[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/career\/certifications\/highest-paying-majors\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/career\/certifications\/highest-paying-majors\/","headline":"49 Highest Paying College Majors, From IT to Psychology and More","name":"49 Highest Paying College Majors, From IT to Psychology and More","description":"Going to college is a significant investment.\u00a0There are over 44 million people who collectively...","datePublished":"2019-02-11","dateModified":"2023-04-27","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/author\/logan-allec\/#Person","name":"Logan Allec, CPA","url":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/author\/logan-allec\/","identifier":4,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e74dd0453a5871d1dcfde6d40d9494765ca8bfdb01927cefee4564d4bee9075?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e74dd0453a5871d1dcfde6d40d9494765ca8bfdb01927cefee4564d4bee9075?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Money Done Right","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Money-Done-Right-Personal-Finance-and-Investing-Blog.png","url":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Money-Done-Right-Personal-Finance-and-Investing-Blog.png","width":488,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/highest-paying-college-major.jpg","url":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/highest-paying-college-major.jpg","height":715,"width":1000},"url":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/career\/certifications\/highest-paying-majors\/","about":["Certifications"],"wordCount":2574,"keywords":["schema"],"articleBody":"Going to college is a significant investment.\u00a0There are over 44 million people who collectively owe nearly $1.52 trillion in student loan debt in the U.S. alone because they know that earning a college degree is the gateway to getting better-paying jobs.Good to KnowBased on reports from the National Center for Education Statistics, about 19.9 million students enrolled in American colleges and universities in the fall of 2018. The total enrollment is projected to increase between 2018 and 2027 to 20.5 million students.A college degree has become a must-have for students who want to land great jobs and pay off their student loans on time. In 2016, the average wages of young adults with a bachelor\u2019s degree ($50,000) were 57% higher than those of young adult high school completers ($31,800).However, specific college majors can help you pay off your student debt faster than others.Things to Keep in MindSome of the lowest paying college majors include physical and health education teaching ($38,764), social psychology ($38,001), and library science ($26,462).Overall, the top paying college majors are the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors who record the highest rates of employment and highest incomes with occupations like nuclear engineering, zoology, and applied mathematics being great examples.Using recent statistics from salary comparison site PayScale who surveyed more than 2.3 million graduates from over 2,700 colleges across the U.S., we have compiled the median earnings of 50 college majors within the first five and ten years of their careers.Here are the 49\u00a0highest paying college degrees presently, based on their mid-career salaries:Table of ContentsToggleScience & Technology MajorsEngineering MajorsMathematics MajorsOther MajorsConclusionScience & Technology Majors1. Aeronautics & AstronauticsEarly Career Pay: $71,400Mid-Career Pay: $133,300The average annual salary for Aeronautics & Astronautics degree holders is $84,000.2. Building ScienceEarly Career Pay: $50,700Mid-Career Pay: $135,000Building science majors have the opportunity to delve into several careers in the construction industry, from project manager to building project researcher.Building construction scientists are in charge of various residential, commercial, and civil construction projects.The median annual salary for building science degree holders is $69,000.The employment growth outlook is expected to rise by 5% by 2024.3. Computer Science (CS)Early Career Pay: $68,800Mid-Career Pay: $113,900Computer scientists create applications for mobile devices, develop websites, and program software.Computer majors can pursue careers as software engineers, technical analysts, web engineers, database administrator, and IT consultants.The average annual salary for computer scientists is $83,000.4. Information Sciences and TechnologyEarly Career Pay: $58,900Mid-Career Pay: $110,200Information sciences and technology majors apply innovative solutions to complex technology and systems problems. Common job opportunities include network analyst, database administrator, and application developer.Median annual wage for degree holders is $66,000.5. Operations Management & Information SystemsEarly Career Pay: $61,900Mid-Career Pay: $112,000With this major, students learn how to leverage their knowledge of business fundamentals, information systems, and operations management to design, improve, and manage business processes.Career paths for majors include line supervisor, production manager, database administrator, and IT consultant.The average yearly salary for degree holders is $69,000.6. AstrophysicsEarly Career Pay: $60,700Mid-Career Pay: $110,800The average annual salary for astrophysics majors is $76,000.7. PhysicsEarly Career Pay: $60,700Mid-Career Pay: $110,000Among the duties of physicists are to conduct research into occurrences, develop theories based on their observations and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories to daily situations.Career paths for physicists include health physicist, molecular physicist, optical scientist, and rheologist.The mean annual wage for physics majors is $82,000.Engineering Majors8. EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $64,200Mid-Career Pay: $112,500The BLS projects employment growth for engineers to increase, with over 140,000 new jobs expected from 2016 to 2026.These jobs will be split among the more than 18 engineering occupations which include civil engineers, mechanical engineers, computer hardware engineers, materials engineers, and environmental engineers.The median annual wage for engineering majors is about $83,000.9.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Petroleum EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $82,700Mid-Career Pay: $183,600Petroleum engineering tops the list for the highest paying college majors with a reported average annual salary of about $183,600.Petroleum engineers design and develop production methods for extracting oil and gas deposits from below the Earth\u2019s surface.The job prospects for this field are primarily tied to oil prices. Increased prices can cause oil and gas companies to increase their capital investment and hire more engineers.However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts a 15% job growth rate for petroleum engineers over the next ten years, much faster than that of other occupations.10.\u00a0Operations Research & Industrial EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $79,600Mid-Career Pay: $166,300Operation research and industrial engineers use advanced techniques like statistical analysis and mathematical modeling to develop solutions for organizations to run more efficiently.The average annual salary of some of the jobs that fall under this major include data analyst ($74,447), research analyst, operations ($76,968), and operations research scientist ($88,608).The BLS projects a 27.4% employment growth for operations research analysts between 2016 and 2026, opening an estimated number of 31,300 jobs within this period.11.\u00a0Industrial Engineering (IE)Early Career Pay: $66,400Mid-Career Pay: $111,300Industrial engineers create and design technologies that integrate workers, machines, materials, information, and energy to develop a product or service. Among their duties is to find ways to eliminate wastefulness in the production process of businesses.The average annual salary for degree holders is $82,000.Employment of industrial engineers is projected to grow by about 10% within the next decade, adding about 25,000 jobs.12. Chemical EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $71,800Mid-Career Pay: $126,900Chemical engineers design processes and equipment using the principles of chemistry, biology, physics, and math to solve problems relating to the use of chemicals, food, drugs, fuel, and other products.The median annual salary for chemical engineering degree holders is $99,000.Employment of chemical engineers is expected to grow 8% from 2016 to 2026, with an addition of about 2,500 jobs.13. Systems EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $70,800Mid-Career Pay: $131,200System engineers are in charge of developing computer systems for companies or organizations based on their specific needs, and they work extensively with hardware engineers, software engineers, system administrators, among others.A systems engineer gets an average wage of $76,594 per year.14.\u00a0Aeronautical EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $67,900Mid-Career Pay: $122,500The median aeronautical engineer has a base pay of about $78,664. However, salaries can be influenced by possession of added skills such as Engineering Design, Aeros, Test Engineering, AutoCAD, Project Management, and CATIA.15.\u00a0Mechanical & Aeronautical EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $66,900Mid-Career Pay: $115,000Mechanical & aeronautical engineers study aerospace propulsion, design, and manufacturing and then specialize in aeronautical engineering.The employment growth is expected to rise by 6% between 2016 and 2026, with an addition of 4,200 jobs.16. Aerospace EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $68,700Mid-Career Pay: $113,900Aerospace engineers are involved in the design of aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles. They also create and test prototypes to ensure that they run according to specifications.Employment of aerospace engineers is projected to grow 6% from 2016 to 2026, with an addition of 4,200 jobs.The median annual wage for aerospace engineers is $78,000.17. Mechanical Engineering (ME)Early Career Pay: $65,800Mid-Career Pay: $108,700Mechanical engineers apply the knowledge of engineering mathematics, physics, and material science to design, analyze, develop, and maintain mechanical systems.The average salary for mechanical engineers is $78,000 yearly.18.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 Marine EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $72,600Mid-Career Pay: $126,500Marine engineering graduates design, build, and maintain ships, like sailboats, aircraft carriers, and submarines. They are also responsible for the functioning of the ships propulsion, electrical, and steering systems.The median annual wage for marine engineers is around $90,970.Employment of marine engineers is expected to grow 12% from 2016 to 2026, with an addition of about 1,000 jobs.19. Naval Architecture & Marine EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $68,800Mid-Career Pay: $117,700Combined with the job description of marine engineers, naval architects are responsible for a ship\u2019s design, including the form, structure, and stability of hulls.The average annual salary for degree holders is $82,000.20.\u00a0Ocean Engineering (OE)Early Career Pay: $68,900Mid-Career Pay: $121,200Ocean engineering majors use science and math to develop ocean structures like ports, platforms, dikes, excluding ships.The average annual wage for degree holders is $90,000 per year.21. Nuclear EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $70,700Mid-Career Pay: $121,700Nuclear engineering majors research and develop the processes, systems, and instruments used to derive benefits from nuclear energy and radiation.The average yearly salary for bachelor degree holders of nuclear engineering is $62,000.Employment of nuclear engineers is estimated to grow by 4% from 2016 to 2026, slower than the average for all occupations.22. Electrical Power EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $71,300Mid-Career Pay: $122,300The average annual salary for an electrical power engineer is $85,113.23. Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE)Early Career Pay: $71,100Mid-Career Pay: $120,400Electrical & Computer Engineers deal with the theories, principles, and practices of traditional electrical engineering and mathematics and apply them to the design of computers and computer-based devices.The median annual wage for ECE majors is $95,000 per year.24.\u00a0Computer Engineering (CE)Early Career Pay: $72,600Mid-Career Pay: $120,000Computer engineering majors use the study of mathematics, physics, and computer science to analyze, design, and develop computer hardware and software.Career paths for computer engineers include computer programmer, computer systems analyst, web developer, and computer network architect.The average salary for computer engineers is $82,000 every year.25.\u00a0Software EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $69,100Mid-Career Pay: $109,100Software engineers develop applications that allow people to do specific tasks on computers or other devices.Employment of software engineers and developers is expected to increase by 24% from 2016 to 2026, with an addition of over 300,000 jobs.The average yearly salary for software engineers is $77,000.26. Engineering PhysicsEarly Career Pay: $65,400Mid-Career Pay: $119,100Engineering Physics majors use their broad knowledge in the combined disciplines of physics, mathematics, and computer, nuclear, electrical engineering to develop, create, and optimize engineering solutions.The average annual salary for Engineering Physics majors is $75,000.27.\u00a0Engineering ScienceEarly Career Pay: $63,900Mid-Career Pay: $118,000Engineering scientists use the integration of engineering, biological, chemical, mathematical, and physical sciences with the arts, humanities, and social sciences to develop new technologies and innovative solutions.The average yearly salary of engineering science majors is $77,000.28. Construction Engineering ManagementEarly Career Pay: $64,000Mid-Career Pay: $118,200The average construction engineering manager earns about $88,970 every year. This amount might increase depending on the possession of extra skills such as Blueprints, Construction estimating, and AutoCAD.29. Control EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $68,500Mid-Career Pay: $115,300Controls engineers develop, test, and implement automation, control, and processing systems, such as those used for electrical or water control.Controls engineers are paid a median salary of $74,633 every year.30.\u00a0Electrical & Electronics Engineering (EEE)Early Career Pay: $69,200Mid-Career Pay: $112,000Electrical and electronics engineers are in charge of designing and developing electronic equipment such as broadcast and communications systems like portable music players and Global Positioning System (GPS) devices.The average annual pay for electrical and electronics engineers is $94,000.31. Electronics & Communications EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $56,400Mid-Career Pay: $108,700Electronics and communications engineers engage in research, design, development, and testing of the electronic equipment used in various communications systems.Average base pay for electronics and communication graduates is $46,561 per year.32. Mining EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $72,100Mid-Career Pay: $114,000Mining engineers design mines to safely and efficiently remove minerals such as coal, gold and silver, iron, and other metals for use in manufacturing and utilities.Employment of mining engineers is expected to grow 8% from 2016 to 2026.The average salary for a mining engineer is $75,207.33.\u00a0Welding EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $73,500Mid-Career Pay: $112,300Welding engineers are involved in all the processes related to the design, production, performance, and maintenance of welded products.The average salary for a welding engineer is $76,043 every year.34. Plastics EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $65,300Mid-Career Pay: $111,900Career paths for plastics engineering majors include process engineer, design engineer, project engineer, and quality engineer.The average annual pay for plastics engineers is $64,249.35.\u00a0Metallurgical EngineeringEarly Career Pay: $77,300Mid-Career Pay: $111,100Metallurgical engineering is one of the top paying college majors in the engineering field.They apply technology in converting natural mineral resources into useful products for society. They are also involved in the mining, extraction, design, processing, and application of metals and their alloys.The average salary for a metallurgical engineer is $74,115 every year.The employment rate in the industry is projected to witness a slight growth by just 2% over the next decade.36.\u00a0Biomedical Engineering (BME)Early Career Pay: $66,000Mid-Career Pay: $110,300Biomedical engineers design, develop, and create devices and systems used in health care.Career paths for biomedical engineering majors include biomechanics, clinical engineering, medical imaging, and systems physiology.The average salary among workers with a biomedical engineering degree is $70,000.Mathematics Majors37. Actuarial MathematicsEarly Career Pay: $54,700Mid-Career Pay: $158,100Actuarial mathematicians use statistics and financial theory to analyze the economic costs of risks and uncertainty, and they help businesses and clients develop policies that minimize the value of that risk.The average yearly wage for an actuarial mathematics major in the United States is around $101,560 per year.The employment growth rate of actuaries is expected to grow by 22% from 2016 to 2026, with 5,300 new jobs added over the ten years.38. Actuarial ScienceEarly Career Pay: $62,700Mid-Career Pay: $123,500The average salary for actuarial science degree holders is $86,000.39. Economics and MathematicsEarly Career Pay: $63,200Mid-Career Pay: $126,900Economics and Mathematics majors are within the top ten highest paying college majors in America, and they earn an average salary of $68,000 per year.40. Computational & Applied MathematicsEarly Career Pay: $65,200Mid-Career Pay: $117,300Computational and applied mathematics majors focus on the application of a broad range of mathematical and computational methods to the solution of scientific and engineering problems.The annual median wage for degree holders is $75,000.41. Applied MathematicsEarly Career Pay: $61,700Mid-Career Pay: $113,000An applied mathematics degree is essential in a wide range of fields, such as electronics, aerospace, technology, manufacturing, medical companies, finance, and analytics.According to BLS, the median annual wage for mathematicians in 2017 was $103,010.The employment opportunities for mathematicians and statisticians is expected to grow by 33% in 2026, with an addition of 13,500 new jobs from 2016 to 2026.42. StatisticsEarly Career Pay: $62,000Mid-Career Pay: $111,300Statisticians analyze data and apply statistical techniques to help solve real-world problems in business, engineering, healthcare, and other fields.The median annual wage for statisticians is $67,000.Other Majors43. Public AccountingEarly Career Pay: $60,700Mid-Career Pay: $135,000Public accounting majors prepare and examine financial records to determine their accuracy. They also assess financial operations and work to ensure that organizations run smoothly.The median annual wage for accountants is around $69,350.The employment rate is expected to increase by about 10% in 2026.44. Business AnalysisEarly Career Pay: $53,400Mid-Career Pay: $129,800The average yearly salary of business analysts is $75,000.45. Business Logistics & TransportationEarly Career Pay: $53,300Mid-Career Pay: $117,000This degree focuses on the movement of people, materials, and equipment from one place to another.Business logistics & transportation degree holders can pursue the following careers: logistics engineers, consultant, purchasing manager, and inventory manager.The average annual pay for majors is $61,000.46. Information ManagementEarly Career Pay: $59,600Mid-Career Pay: $116,800The average yearly salary for information management degree holders is $71,000.47. Managerial EconomicsEarly Career Pay: $60,800Mid-Career Pay: $117,800Managerial economics majors use the application of economic principles to analyze the organization and operation of business enterprises.The average annual pay for managerial economics degree holders is $66,000.48. Accounting & EconomicsEarly Career Pay: $61,200Mid-Career Pay: $110,100A dual accounting degree, combined with an economics major, balances accounting practices with relative ease. Majors use logical reasoning to identify and solve complex accounting or economic issues in businesses and organizations.The average yearly salary is $66,000.49. Business & EconomicsEarly Career Pay: $55,400Mid-Career Pay: $109,000Business and economics degree holders use the fundamental principles of economics to solve issues related to international finance, public policies, and business management.The average annual wage for degree holders is $61,000.ConclusionWe\u2019ve done a rundown of the 49\u00a0highest paying college degrees as well as their average annual salary, and their projected employment outlook.Which of these majors do you think are the best college majors for the future?Share your thoughts with us in the comments."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Career","item":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/career\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Certifications","item":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/career\/\/certifications\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"49 Highest Paying College Majors, From IT to Psychology and More","item":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/career\/certifications\/highest-paying-majors\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]