15 College Majors That Will Put You On the Fast Track to a High-Paying Job

Are you looking for a college major that will help put you on the fast track to a high-paying job? If so, you’re in luck! There are plenty of college majors that can help you achieve your career goals. From engineering to business to computer science and more, there are plenty of options to choose from.

In this article, we’ll provide you with a list of 15 college majors that will provide you with the skills and knowledge necessary to land a high-paying job. We’ll discuss the job prospects and salary potential for each major, so you can find the one that’s right for you.

So, if you’re ready to start your journey to a high-paying job, read on to find out which college majors will put you on the fast track to success.

If you’re looking for a high-paying city, you might want to consider moving to one of these 15 cities where pay is rising the fastest.

As you’ll see below, there are plenty of jobs available in these cities, and pay is rising quickly, too. As a result, you’ll be able to take home a larger paycheck and have a higher standard of living.

How Much Does College Cost?

The expense of college varies greatly depending on the state, whether it is public or private, and the type of major. Generally, tuition costs between $10,000 and $40,000, not including room and board, which could add up to an additional $14,000.

Engineering and other majors such as business, education, and fine arts are more expensive per credit hour, whereas sociology and mathematics majors are less costly. A study conducted by Education Next this year found that social science disciplines and philosophy are typically less expensive, while scientific, technological, and pre-professional courses such as nursing require more investment.

The College Data resource indicated that, for the 2021-22 academic year, the normal cost of tuition and fees was:

• $39,400 at private colleges
• $10,940 at public colleges (in-state residents)
• $28,240 at public colleges (out-of-state residents)

It was also reported that the average room and board runs:

• $14,030 at private colleges
• $12,310 at public colleges.

According to Student Monitor, a market research firm, in the last decade there has been a 44% reduction in the amount of money students spend on school supplies.

This decrease has been further highlighted between 2021-2022 and 2022-23 when the average expenditure for textbooks dropped 22%, from an average of $405 to $314 per student.

Reasons for this dip can be attributed to the availability of rental textbooks and the growing usage of digital materials which tend to be cheaper than printed books.

For many degrees, you may be able to take basic courses at a community college and transfer to another college or university for your major.

STEM Versus Liberal Arts

STEM majors : Which are science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – are often seen as more profitable college degrees, compared to those in the humanities. Labor statistics demonstrate that there is a projected growth in job opportunities in STEM areas. While visual and performing arts may be satisfying, STEM professions usually have a higher starting salary than those in the liberal arts.

What Is the Best College Degree for You?

It is important that you study something interesting to you and that fits your natural aptitudes. Make sure you study something that fits who you are, rather than changing yourself for the major. Your college major decision doesn’t have to lock you into one path for the rest of your life. You might pick a college major as a freshman, then change it the next year. That is fine.

Good communication skills are important in every career. Critical thinking works whether you are doing project management or petroleum engineering. When choosing a college major, pay attention to what keeps you engaged in a subject, and what turns you off. These are important cues for success on your career path.

Keep in mind when looking at salaries listed for each major that there is a wide variation between states, regions, and urban and rural centers. We looked at several employment websites to figure out the starting salary, and mainly used the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the median salary.

Plus, for helpful comparison, the average job growth in the United States is 8%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics job outlook index. Here are some really valuable degrees; let’s figure out which is best for you.

Accounting: Job Prospects and Salary Potential

As an accounting major, you’ll learn how to record and track financial transactions. You might also study taxation, auditing, financial analysis, or financial planning. Accounting majors are in high demand across many different industries.

From healthcare to technology, accounting majors are needed to keep businesses running smoothly. Accounting also offers a good salary. The average accounting major can earn up to $63,000 per year. Plus, job prospects are expected to be positive.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that accounting job opportunities will increase by 9% between 2016 and 2026, which is faster than the average rate across all occupations.

Engineering

As a student of engineering, you’ll learn how to solve real-world problems by turning concepts into tangible products. You might design new products, develop ways of using existing technology more efficiently, or help create new technologies altogether.

As an engineer, you can work in a wide range of industries, from construction to aerospace. Every type of engineering pays well, and even though the job growth isn’t especially high, unemployment is very low. It is one of the safest degrees for job markets as college students have multiple career options with these majors.

With the world making rapid progress in terms of technology, the requirement for engineers is set to go up. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities in the engineering field are likely to rise by 10% between 2016 and 2026, which is quicker than the average rate across all other occupations.

Most engineering fields require at least a bachelor’s degree to get started. For example, environmental engineers can get work with their bachelor’s, but nuclear engineers usually need at least a master’s or doctorate degree to begin. Here is a breakdown of salaries for a variety of engineering jobs from Michigan Tech.

• Starting Salary: $64,000
• Median Salary: $86,000
• Growth rate 2020-2030: 9%
• Postgraduate degree needed: No, but people with a master’s degree earn almost 20% higher salaries than those with a bachelor’s degree.

Computer Science

This degree requires one to learn about the engineering, production, principles, and utilization of computing systems and programming.

Possible occupations that come with this major include computer systems analyst, data systems manager, or a computer systems analyst.

It is one of the most beneficial college programs due to its relevance to numerous industries. Unemployment rate for software engineering graduates is quite low, remaining at nearly 2%.

• Starting Salary: $45,375
• Median Salary: $97,430
• Growth rate 2020-2030: 13%
• Postgraduate degree needed: About a third of people working in computer-related career paths have postgraduate degrees.

Computer Engineering

Computer engineers are engaged in the creation, planning, and programming of computers, with a particular emphasis on components such as hardware engineering, artificial intelligence, and operating systems.

The rate of unemployment in this discipline is low, and occupations in this sector include app creators, IT consultants, and firmware engineers.

• Starting Salary: $64,274
• Median Salary: $128,170
• Growth rate 2020-2030: 2%
• Postgraduate degree needed: About 40% of people working in this field have post-graduate degrees.

Health Care Informatics

People working in the Health Care Informatics field are responsible for creating systems that assess data, handle data processing, and establish digital connections between medical organizations, all while making sure the data is secure. This profession is rapidly expanding due to health information privacy laws.

• Starting Salary: $58,593
• Median Salary: $101,340
• Growth rate 2020-2030: 32%
• Postgraduate degree needed: 57% of workers in this field reported having postgraduate degrees

Nursing: Job Prospects and Salary Potential

If you’re interested in helping people, a nursing major could be the right choice for you. You might study topics like anatomy, physiology, biology, health assessment, pharmacology, health policy, and public health. Nursing majors are needed in all areas of healthcare.

From hospitals to doctor’s offices and more, nurses are in high demand. The average nursing major can earn up to $68,000 per year. Plus, job prospects are expected to be positive. Nursing job opportunities are expected to increase by 16% between 2016 and 2026, which is faster than the average rate across all occupations.

Pursuing a degree in nursing is a popular choice for many students due to its integration of both STEM and interpersonal skills. With a nursing degree, there are a multitude of paths that a health care professional can take, with the three best paying job roles being a nurse anesthetist ($189,000), an emergency room nurse ($116,00), and a neonatal nurse ($90,000).

In recent years, it has become more commonplace for nurses to take their expertise to the next level by becoming a nurse practitioner. These professionals take on tasks similar to those of medical doctors and must attend either graduate or postgraduate school and pass a national board-certified test. The field of nurse practitioners is growing at a rapid rate of 45% and the average salary is $123,780.

• Starting Salary: $65,775
• Median Salary: $77,600
• Growth rate 2020-2030: 9%
• Postgraduate degree needed: 28% of nurses have advanced degrees. You don’t need a bachelor’s degree to be a registered nurse.

Finance

People with business and accounting degrees have a wide range of career prospects. These can include working in business administration, financial analysis, and financial planning, or other roles in the corporate world.

Finance majors often take up occupations in the real estate market, which can be a lucrative option. Business administration is one of the most chosen majors in universities and the unemployment rate for these graduates is below 3%.

• Starting Salary: $57,250
• Median Salary: $94,170
• Growth rate 2020-2030: 6%
• Postgraduate degree needed: Just under a third of the people working in finance have advanced degrees.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is one of the ideal college majors for job seekers in the present employment landscape, and for job expansion. Not all universities provide this program, so it would be useful to investigate information technology or any other computer-related majors that are available.

A PhD or master’s degree in this area can be highly rewarding with the potential to earn a hefty salary – the chief information security officer can easily gain an annual income of over $475,000.

• Starting Salary: $72,606
• Median Salary: $102,600
• Growth rate 2020-2030: 33% (fastest growing on our list)
• Postgraduate degree needed: About 25% of cybersecurity jobs require a master’s degree.

Public Administration

Individuals who have earned an academic degree in political science or public administration may pursue a career in the government, non-profit organizations, or academia. Possible job roles may include city managers, non-profit directors, human resource personnel, or even a public health manager.

Degrees in public administration are good for people interested in going to law school. You can combine a desire to make the world better with a career that pays well. This is an area with extremely low unemployment.

• Starting Salary: $44,697
• Median Salary: $122,510
• Growth rate 2020-2030: 9%
• Postgraduate degree needed: Probably. Almost half of these job holders have a postgraduate degree.

Economics

Economics is distinct from finance since it is a branch of the social sciences rather than a specific type of business degree. People with this qualification may become economists, financial experts, management advisors, data researchers, and more. The field is well-paid, particularly for those with postgraduate qualifications.

• Starting Salary: $65,100
• Median Salary: $105,630
• Growth rate 2020-2030: 13% (a little faster than average)
• Postgraduate degree needed: Almost half of the people working in this field have postgraduate degrees.

Construction Management

Obtaining a degree in Construction Management is an outstanding choice for individuals curious about structures, who have impressive communication capabilities, and can comprehend the expenses analysis and material science of a project.

It is one of the most desirable career paths for bachelor’s degree holders who choose not to pursue a postgraduate education.

• Starting Salary: $53,300
• Median Salary: $98,890
• Growth rate 2020-2030: 11%
• Postgraduate degree needed: Most jobs require bachelor’s degrees, not postgraduate.

Logistics

Logistics is a field of study that is experiencing job opportunities and can be pursued with an associate’s degree, which focuses on practical skills. Pursuing a bachelor’s degree provides a more comprehensive education, with an emphasis on transportation administration, systems creation, financial and numerical analysis, inventory management, and personnel management.

Logistics is another quickly growing field. The pandemic has brought the field of logistics to news coverage, with shortages and other issues making headlines.

• Starting Salary: $42,000
• Median Salary: $77,030
• Growth rate 2020-2030: 30%
• Postgraduate degree needed: Less than a quarter of employees in this field have postgraduate degrees.

Physics

A physics major gives college students many job opportunities, as long as they are willing to go through graduate programs. Astronomy, meteorology, photonics (the science of using light, such as in bar codes and lasers), climate science, education, robotics, gaming, and the list goes on.

Physics is the study of how everything functions, including space, time, and energy. As a field it has a huge amount of flexibility, allowing you to work in academic, research, business, and science settings.

• Starting Salary: $57,637
• Median Salary: $147,450
• Growth rate 2020-2030: 8%
• Postgraduate degree needed: Yes, at least 67% of people in physics-related occupations have advanced degrees.

Marketing

Marketing, advertising, and public relations careers are non-STEM majors that provide good salaries, relatively low unemployment, and don’t require advanced degrees. Marketing promotes and advertises goods and services.

People can start working in the field with a high school diploma, though a bachelor’s degree is needed for advancement.

• Starting Salary: $44,294
• Median Salary: $133,380
• Growth rate 2020-2030: 10%
• Postgraduate degree needed: Not really, only 18% of workers in this field have them.

Game Design

Game design is a relatively new college major, and isn’t offered everywhere. Other college majors for game design are software development and graphic design. Game design can be used in multiple careers. For example, journalism and education fields are increasingly using game design principles in reporting and teaching.

The gaming market is steadily growing after a big pandemic-related bump. It is a strong international market, with even faster job growth in Middle Eastern and African markets.

• Starting Salary: $53,568
• Median Salary: $79,890
• Growth rate 2020-2030: 12%
• Postgraduate degree needed: Not really

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Bachelor’s degrees in pharmaceutical sciences lead to many jobs, though a graduate degree is needed to become a pharmacist. One of the most lucrative jobs for someone with this bachelor’s is in pharmaceutical sales, earning an average of $70,000 a year.

Being a pharmacist requires a doctor of pharmacy degree, also called a “Pharm.D.” Pharmacists work in hospitals, medical research, retail locations, and academics.

• Starting Salary: $98,000
• Median Salary: $128,570
• Growth rate 2020-2030: 4% — this is not a growing field, but the BLS projects 11,300 jobs opening annually through 2030.
• Postgraduate degree needed: Yes