Which College Degrees Make the Most Money?

Which college alumni go on to get the highest paying jobs? It depends on how long you’re willing to go to school. Generally speaking, the longest you’re in school earning marketable degrees, the more money you’ll make in your intended field.

Go To: Highest-Paying Jobs–Specialized Doctors

Go To: Highest-Paying Undergraduate Degrees

Go To: Highest-Paying Two-Year Degrees

Highest Paying Jobs: Specialized Doctors

Generally speaking, the highest paying jobs are specialized doctors. According to Money.com, the top 5 highest median salaries were¹:

All these specialized doctors were found to have a median salary well over $200,000.

• Anesthesiologists
• Surgeons
• Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
• OB-GYNs
• Orthodontists

To get one of these jobs, you’re looking at 11 to 16 years of post-high school education (not to mention a boat-load of student loan debt) to earn:

• Undergraduate degree (4 years)
• Medical school (4 years)
• Medical Residency (3-8 years)

Highest Paying Jobs: Undergraduate and Two-Year Degrees

How can you get the most bang for your buck without going to medical school? First of all, spend less time thinking about which college you want to go to (don’t fall for the student loan craze–go somewhere you can afford!). “Research shows that in many ways it doesn’t really matter where you go to college,” According to CNBC², ” The major you pick has a greater influence on your future postgraduate earnings and career success.”

Many of the highest-paying jobs are in the field of:

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
  • Related: Computers and Software
• Medical (e.g. pharmacy)
• Business management and economics

Get a Job That Pays–And Make a Difference

More and more students are finding that their job satisfaction doesn’t necessarily come from what hits their bank account every month. For this reason, Payscale’s 2019 College Salary Report³ includes an index for the most meaningful college majors. This “meaningfulness” score was the number of alumni who, when asked, said they feel like their work makes the world a better place.

Without further ado . . .

Go To: Highest-Paying Undergraduate Degrees &

Go To: Highest-Paying Two-Year Degrees

Highest-Paying Jobs: Undergraduate Degrees

Ranked by Mid-Career Pay

Note: These alumni could have earned additional degrees before receiving their high-paying jobs, so research your intended field of study before selecting your major.

#10. Aeronautics & Astronautics

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience:  $73,100

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $131,600

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 59%

 

#9. Pharmacy

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $79,600

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $132,500

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 77%

 

#8. Business Analysis

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $57,200

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $133,200

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 50%

 

#7. Electrical Power Engineering

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $72,400

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $134,700

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 63%

 

#6. Actuarial Mathematics

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $63,300

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $135,100

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 46%

 

#5. Political Economy

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $57,600

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $136,200

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 38%

 

#4. Operations Research

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $77,900

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $137,100

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 48%

 

#3. Applied Economics and Management

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $58,900

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $140,000

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 69%

 

#2. Electrical Engineering & Computer Science (EECS)

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $88,000

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $142,200

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 44%

 

#1. Petroleum Engineering

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $94,500

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $176,900

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 72%

 

To look up additional undergraduate degree salaries, check out Payscale’s 2019 College Salary Report³

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Highest Paying Jobs: 2-Year Degrees

Ranked by Mid-Career Pay

These alumni could have earned additional degrees before receiving their high-paying jobs, so research your intended field of study before selecting your major.

#10. Biomedical Engineering Technology

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $47,400

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $80,700

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: N/A

 

#9. Biomedical Engineering (BME)

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $44,000

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $80,900

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: N/A

 

#8. Instrumentation & Control

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $55,700

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $81,200

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: N/A

#7. Instrumentation Technology

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $46,700

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $81,700

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 63%

 

#6. Fire Protection Engineering

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $37,100

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $83,100

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: N/A

 

#5. Computer Science (CS) & Engineering

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $40,600

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $83,700

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 48%

 

#4. Project Management

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $48,900

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $89,300

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: N/A

 

#3. Software Engineering

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $48,100

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $90,700

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 33%

 

#2. Radiation Therapy

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $61,400

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $93,300

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 92%

 

#1. Physician Assistant Studies

Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $55,600

Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $98,300

Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: N/A

 

To look up additional 2-year degree salaries, check out Payscale’s 2019 College Salary Report⁴

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Those are the highest paying jobs for all the various levels of education, including:

Specialized Doctors

Undergraduate Degrees

Two-Year Degrees

So if you have money on your mind, looking into the STEM areas of study (science, technology, engineering, mathematics), medical, business, computers, software, and business.

Education is an investment–make the most of it! Also, don’t forget the importance of selecting a job that helps you feel like you’re making a meaningful contribution to the world. You’ll make the world a better place and increase your personal job satisfaction.

Sources:

1. Money – Best Paying Jobs
2. CNBC – The 10 highest-paying college majors of 2019, according to PayScale
3. Payscale.com – Highest Paying Jobs with a Bachelor’s Degree
4. Payscale.com – Highest Paying 2-Year Degrees
5. Wall Street Journal – Degrees that Pay You Back
6. Kraggle Data Analysis – Where it Pays to Attend College