1. Best-Paying College Degrees
More employment opportunities, higher paychecks, better growth prospects, greater job satisfaction, and
more—if you’re thinking about which college major to choose, you must have heard about the benefits of
going to college a thousand times over already.
Rather than focusing on the obvious and not-so-obvious advantages of a college education, let’s explore
some of the best-paying college degrees, which may help you when deciding on a major.
Engineering: Do you have a knack for math and science? Engineering degrees occupy the top-most
positions as far as best-paying undergrad programs are concerned. For example, the starting median pay
of a petroleum engineer is $97,900 per year, while that of a chemical engineer is $64,500 per year,
according to Payscale.com. Computer engineers, electrical engineers, and aerospace engineers can all
earn upwards of $60,000 per year at the start of their careers. 1
Computer Science: When outsourcing was at its peak, many thought that was it for home-bred IT
professionals. But this notion has been proven wrong, as computer science degrees continue to pay top
dollar to college graduates in the country.
A bachelor’s degree in computer science can help graduates enter fields like software engineering,
programming, information security, network administration, web development, and many other IT careers.
In terms of salary, a graduate of this program can earn a starting salary of $56,600 per year. 1
Accounting: Modern-day accountants are custodians of a business’s financial health. An accountant’s
role has not just increased in scope, but also in importance, thanks to the strict financial regulations that
businesses currently have to operate under.
A bachelor’s degree in accounting can help qualify graduates to pursue four main career paths—public
accounting, management accounting, government accounting, and internal auditing—and provides the
potential to earn $44,700 per year in starting salary. 1
Healthcare Administration: Healthcare administrators, or health services managers, are responsible for
planning, coordinating, supervising, and directing the delivery of healthcare. In short, these are the people
who do whatever it takes to make sure that the direct patient-care providers can do their job as smoothly
as possible. They have the important task of keeping the business of healthcare running.
With a degree in health care administration, graduates can draw an average starting salary of $36,700. 1
Of course, the earning potential and job profile of healthcare administrators both go up a notch with a
graduate degree in the field.
Nursing: That nursing figures amongst the best-paying college degrees should hardly come as a surprise
to anyone. According to Payscale.com, this noblest of the noble professions continues to make the cut as
one of the most in-demand and lucrative careers year after year.
There are two undergrad degrees that nursing aspirants can consider—an associate’s degree in nursing
and a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Registered nurses (RNs) who have a BSN on average can start at
$52,700 per year, though the earning potential of an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) holder can be
lower than that.5
Source:
1. payscale.com/best-colleges/degrees.asp