Majors

Majors and what they pay

358 fields of study, compared by credential level. Typical first-year earnings for certificates, associate and bachelor's programs, and five-year earnings for bachelor's.

358 rows · click a column to sort
FieldCertificate, 1 yrAssociate, 1 yrBachelor's, 1 yrBachelor's, 5 yrsPrograms
Operations Research——$102,318$154,50957
Mathematics and Computer Science——$78,758$140,06883
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration——$53,359$129,303446
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology——$58,376$120,262305
Marine Transportation——$109,483$116,84125
Computer Engineering$64,190$53,528$81,533$115,326596
Petroleum Engineering——$89,188$113,66660
Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering——$110,585$110,01720
Computer Science—$42,371$73,638$108,5131,453
Construction Engineering——$79,049$108,13464
Systems Engineering——$78,987$106,560165
Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering——$76,979$106,072121
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering——$81,706$104,754846
Industrial Engineering——$77,946$102,795305
Chemical Engineering——$80,269$101,538471
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering——$78,794$101,457206
Nuclear Engineering——$77,236$101,30681
Mathematics and Statistics, Other——$72,642$100,56842
Construction Management—$55,334$74,821$99,430197
Mining and Mineral Engineering——$83,900$99,39037
Biomedical/Medical Engineering——$71,150$99,147512
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other$48,161$49,354$62,339$98,37181
Engineering, Other——$70,183$97,855180
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician$55,287$62,359$75,373$97,519208
Materials Engineering——$75,832$97,394242
Engineering Mechanics———$97,35530
Applied Mathematics——$63,684$96,433510
Engineering Science——$75,522$96,233105
Mechanical Engineering——$75,796$96,217850
Metallurgical Engineering———$95,98920
Engineering-Related Fields——$75,934$94,762289
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics——$55,715$94,569286
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection$36,806$52,389$74,340$94,333431
Ocean Engineering——$76,449$93,33830
Engineering, General$74,477$66,861$72,468$92,793778
Computer and Information Sciences, General$46,413$44,136$66,524$92,7492,335
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians$47,846$60,238$72,168$92,362659
Manufacturing Engineering——$76,612$91,80786
Polymer/Plastics Engineering——$74,572$91,57827
Information Science/Studies$53,356$49,860$66,430$91,142584
Engineering Physics——$71,186$90,876135
Air Transportation—$43,040$53,749$90,799314
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians$58,067$46,848$71,487$90,429171
Civil Engineering——$72,633$89,879678
Human Computer Interaction——$66,505$89,80974
Agricultural Engineering——$72,121$89,79985
Architectural Engineering——$76,714$89,56451
Statistics——$67,602$89,380477
Real Estate$44,407—$61,645$89,083317
Biological/Biosystems Engineering——$65,759$88,80743
Science, Technology and Society——$57,125$88,76665
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians$55,802$64,625$73,612$87,414664
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$79,288$74,459$80,718$87,3774,064
Management Information Systems and Services$65,324$43,150$63,426$87,204550
Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations——$60,506$86,897108
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services$32,779$41,928$41,670$86,7952,008
Economics——$58,734$86,7611,204
Fire Protection$51,403$56,993$70,923$86,598615
Surveying Engineering———$86,40618
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management$49,474$48,195$62,778$85,9741,803
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering——$68,174$85,605255
Insurance——$62,910$85,35993
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods$68,526—$66,366$85,190907
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians$60,695$58,264$70,643$85,013363
Physics——$54,230$84,3531,236
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians$42,042$50,016$65,931$84,011232
Finance and Financial Management Services$52,980—$59,997$83,7011,154
Business/Managerial Economics——$57,382$83,514223
Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians——$71,642$82,994130
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other—$37,318$63,137$82,641106
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians$58,071$65,084$67,067$82,529646
Human Biology——$35,600$82,46441
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General$50,607$56,524$64,722$82,310283
Computer Programming$48,921$47,201$71,441$82,259743
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians$41,929$48,235$77,491$81,7601,454
Biotechnology——$50,374$81,453236
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other——$44,209$81,398166
Cognitive Science——$52,547$80,29399
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations$57,064$50,302$59,171$80,212344
Physical Sciences, General—$38,846—$80,103143
Geological/Geophysical Engineering——$66,717$79,71632
International Business$62,030—$58,020$79,449482
Computer Systems Analysis——$61,471$79,327107
Pharmacology and Toxicology———$78,813160
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians—$60,013$65,353$78,730147
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications$41,311$47,892$65,000$78,370717
Accounting and Related Services$39,417$42,751$59,097$77,3523,249
Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs——$34,875$77,28940
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics———$77,034127
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians$45,869$51,291$64,087$76,578729
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions$33,614$54,834$69,265$76,5491,039
Biology/Biotechnology Technologies/Technicians$43,526—$61,604$76,480112
Systems Science and Theory——$59,681$76,19856
Agricultural Mechanization—$60,547$61,751$76,15499
Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences$30,360—$41,859$76,11961
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians——$55,803$75,640104
Data Processing$38,060$38,746—$75,514137
Mathematics——$53,660$75,1211,795
Medical Illustration and Informatics——$53,823$74,778215
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences——$44,304$74,590261
Food Science and Technology$49,465—$54,336$73,733225
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians$40,709$43,613—$73,440374
Homeland Security$47,683$45,182$55,462$73,105404
Science Technologies/Technicians, Other—$52,018$66,256$72,96266
Public Policy Analysis——$49,429$72,658308
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning——$53,697$71,755182
International Relations and National Security Studies——$45,574$71,734483
Marketing$50,204$42,568$50,680$71,1601,415
Urban Studies/Affairs——$44,690$71,108129
Neurobiology and Neurosciences——$37,947$71,019494
Architecture——$54,218$70,989213
Chemistry——$48,530$70,9891,701
Landscape Architecture——$59,148$70,85994
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology——$43,571$70,833911
Human Resources Management and Services$48,837$45,104$56,072$70,8041,064
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other——$55,623$70,68688
Agricultural Business and Management—$44,691$51,918$70,664487
Architectural Sciences and Technology—$49,060$56,848$70,558307
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology——$42,823$70,501302
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other$34,844$38,219$43,497$70,015263
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions$31,039$64,973$69,975$69,6461,036
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution——$45,554$69,632111
Housing and Human Environments——$46,844$69,46722
Biological and Physical Sciences—$33,338$40,786$69,379343
Genetics——$39,703$69,265150
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences——$36,093$68,886402
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other$61,875—$58,453$68,866172
Business/Commerce, General$44,653$40,888$52,236$68,8201,219
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations$51,370$25,878$50,148$68,377904
Political Science and Government$49,108—$43,207$68,2231,570
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other——$47,833$68,06436
Business Administration, Management and Operations$42,360$41,020$51,573$67,7795,249
Area Studies——$42,038$67,465559
Soil Sciences——$51,787$67,27960
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions$53,474$60,533$69,860$66,5682,594
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs$32,713$35,099$36,870$66,494384
Legal Professions and Studies, Other——$42,168$66,012112
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology——$43,756$65,842155
Public Administration——$50,167$65,826675
Non-Professional Legal Studies—$31,131$44,185$65,626265
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication$41,682—$47,537$65,550671
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other——$48,985$65,37873
Interior Architecture——$48,836$65,19552
Biology, General—$34,880$37,360$64,7932,359
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General$45,964$38,839$40,340$64,236969
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services—$43,371$52,966$64,201357
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences$53,216—$45,793$63,878841
Forestry——$46,652$63,583189
Sustainability Studies$46,667—$44,761$63,252300
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services——$47,829$62,96321
Environmental Design——$51,087$62,84851
Nutrition Sciences——$36,231$62,655283
Philosophy——$38,197$62,4481,050
Health and Medical Administrative Services$33,350$36,385$49,492$61,9682,787
Architecture and Related Services, Other———$61,78316
Geography and Cartography$45,420—$45,212$61,512784
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services——$33,210$61,507839
Computer Software and Media Applications$36,210$30,498$41,139$61,095809
Public Health$39,213$37,907$43,165$60,7681,357
Research and Experimental Psychology——$39,658$60,698473
Business/Corporate Communications——$39,635$60,49970
Apparel and Textiles——$44,266$60,459162
International/Globalization Studies——$42,133$60,229379
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics$41,987—$40,871$60,2061,159
Criminology——$42,196$60,189307
Security Science and Technology$54,534$51,107$44,768$60,046548
Social Sciences, Other——$43,514$59,962129
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other——$38,911$59,62589
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services$49,870—$36,867$59,459341
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$41,059—$41,042$59,3101,290
Hospitality Administration/Management$47,781$36,769$45,928$59,222753
Funeral Service and Mortuary Science$42,338$44,998$51,033$58,93695
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services——$40,049$58,401297
Journalism——$41,407$58,361518
Plant Sciences——$43,856$58,185250
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations——$45,847$58,118166
Agricultural Public Services——$46,367$57,73668
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy——$43,021$57,655221
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness$27,894$33,255$37,407$57,3131,951
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$53,471$43,093$46,542$57,309862
Communication and Media Studies—$30,638$42,087$57,2941,751
Visual and Performing Arts, Other——$36,292$57,22477
Botany/Plant Biology——$30,721$57,192117
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics——$35,335$57,084237
Animal Sciences—$37,433$37,728$56,994265
Design and Applied Arts$34,776$33,406$39,169$56,9421,513
Criminal Justice and Corrections$55,239$39,832$42,575$56,8402,891
Psychology, Other——$40,293$56,75997
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education——$56,145$56,532163
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies——$45,128$56,26537
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies$37,678—$40,510$55,782806
Legal Support Services$47,937$42,131$43,370$55,693855
Sociology—$35,738$40,670$55,4031,420
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions$38,580$46,349$38,749$55,3001,118
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services$44,376—$33,555$55,185643
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other———$55,11857
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions$39,359$40,585$40,910$54,8791,328
Agriculture, General—$39,695$44,412$54,778199
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$35,748$33,693$42,487$54,7342,940
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology——$41,319$54,7321,317
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology——$34,656$54,720507
Social Sciences, General—$34,275$43,530$54,198446
Community Organization and Advocacy—$33,394$45,518$54,127150
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication$27,575$29,805$37,718$53,931713
History——$37,830$53,7991,925
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General$57,422$35,538$42,947$53,756410
Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services, Other———$53,73423
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management——$40,251$53,720174
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies——$38,994$53,677154
Psychology, General$37,239$30,362$37,312$53,2932,123
Social Work—$34,287$41,465$53,1601,277
Literature——$34,133$53,01898
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas$46,383$18,727$45,721$52,3171,835
Agricultural Production Operations—$40,547$42,350$52,092358
Gerontology———$51,925146
Special Education and Teaching$41,305—$46,718$51,9061,486
Human Services, General$28,665$36,249$42,472$51,471591
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management——$34,955$51,157124
Education, General—$27,669$43,246$51,1241,040
English Language and Literature, General$28,999$35,330$36,768$51,0771,947
Sociology and Anthropology——$34,476$50,79249
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management$29,529$25,049$36,700$50,621304
Education, Other——$38,339$50,251293
Anthropology$49,147—$33,633$50,125825
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services$28,506$30,402$38,751$49,9391,511
American Sign Language—$37,460$39,409$49,922273
Theological and Ministerial Studies——$37,280$49,874738
Behavioral Sciences—$31,898$38,662$49,813155
Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management——$39,669$49,64935
Zoology/Animal Biology——$33,418$48,618178
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$32,271$31,302$44,394$48,3742,965
Culinary Arts and Related Services$31,552$34,532$37,680$48,360897
Film/Video and Photographic Arts$29,188$30,220$31,401$48,122777
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General——$37,431$47,592118
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies$36,724—$35,359$47,586899
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology, Other———$47,57323
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians$26,812$31,831$34,345$47,556436
Natural Resources and Conservation, Other——$30,975$47,52516
Bible/Biblical Studies—$33,964$37,704$47,364335
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other——$35,062$47,04568
Religious Education——$39,250$46,683110
Educational Administration and Supervision——$42,610$46,6751,607
Natural Sciences——$38,655$46,624115
Graphic Communications$27,666$27,462$28,397$46,567471
Religion/Religious Studies—$47,263$25,696$46,418780
Music—$25,049$34,409$46,2741,802
Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems$25,770—$33,605$45,853132
Visual and Performing Arts, General—$27,290$30,968$45,518477
Theology and Religious Vocations, Other——$38,091$45,120114
Communications Technologies/Technicians—$25,060$29,205$44,92046
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language$31,924—$37,619$44,517479
Fine and Studio Arts$37,994$25,771$31,083$44,1041,736
Dance——$28,543$43,758383
Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services$18,552—$31,294$43,61980
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians$29,383$38,472$38,660$43,109349
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft$21,712$21,945$29,607$43,0131,235
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries—$34,124$33,735$42,886322
Religious Music and Worship———$41,158122
Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology——$34,945$40,069126
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants$49,693$57,106$18,423$31,9821,304
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services$31,717$40,968—$25,6011,013
Agricultural and Food Products Processing————19
International Agriculture————12
Veterinary Medicine————40
Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation————29
Real Estate Development————22
Publishing————29
Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications————73
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services$22,965$24,015——1,670
Curriculum and Instruction————618
Educational/Instructional Media Design————430
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research————195
International and Comparative Education————31
Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education——$31,631—89
Student Counseling and Personnel Services————641
Teaching Assistants/Aides$27,211$29,408——172
Electrical and Computer Engineering——$86,047—64
Energy Systems Engineering————18
Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians—$64,161——46
Nuclear Engineering Technology/Technician————9
Nanotechnology————18
Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians$36,179$65,699$83,188—146
American Indian/Native American Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics————16
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics————101
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics————298
Second Language Learning————10
Law————264
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies————243
Library Science and Administration——$31,982—109
Library and Archives Assisting————46
Library Science, Other————9
Molecular Medicine————11
Applied Statistics————46
Biopsychology——$37,938—21
Historic Preservation and Conservation————79
Medieval and Renaissance Studies————41
Museology/Museum Studies————93
Holocaust and Related Studies————15
Classical and Ancient Studies————63
Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies——$38,376—114
Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis————52
Dispute Resolution————48
Maritime Studies————8
Computational Science————117
Marine Sciences——$39,446—44
Economics and Computer Science————10
Environmental Geosciences————10
Geography and Environmental Studies————98
History and Political Science————16
Mathematical Economics————11
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics————15
Digital Humanities and Textual Studies————17
Data Science——$87,360—330
Data Analytics——$66,696—400
Outdoor Education——$30,117—52
Basic Skills and Developmental/Remedial Education$21,065———6
Philosophy and Religious Studies, General————48
Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other————36
Astronomy and Astrophysics——$44,929—206
Materials Sciences————88
Physical Sciences, Other——$51,144—36
Science Technologies/Technicians, General————18
Nuclear and Industrial Radiologic Technologies/Technicians————24
Physical Science Technologies/Technicians$69,508$62,489——100
Archeology————75
Demography————18
Construction Trades, General$38,778$55,372——98
Mason/Masonry————35
Carpenters$35,631$68,032——259
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers$44,727$49,547——755
Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services$41,573$49,923——170
Construction Trades, Other————30
Mechanics and Repairers, General————19
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians$40,437$52,441——400
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)$42,049$46,089——816
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians$60,072$64,182——429
Precision Systems Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians$41,430$48,220——48
Energy Systems Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians————18
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians, Other————50
Leatherworking and Upholstery————6
Precision Metal Working$42,687$49,355——1,393
Woodworking————69
Precision Production, Other————15
Ground Transportation$48,327———278
Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry————12
Community/Environmental/Socially-Engaged Art————7
Chiropractic————22
Dentistry————83
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences————115
Medicine————229
Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies————115
Optometry————28
Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions—$43,544——72
Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies$26,830———95
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities——$35,261—306
Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services$28,066$38,570——413
Movement and Mind-Body Therapies and Education————21
Taxation————102

Typical = median across programs of each program's median earnings. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.