone if they want to go into IT go for a computer engineering program, you will learn it all. Starting 6 years ago salary for me was 31k and Dh was 48k right out of college.

[jigsy]

Aug 22, 2012 15:17:14 GMT -5 aswartzw said:

Aug 22, 2012 14:41:38 GMT -5 mrssavy42112 said:

Interesting. Guess I shouldÂ’ve stayed in that pharmacy program, huh? JK, almost all of the graduates from my class had a wicked time finding jobs. Some still donÂ’t have any 2 years later. I wonder what type of jobs the Physics & Astronomy majors do that bring in that salary? I considered studying that instead, but all of the advisors said the only jobs in that field were either entry level research or professors. Guess they were wrong?

My BFF just started pharmacy school. She is adamant there are jobs. I am really afraid she's going to run into issues when she graduates in 4 years when the market is even more oversaturated.

My BIL just graduated with his PharmD and was able to find a job in a snap...before all his tests were done even. (I don't know if that is normal-like lawyers who get jobs before taking the bar. Though BIL didn't start until he finished testing)

[Deleted]

Fingers crossed that my kids get H's mathematical ability because they're certainly not going to get any from me! lol.

[ejpint]

I hope my kids get H's math skills so they can be engineers.
The engineer salaries ring true - we hire in the low to mid 60s plus bonus in LCOL for new grads.