Key takeaways
- Majors and industries with the highest starting salaries tend to be rooted in engineering, but they also extend to areas like technology, healthcare, and finance.
- While starting salary is an important factor when choosing a major, it’s equally important to consider job satisfaction and personal interest.
- To land a high-paying entry-level career, start researching jobs early on, look for internships, and network with professionals in your field.
Source: Flickr user cafnr.
When you’re exploring college majors, you may be curious to know which majors and industries have the highest starting salaries. Just browsing these starting salaries can give you helpful context as you weigh career paths and plan for life after college. However, money should not be the only factor when choosing a major. While income certainly matters, job satisfaction and fulfillment are just as important. Ideally, you should be looking for a major that balances financial stability, personal interest, and meaningful work.
Majors and industries with high starting salaries
Here’s a closer look at 10 majors and industries that offer the highest starting salaries:
1. COMPUTER AND INFORMATION RESEARCH SCIENCE
- Average early-career salary: $80,000
- Median salary: $140,000
- Job outlook 2024-34: 20%
- Entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
Computer and information research scientists are also known as computer scientists. They identify system needs, test software, and improve existing technology. Computer scientists may also specialize in robotics or programming.
Top 10 colleges to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer science
2. COMPUTER HARDWARE ENGINEERING
- Average early-career salary: $80,000
- Median salary: $155,000
- Job outlook 2024-34: 7%
- Entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
Computer hardware engineers design, develop, and test computer systems and components. They typically work in research labs, manufacturing settings, or computer systems design firms.
Best college to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer hardware engineering
3. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
- Average early-career salary: $80,000
- Median salary: $121,000
- Job outlook 2024-34: 3%
- Entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
Chemical engineers use science and engineering to design and improve products. They design manufacturing processes, solve problems during production, and make sure all equipment follows safety regulations.
Top 10 colleges to earn a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering
4. ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
- Average early-career salary: $78,000
- Median salary: $111,000
- Job outlook 2024-34: 7%
- Entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
Electrical engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and testing advanced electrical equipment. They are also involved in designing the electrical systems of aircraft and automobiles. They ensure products follow safety rules and handle any issues that come up.
Top 10 colleges to earn a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering
5. INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING
- Average early-career salary: $76,000
- Median salary: $101,000
- Job outlook 2024-34: 11%
- Entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
Industrial engineers use science and mathematics to streamline complex procedures and operations. As a result, this reduces time, energy, money, and materials. As part of their job, industrial engineers review engineering specifications, production planning, and process flows. This minimizes costs while still ensuring that products meet quality standards.
Top 10 colleges to earn a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering
6. AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
- Average early-career salary: $76,000
- Median salary: $134,000
- Job outlook 2024-34: 6%
- Entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
Aerospace engineers design and develop aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles. As part of their job, they ensure the final product works correctly, meets requirements, and follows safety and environmental standards.
Top 10 colleges to earn a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering
7. MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
- Average early-career salary: $75,000
- Median salary: $102,000
- Job outlook 2024-34: 9%
- Entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
Mechanical engineering involves the design and development of mechanical products. This includes anything from simple batteries to complex medical devices and elevators. Mechanical engineers often focus on heating and cooling systems, robotics, or auto research. These professionals tend to rely heavily on computer-aided design to create and evaluate products.
Top 10 colleges to earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering
8. CIVIL ENGINEERING
- Average early-career salary: $71,000
- Median salary: $99,000
- Job outlook 2024-34: 5%
- Entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
Civil engineers work on projects like roads, bridges, water systems, and tunnels. They plan and design these projects from start to finish.
Top 10 colleges to earn a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering
9. PHYSICS
- Average early-career salary: $70,000
- Median salary: $166,000
- Job outlook 2024-34: 4%
- Entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
Physics careers involve applying mathematical principles and developing theories to solve problems. These professionals learn to understand how the world works by studying matter, energy, and motion. Their expertise is typically used to advance science, medicine, and technology.
Top 10 colleges to earn a bachelor’s degree in physics
10. FINANCE
- Average early-career salary: $70,000
- Median salary: $101,000
- Job outlook 2024-34: 6%
- Entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
Finance is a broad field that focuses on how money is managed, invested, and grown. Roles like a financial analyst focus on analyzing data and numbers. Other jobs, like financial planners, help people manage their money and create plans.
Top 10 colleges to earn a bachelor’s degree in general finance
Find the right fit for your career goals
Remember, a high-paying starting salary is not the only thing to consider when deciding on a major. Job satisfaction and fulfillment are equally important factors to weigh when choosing a major and a career path. If none of the above majors spark your interest, use College Raptor’s Career Finder tool to explore various careers that could be your perfect fit. You’ll also find information on typical salaries, the number of job openings, and the job outlook for each career.
FAQs
Why do some majors have higher starting salaries than others?
Majors with higher salaries typically require specific skills, such as engineering or technology. When there are many open positions and not enough qualified candidates, starting salaries tend to rise.
Are high salaries linked to certain majors?
According to a labor market survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, early-career wages vary depending on major. However, the data shows that engineering majors top the list of industries with the highest starting salaries. Other industries like technology, healthcare, and finance also tend to pay more at the entry level because of the specialized expertise needed.
Should I choose a major based only on starting salary?
While your future salary is certainly important, it shouldn’t be the only factor. It’s just as important to choose a career that actually interests you and one you could see yourself being happy in for the long term.
How can I make the most of a high-paying major?
A major alone doesn’t guarantee a high-paying job. To set yourself up for success, start researching job opportunities early, pursue internships, and build connections with professionals and alumni.
Sources:
Starting salary data has been sourced from The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates – FEDERAL RESERVE BANK of NEW YORK.
Job growth outlook and median salaries are sourced from bls.gov.
