Last week, we revealed the best colleges to go to if you want to get a bigger paycheck than your peers five years after graduation. This week, we look at the most valuable degrees.
Our methodology is the same as last week. Based on an analysis of over 40,000 jobseeker resumes uploaded to Adzuna’s tool ValueMyResume between 2019 and 2023, we used text mining and machine learning technology to look at the career pathways taken by recent grads and the jobs they are working in 5 years after graduation. This then revealed average earnings across different college majors.
Here are five majors in the US that produce the highest earning graduates and five degrees to avoid.
The most valuable majors
1. Data Science
Average salary, 5 years after graduation: $94,881
Common careers: Data Scientist, Data Engineer, Business Analyst
Graduates with a degree in data science earn an impressive salary of $94,881 on average five years after graduation – way above the US average salary of $60,575. As these graduates completed their degrees before the official launch of AI tools like ChatGPT and DALL-2, we won’t be surprised to see data science continuing to dominate the list of college majors that lead to top-paying careers in the next few years.
As this degree covers an interdisciplinary field of study including data analysis, statistics, computer programming, and business, graduates can explore careers in various fields. The most popular jobs are data scientist, data engineer, business analyst, and machine learning engineer.
2. Agricultural Economics
Average salary, 5 years after graduation: $91,827
Common careers: Wholesale Buyer, Supply Chain Manager, Risk Manager
Since the agriculture industry has been a key driver of economic growth in the US, agricultural economics takes the second spot on our list. Graduates boast an average salary of $91,827 five years after graduation.
This degree equips students with the necessary knowledge about the agricultural industry and also financial management skills, making graduates a great fit for potential careers such as wholesale buyer, supply chain manager, risk manager, commodity trader, economic analyst, environment economist, and farm manager.
3. Banking and Finance
Average salary, 5 years after graduation: $86,986
Common careers: Accountant, Investment Banker, Underwriter
Those who watched Martin Scorsese’s black comedy The Wolf of Wall Street might not be surprised that banking and finance graduates are earning big pay packets, as the film depicts the extravagant and glamorous lifestyle of a stockbroker. Unlike Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, many stockbrokers and investment bankers do have a bachelor’s degree in finance.
These graduates earn an average salary of $86,986 five years post-graduation, making it the third-most valuable degree. Apart from being a banker, many banking and finance graduates go for roles such as financial adviser, underwriter, accountant, business analyst, and banking consultant.
4. Software Engineering
Average salary, 5 years after graduation: $85,620
Common careers: Software Engineer, Software Developer, Computer Systems Analyst, IT Consultant
As the world has gone digital, software engineering is having a big moment as it is the backbone of software systems. Graduates with a degree in software engineering earn $85,620 on average five years after college.
The degree teaches essential technical skills such as coding, programming languages, and software design, grooming students to become competent for jobs like software engineer, software developer, computer systems analyst, IT consultant, game developer, and web designer. Graduates can also move into sectors other than tech, for example, telecommunications, insurance, healthcare, and finance.
5. Information Systems
Average salary, 5 years after graduation: $$83,717
Common careers: Technical Support Specialist, IT Specialist, Data Analyst
Rounding out the list is information systems, whose graduates earn more than $80,000 five years after graduation. Quite similar to a software engineering major’s career path, common jobs for information systems graduates include technical support specialist, IT specialist, data analyst, information security analyst, programmer, and software developer.
The least valuable degrees
1. Nursing
Average salary, 5 years after graduation: $40,476
Common careers: Nurse, Nursing Assistant
Nursing might be an emotionally rewarding profession, but it’s not a financially rewarding profession, with nursing graduates earning the lowest average salaries five years after graduation. Don’t despair! Our recent blog discovers that there has been a rise in virtual nursing roles since the pandemic, and the average advertised salary of virtual nurses is $100,705 in March 2023.
Read more: Best paying states for registered nurses
2. General Studies
Average salary, 5 years after graduation: $41,255
Common careers: Research Assistant, Administration Assistant, Editorial Assistant
As the name suggests, general studies are designed to be well-rounded and are therefore often considered as a great option for students who want to earn a degree but can’t decide on their majors. The program takes a broad approach and covers different topics across humanities and sciences. Many general studies students go for positions like research assistant, administrative assistant, and editorial assistant after graduation.
3. Anthropology
Average salary, 5 years after graduation: $41,321
Common careers: Charity Manager, Market Researcher, Museum Curator
Anthropology graduates are no Indiana Jones (who studied archeology by the way). Graduates spent their college years probably in libraries examining the history and development of human beings.
While the average salary of an anthropology graduate is not as competitive as other majors’, there are in fact many successful and wealthy figures in society who used to major in anthropology, for example, Nobel Prize winner and novelist Mario Vargas-Llosa, cellist Yo Yo Ma, and Slaughterhouse-Five author Kurt Vonnegut.
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4. Elementary Education
Average salary, 5 years after graduation: $41,375
Common careers: Elementary Teacher, Kindergarten Teacher
Many elementary education graduates decide to become teachers after graduation. Five years after completing their studies, they typically earn $41,375 per year.
5. Exercise Science
Average salary, 5 years after graduation: $41,563
Common careers: Personal Trainer, Gym Manager
The average salary for exercise science graduates five years after college is $41,563. Some popular routes for graduates are taking a job as a personal trainer and a gym manager.
Your degree is not on the list?
If you are curious about your earning potential, check out this table!
| Major | Average salary, 5 years after graduation |
|---|---|
| Data Science | $94,881 |
| Agricultural Economics | $91,827 |
| Banking and Finance | $86,986 |
| Software Engineering | $85,620 |
| Information Systems | $83,717 |
| Real Estate | $80,856 |
| Data Analytics | $80,278 |
| Technology | $77,635 |
| Statistics | $77,295 |
| Computer Engineering | $72,840 |
| Computer Science | $70,130 |
| Aerospace Engineering | $69,621 |
| Information Technology | $69,499 |
| Project Management | $68,972 |
| Petroleum Engineering | $68,464 |
| Actuarial Science | $67,801 |
| Engineering | $65,413 |
| Industrial Engineering | $65,154 |
| Finance | $65,095 |
| Biotechnology | $64,859 |
| Supply Chain Management | $64,327 |
| Electrical Engineering | $63,853 |
| Pharmacy | $62,901 |
| Chemical Engineering | $62,614 |
| Linguistics | $61,865 |
| Chemistry | $61,729 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $61,537 |
| Software Development | $61,238 |
| Design | $58,891 |
| Management | $58,725 |
| Law | $58,719 |
| Entrepreneurship | $58,634 |
| Social Science | $58,491 |
| International Business | $57,780 |
| Cyber Security | $57,342 |
| Animation | $56,349 |
| Organizational Leadership | $56,127 |
| Biomedical Engineering | $55,139 |
| Physics | $54,998 |
| Digital Marketing | $54,935 |
| Counseling | $54,868 |
| Mathematics | $54,565 |
| Geology | $54,252 |
| Marketing | $53,964 |
| Economics | $53,474 |
| Public Policy | $53,247 |
| Medicine | $53,163 |
| Industrial Design | $53,128 |
| Political Science | $53,114 |
| Fashion Merchandising | $52,641 |
| Public Relations | $52,600 |
| Philosophy | $52,596 |
| Computer Information Systems | $52,401 |
| Construction Management | $51,914 |
| Public Administration | $51,907 |
| Geography | $51,785 |
| Accounting | $51,683 |
| Fine Arts | $51,575 |
| Journalism | $51,533 |
| Civil Engineering | $51,182 |
| Spanish | $50,895 |
| Science | $50,805 |
| Sports Management | $50,789 |
| Architecture | $50,371 |
| Business Management | $50,204 |
| English Literature | $50,039 |
| Business Administration | $49,796 |
| Business | $49,204 |
| Advertising | $49,061 |
| Physician Assistant Studies | $48,960 |
| Administration | $48,893 |
| Nutrition | $48,893 |
| Graphic Design | $48,803 |
| Kinesiology | $48,693 |
| Theater | $48,548 |
| Paralegal Studies | $48,534 |
| Arts | $48,497 |
| Special Education | $48,375 |
| Human Resources Management | $48,256 |
| Occupational Therapy | $48,007 |
| Music | $48,004 |
| Communications | $47,993 |
| Liberal Arts | $47,890 |
| Education | $47,649 |
| Biochemistry | $47,530 |
| Creative Writing | $47,509 |
| Media | $47,420 |
| Clinical Mental Health | $47,163 |
| History | $47,154 |
| Psychology | $46,992 |
| Sociology | $46,594 |
| English | $46,295 |
| Environmental Science | $46,199 |
| Legal Studies | $46,128 |
| Health Science | $45,934 |
| Forensic Psychology | $45,909 |
| Biology | $45,776 |
| Applied Science | $45,251 |
| Neuroscience | $44,913 |
| Social Work | $44,736 |
| Interdisciplinary Studies | $44,686 |
| Public Health | $44,676 |
| Photography | $43,832 |
| Hospitality Management | $43,624 |
| Interior Design | $43,072 |
| Microbiology | $43,036 |
| Criminal Justice | $43,028 |
| Film | $42,946 |
| Culinary Arts | $42,835 |
| Cosmetology | $42,359 |
| Teaching | $42,210 |
| Animal Science | $41,769 |
| Early Childhood Education | $41,571 |
| Exercise Science | $41,563 |
| Elementary Education | $41,375 |
| Anthropology | $41,321 |
| General Studies | $41,255 |
| Nursing | $40,476 |
Looking for a graduate role? Check out our designated graduate job section on our website. Check out our ValueMyResume tool to find out your market value.
Read more: Top 10 colleges that lead to the highest salaries after graduation