The 16 highest-paying college majors, 5 years after graduation (2024)
If you're looking for a college degree with maximum earning potential, you'll want to be an engineer.
Engineering degrees took nine of the top 16 rankings for college majors with the highest income five years after graduation, according to a recent New York Federal Reserve study of full-time workers.
Computer engineering majors ranked first with an annual median salary of $80,000, followed by chemical engineering and computer science — the only two other majors that pay more than $75,000 annually.
The technical knowledge, mathematical proficiency and problem-solving abilities required in engineering are valuable across many industries. As such, the profession tends to have higher salaries compared to other occupations.
Engineers also get top dollar when they gain more experience. When looking at "mid-career" graduates — those ages 35 to 45 who are working full-time — engineering majors tend to make six figures.
Here's a look at the rankings for mid-career graduates:
Once again, chemical engineering is ranked first, with $133,000 in annual median income. Chemical engineers get paid well since they often work in lucrative sectors like oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and semiconductor manufacturing.
In contrast, the lowest paying majors tend to be in liberal arts or education. Early childhood education had the lowest pay for mid-career earners, with $48,000 in annual median income. That's only $8,000 more than the $40,000 early childhood educators make at the beginning of their careers.
Data for this annual study was compiled from U.S. Census data from 2022, the most recent available. The study excludes majors currently enrolled in school and is limited to a working age population aged 25 to 65, with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Want to make extra money outside of your day job?Sign up for CNBC's new online course How to Earn Passive Income Online to learn about common passive income streams, tips to get started and real-life success stories. Register today and save 50% with discount code EARLYBIRD.
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), engineering tops the list of the highest-paying majors immediately after graduation. The highest-paying professions in the U.S. are all in the medical field and require education beyond the bachelor's level.
How about as an entry-level salary? In general, yes. A $75k salary is more than what half of U.S. workers earn, and depending on where you live and your expenses, may be more than enough to live comfortably.
For the second year in a row, petroleum engineering holds the top spot for highest-paying bachelor's degrees in 2024. Graduates in the field earn just shy of figures starting out and more than $200,000 with 10 or more years of experience.
Some popular college majors in high demand include computer science, nursing, engineering, finance, and data science. These fields offer excellent career prospects and competitive salaries.
Those looking to enter this field may want to consider earning a bachelor's degree in an analytics subject like actuarial science, mathematics or statistics. Actuaries earned a median yearly salary of $113,990 in 2022, with job prospects expected to grow by 23% over the next decade, according to BLS data.
Business. A business degree focuses on the different factors of running a business, including business management, marketing, accounting and human resources. ...
Diplomas in medicine and dentistry yielded the highest earnings per subject, with an average of £52,000 a year across all UK universities. At the other end of the scale, performing arts graduates took home the lowest salaries.
Introduction: My name is Merrill Bechtelar CPA, I am a clean, agreeable, glorious, magnificent, witty, enchanting, comfortable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
