- The most valuable college majors have a high likelihood of post-graduation employment and a decent salary.
- Bankrate recently took a look at the most valuable college majors – the top 10 were all in STEM fields.
- Naval architecture and marine engineering took the top spot.
- Across all 162 college majors surveyed for the study, the median income was $55,000 and the unemployment rate was 2.8%.
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The cost of college is higher than ever, making it important to pick a major that will be valuable in the long run, with a high likelihood of post-graduation employment and a decent expected salary.
Financial education company Bankrate recently determined the most valuable college majors based on the most recent data from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Using weighted data, the August 2019 study determined the employment and unemployment rates and incomes for graduates for their first year out of college across 162 majors. (Each of the majors included in the study employed at least 15,000 people.) It also considered the number of college graduates who held an advanced degree.
The 10 most valuable majors were all in STEM fields, with engineering concentrations dominating seven of those spots. The median income for all degree holders observed in the study, across all 162 majors, was $55,000, and the average unemployment rate was 2.8%.
Below, see the college majors that have proven to be the most valuable to students post-graduation.
25. Health and Medical Preparatory Programs
Median income: $74,000
Unemployment rate: 1.7%
24. Mathematics and Computer Science
Median income: $99,000
Unemployment rate: 4.5%
23. Finance
Median income: $75,000
Unemployment rate: 2.9%
22. Miscellaneous Engineering Technologies
Median income: $70,000
Unemployment rate: 2.1%
21. Chemical Engineering
Median income: $88,000
Unemployment rate: 3.0%
20. Civil Engineering
Median income: $80,000
Unemployment rate: 2.7%
19. Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
Median income: $70,100
Unemployment rate: 0.6%
18. Computer Science
Median income: $87,000
Unemployment rate: 3.1%
17. Management Information Systems and Statistics
Median income: $80,000
Unemployment rate: 2.9%
16. Mechanical Engineering
Median income: $88,000
Unemployment rate: 3.0%
T15. Transportation Sciences and Technologies
Median income: $72,000
Unemployment rate: 2.2%
T15. Construction Services
Median income: $70,000
Unemployment rate: 1.9%
13. Applied Mathematics
Median income: $78,200
Unemployment rate: 1.8%
12. General Engineering
Median income: $80,000
Unemployment rate: 2.4%
11. Engineering and Industrial Management
Median income: $72,600
Unemployment rate: 1.3%
10. Materials Science
Median income: $90,000
Unemployment rate: 2.0%
9. Electrical Engineering Technology
Median income: $76,000
Unemployment rate: 1.8%
8. Computer Engineering
Median income: $92,000
Unemployment rate: 2.8%
7. Aerospace Engineering
Median income: $90,000
Unemployment rate: 2.3%
6. Architectural Engineering
Median income: $74,000
Unemployment rate: 1.5%
5. Electrical Engineering
Median income: $99,000
Unemployment rate: 2.7%
4. Genetics
Median income: $85,000
Unemployment rate: 1.2%
3. Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
Median income: $100,000
Unemployment rate: 2.2%
2. Nuclear Engineering
Median income: $98,100
Unemployment rate: 1.8%
1. Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering
Median income: $90,000
Unemployment rate: 1.6%