--- title: "What Degrees Earn the Most Return in Terms of Pay?" id: "2172" type: "post" slug: "what-degrees-earn-the-most-return-in-terms-of-pay" published_at: "2010-08-30T15:41:38+00:00" modified_at: "2010-08-30T15:41:38+00:00" url: "https://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/what-degrees-earn-the-most-return-in-terms-of-pay/" markdown_url: "https://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/what-degrees-earn-the-most-return-in-terms-of-pay.md" excerpt: "As students near graduation from college, or are starting back to class, more often than not their thoughts turn financial. Whether they chose a major with an end career in mind or they use their college education as a springboard..." taxonomy_category: - "Career & Workplace" - "Job Search" - "Salary" taxonomy_post_tag: - "College Graduate" - "Degrees" - "erin kennedy" - "Executive Resumes" - "Interviewing" - "job hunt" - "Job Search" - "job seekers" - "Money" - "Pay" - "professional resume services" - "success" - "workplace" --- # What Degrees Earn the Most Return in Terms of Pay? [Career & Workplace](https://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/category/career-workplace/) [Job Search](https://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/category/job-search/) [Salary](https://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/category/salary/) [https://www.facebook.com/professionalresumeservices](https://www.facebook.com/professionalresumeservices) [https://twitter.com/erinkennedycprw](https://twitter.com/erinkennedycprw) [https://www.linkedin.com/company/professional-resume-services-inc-/](https://www.linkedin.com/company/professional-resume-services-inc-/) [https://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/4people-jumping.jpg](https://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/4people-jumping.jpg) ***As students near graduation from college, or are starting back to class, more often than not their thoughts turn financial***. Whether they chose a major with an [end career](https://jobs.aol.com/articles/2010/06/07/top-future-jobs/) in mind or they use their college education as a springboard for new opportunities, all students must consider [their return on investment](https://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/job-search/determining-how-much-youre-worth/) . With the cost of higher education averaging anywhere from $9,000 – $35,000 per year, a lucrative life [after graduation](https://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/06/06/letter-to-new-graduates-and-how-about-a-braided-career/) is becoming even more important. In a competitive economy, having a [profitable degree](https://www.comcast.net/slideshow/finance-degreesthatpay/electrical-engineering/) from a highly sought after field of knowledge could be the key in gaining career success. What [degrees bring in the big bucks](https://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-degrees_with_the_highest_roi-656) ? We’ve listed some below. All salary information comes from the 2008 [NACE](https://www.naceweb.org/home.aspx) (National Association of Colleges and Employers) salary survey. **Engineering** ***Not surprisingly, [engineering](https://www.simplyhired.com/a/salary/search/q-Engineer) majors in every category earn an average of $60,000 their first year after college.*** Chemical engineers are paid the most, working for a variety of companies in different fields including manufacturing, healthcare, and business. Chemical engineers design equipment and develop products. Electrical engineers rank second, with an average starting salary of around $55,000. Electrical engineers focus on the design and implementation of equipment used in all aspects of life- automobiles, aircraft, and electrical utilities. Both of these majors apply to a variety of different fields, contributing to the overall success of their earning potential. Mechanical engineers are a close third, with an average starting salary of $54,000. Mechanical engineers are also employed in a number of different industries ranging from agricultural to business. **Computer Science** As our society becomes more and more reliant on the internet and the advancements in computer related technologies and networks, [working knowledge](https://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/career-workplace/finding-a-job-through-specialization/) of the systems becomes a valuable tool. C***omputer science majors make an average of $53,000 their first year out of college.*** This number does include the entrepreneurs who take their computer science background and apply it to business models, advancing technologies and expanding the horizon of development. **Economics** Business markets are highly profitable, and graduates with a thorough knowledge of economics rank high in earnings potential. ***The average starting salary of a first year economics graduate is around $47,800.*** Most economics majors work in data research or consulting, and many work for the federal and state governments. **Management Information Systems** ***Students with an MIS degree work in all facets of business organization.*** They analyze businesses and contribute to a more efficient management structure. These graduates typically start in the mid $40,000 range their first year after graduation. **Finance and Accounting** Finance and accounting grads have many different options in a plethora of fields. ***The type of work is varied but always in demand.*** These positions have very valuable knowledge in intricate areas and generally start at $46,200 their first year out of school. **Business Administration and Management** ***This is also a lucrative field,***as titans of industry are recognized by the efficacy in business management. This major is consistently one of the most popular, and for good reason- business grads can work almost anywhere! The average starting [salary](https://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/career-workplace/howwhen-to-ask-for-salary-raises/) is $43,500 for these students, with a chance to accrue more wealth over the length of their employment term. Keep in mind that a student’s ultimate return on investment is subjective. Yes, these types of degrees offer access to monetarily [profitable careers](https://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/index.php?s=profitable+careers) , but it is also important to consider the subjective and completely [independent determination](https://ezinearticles.com/?Highest-Paying-Jobs-in-America---Landing-the-One-That-Fits-You-Perfectly!&id=4033249) of wealth- something that is measured differently by each person. [https://www.facebook.com/professionalresumeservices](https://www.facebook.com/professionalresumeservices) [https://twitter.com/erinkennedycprw](https://twitter.com/erinkennedycprw) [https://www.linkedin.com/company/professional-resume-services-inc-/](https://www.linkedin.com/company/professional-resume-services-inc-/)