Special Report

The Highest and Lowest Paying College Majors in America

After earning their diploma, two-thirds of high school graduates attend college. Many hope a college education will help them land a better and higher-paying job than they would have been able to obtain without a degree. Bachelor’s degree recipients earn about 66% more than high school graduates — but even among the college educated, compensation depends heavily on field of study.

There are more than two dozen degree fields in which graduates — those with a bachelor’s degree or higher — earn more than $80,000 per year on average. At the other end of the spectrum, there are about as many degree fields for which the average salary is lower than $40,000 per year.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the U.S. Census Bureau on the average earnings of college graduates by field of study to determine the highest and lowest paying college majors.

Click here to see the highest paying college majors.
Click here to see the lowest paying college majors.
Click here to read our detailed findings and methodology.

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