For decades, reports have shown that earning a degree is a great option to land a fulfilling and rewarding career. According to the most recent data available from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, full-time working graduates earn $24,000 more a year than those who finished high school especially if they graduated with the highest paying college majors.
Finishing college puts workers on a path to earn a median of $2.8 million over their lifetime, compared with $1.6 million if they had only finished high school, according to another report.In general, the report found, those holding a bachelor’s degree enjoyed an average premium of 75% over their lifetime—and, in many cases, the higher one’s educational attainment, the larger the payoff.
Because of this fact, we’ll be sharing in this blog the highest paying college majors that promise rewarding careers. We’ll also be sharing everything you need to know about the majors that make the most money—as well as what drives their success and some of the easy majors that pay well.
- What Are the Top 10 Highest Paying College Majors?
- Why Some Majors Pay Better Than Others
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Takeaways
What Are the Top 10 Highest Paying College Majors?
Choosing a major shouldn’t always be about how much money one has to make after graduation. If you’re interested in one of the highest paying college majors, consider the field that increases your chances of securing such a job.
Majoring in one of the highest paying college majors is nearly always a good idea anyway; a lot of the classes you take and skills you learn can be applied to a variety of industries once you graduate. For example, studying business does not necessarily mean that you will end up being the CEO of some global corporation. It can also help you with careers like healthcare administration or public relations by teaching organizational skills.
Before we dive deeper into each major, here’s a comprehensive overview of the majors that make the most money, based on a study conducted by Columbia University:
| Degree | Median Salary | Best Careers |
| 1. Information Technology | $135,549 |
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| 2. Finance | $69,590 -$129,580 |
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| 3. Construction Management | $118,800 |
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| 4. Economics | $114,647 |
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| 5. Computer Science | $111,952 |
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| 6. Architecture | $102,730 |
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| 7. Applied Mathematics | $102,500 |
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| 8. Education | $101,060 |
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| 9. Computer Game Design | $90,270 |
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| 10. Healthcare Administration | $89,250 |
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1. Information technology
An information technology degree will set you up for careers in computer support systems, network administration, and information security analysis. These days, almost every business needs someone with the kind of expertise these workers have, hence making IT one of the majors that make the most money.
IT job growth in the next decade will be around 23%, so plenty of jobs await newly minted graduates. On this, the BLS says there will be about 377,500 new job openings annually through 2031.
The IT degree holders also bring home fat pay. For example, IT support managers fetch an average of $135,549 annually. Having a high salary right out of college could be very appealing to students, and it is one of the reasons this degree is among the highest paying college majors.
Top universities for the degree:
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Cornell University
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- Penn State
- Hallmark University
2. Finance
Another high-demand degree in 2024 is finance. The study of finance would train you to be involved in the everyday financial activities of a business—for example, dealing with accounting or budgets. Having a finance degree provides many different career choices, such as financial advisor, accountant, or financial analyst, making it one of the highest paying college majors.
Anyone desiring to obtain a finance degree will have to decide on the area they want to study specifically and probably get registered. For example, if you want to be an accountant, you have to get a bachelor’s degree in accounting and pass a licensing exam to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
The sector has stable job growth, with an 8% growth rate projected in the next decade—some 911,400 new jobs. In this case, it’s the number of jobs that make finance rank among the highest paying college majors in demand in 2024. The average salary in this sector is anywhere from $69,590 to $129,580.
Top universities for the degree:
- University of Pennsylvania
- New York University
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- University of Texas at Austin
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3. Construction management
While one could become a construction manager without having gone to college, if you would like to work with the larger construction firms, a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management is required. Because construction is so greatly in demand, a construction manager degree is equally in demand.
Construction industry jobs are growing by 5%, and with the average salaries ringing in at about $118,800, it is easy to see why these degrees are in such demand. Construction management gives one many choices in their career, whereby they can be a private construction manager working as an individual contractor or working with a large construction firm on big projects.
Top universities for the degree:
- University of Southern California
- Columbia University in the City of New York
- Virginia Tech
- Wentworth Institute of Technology
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
4. Economics
Economics is the social science dealing with the production, distribution, and consumption of products incorporated with scarce resources to manufacture goods and render services. Generally, a holder of an economics degree can attract an average annual salary of $113,940, making it one of the highest paying college majors, with the field expected to grow 6% by 2032.
Those studying economics take courses in math and data to learn the economic way of thinking. Other courses will include macro and microeconomics and business statistics.
Graduates mostly take up planning positions in corporations. These roles include data experts, market researchers, risk analysts, or managers dealing with pay and benefits. As one of the highest paying college majors, economics equips you with skills to help solve complex economic problems in the real world.
Top universities for the degree:
- Harvard University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- Stanford University
- Princeton University
- University of California-Berkeley
5. Computer science
Another one of those degrees that are in high demand is a computer science degree. The area of study or subject means that you are going into software development, web, and artificial intelligence engineering, among others, making it one of the highest paying college majors.
Indeed, this creates quite a reason for student enrollment in such a high-demand major. According to the BLS, a regular growth of around 23% can be assumed in this sector within the next ten years. This means that if this highly demanded degree falls within your ability, it is much more than likely that a career option will open up once you graduate.
The median annual wage for workers holding computer science degrees totals $111,952 per year, which makes this degree one of the highest paying college majors in high demand among college students.
With a computer science major, you can enter the career lines of being a software developer, video game developer, or computer programmer.
Top universities for the degree:
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- University of California, Berkeley
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
6. Architecture
Under an architecture program, you will learn to plan and design buildings like houses, factories, or condo buildings, making it one of the highest paying college majors.
Normally, the completion of four years in school and a paid internship is required to get an architecture degree. After achieving such a degree, you are supposed to pass a professional licensing examination to practice your career.
One of the reasons architecture is among the highest paying college majors is due to the constant job growth. For example, according to BLS, around 6,000 new jobs are expected to arise in the architecture sector by the year 2031.
Students who seek employment right after graduation will be happy to know that the average salary for architects is pretty high, around $102,730 per year.
Top universities for the degree:
- Cornell University
- Rice University
- Washington University in St. Louis
- Boston Architectural College
- Southern California Institute of Architecture
7. Applied mathematics
Applied mathematics majors will study advanced arithmetic courses that lead to careers like actuaries, data scientists, statisticians, and operation research analysts, making it one of the highest paying college majors.
These are the careers that are most in demand and are projected to increase by 30% in the next decade. The BLS reports that careers in mathematics will increase by 33,500 in the next ten years. Growth like this will provide you with numerous directions in which their degrees can be applied.
Another reason that applied mathematics is among the highest paying college majors is because it comes with a very high wage rate for their jobs. The average wage for an applied mathematician can be around $102,500. With such an average wage, taking applied mathematics as a major could turn out to be very lucrative.
Top universities for the degree:
- Stanford University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- Princeton University
- Harvard University
- University of California Berkeley
8. Education
Education degrees are in great demand due to the overwhelming need for teachers. The students are taught the developmental goals of children and how to manage a classroom as a teacher.
This represents an average of 67,100 projected annual job openings for high school teachers over a decade. In addition, teachers have good salaries to work: the median average salary stands at $65,123 for an elementary teacher and $101,060 for university professors.
Top universities for the degree:
- University of California Berkeley
- Stanford University
- Harvard University
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- University of California, Los Angeles
9. Computer game design
In this major, you will get into a four-year program that mixes computer science with art and a special focus on game design, making it one of the highest paying college majors. You will study how to use computer programming and various software tools to create digital designs and code graphic systems. Projects include everything from two-dimensional images to three-dimensional graphics and photography.
The program has interactive multimedia, animation, and construction graphics specializations. A graduate from this kind of course would most likely work in web technology, engineering, architecture, and computer-aided design, all areas associated with the highest paying college majors.
The video game industry has just blown up, and with that comes plenty of available jobs. The program shall also lead one into careers such as multimedia design, game creative direction, and designing game characters and environments, in addition to game programming.
Top universities for the degree:
- University of Southern California
- Carnegie Mellon University
- University of Utah
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Rochester Institute of Technology
10. Healthcare administration
Healthcare administration has much potential, having a median salary of $104,830 and a 28% growth projection through 2032.
You will learn how to run healthcare facilities in school by studying various kinds of skills. These include management, organization, health policy, and business.
You can assume positions such as clinical managers, health service managers, or work in health information management after graduation. All these jobs make sure that healthcare places run smoothly to care for patients.
Top universities for the degree:
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Health Professions (MSHA -Health Administration)
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- Rush University
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Why Some Majors Pay Better Than Others
Generally speaking, college graduates who end up earning successful wages after their studies are those who have majored in one of the highest-paying college majors where new talent is required in the job market.
Take computer programming, for example. Demand for such graduates is high at the moment, and because of the rising popularity of artificial intelligence, most big firms are willing to pay huge sums of money to highly and uniquely skilled programmers.
Similarly, other sectors that this would relate to include healthcare, business, and STEM, where fresh graduates, as well as current skills and field knowledge, will continue to be in demand in some of the highest paying college majors.
Although no major necessarily guarantees a 6-figure job straight up from school, certain majors, used as preparation toward those industries, ensure you are better educated—able to jump right into a high-demand position right now and give you a leg up during your job search.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the easy majors that pay well?
“Easy” is a subjective term. It depends on your interests and skills. Majors with less technical and rigorous coursework may be seen as more convenient compared to those that include lab-based subjects, which demand more time and precision. For an overview of the highest paying college majors, consult the table above.
2. What degree offers the most job opportunities?
Business and engineering offer the most job opportunities due to the wide variety of specializations available. You can choose a specialization that aligns with your passions and interests within these fields. These majors’ flexibility, combined with the potential to be among the highest paying college majors, can land you jobs across different fields.
3. What degree is best for the future?
Any technology-related degree, such as computer science, information technology, or engineering, is where the future lies. These areas generally require skilled professionals constantly, and job growth projections provide a critical need for graduate holders of these degrees.
Takeaways
- Some of the highest paying college majors include IT, finance, and economics.
- Graduates of the highest paying college majors typically have a starting salary in the range of $75,000 to $120,000. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual wage for all occupations in the U.S. is around $60,000.
- Some of the reasons why these majors make the most money are attributed to market demand and specialization in the field.
- If you’re planning to take on any of the highest paying college majors, AdmissionSight is here to assist you! We have more than ten years of expertise assisting students in nailing the challenging admissions process.
Eric Eng
About the author
Eric Eng, the Founder and CEO of AdmissionSight, graduated with a BA from Princeton University and has one of the highest track records in the industry of placing students into Ivy League schools and top 10 universities. He has been featured on the US News & World Report for his insights on college admissions.
