So what are the best college majors? How do you decide what to focus on for the next four years of your life? Is it most important that you choose an area of study that will lead to a career in a field you truly love? Or, maybe you would consider the best college major to be the one that will lead to the biggest paycheck. If you’re lucky, you will find a major you love in a high paying field with lots of job opportunities. Let’s take a look at the highest to lowest paying jobs for college majors after graduation.
Expected High Salary College Majors
According to Payscale.com, the best college major for an undergraduate to take if you want to start out at the top of the pay scale is engineering. Aerospace, Chemical, Computer and Electrical Engineers have a starting median salary of around $60,000 per year. A mid career median salary in the engineering field will be slightly over $100,000.
Other best college majors to consider if you are motivated by a high salary include Economics, Finance, Information Technology and Nursing. You can expect to earn a starting salary right around $50,000.
Now, not everyone is cut out to be an engineer or computer wizard. And to be a nurse, you have to be a certain type of individual; one with patience and a strong stomach. If you are not interested for the positions above, you can try these lower salary, but interesting, college majors.
You may have to accept a lower starting salary if you want to be a Journalist ($36,300) or an Interior Designer ($35,700). Social work and Elementary Education land at the bottom of the payscale, paying about $33,000 per year.
If you are not the type of go through four years of schooling but prefer on the job training, there are CNC machinist and operator jobs that help design and cut out the parts that all companies use for manufacturing. In addition, the jobs for the future will be in solar energy jobs that provide the energy for the masses.
These payscales and estimated salaries will improve or decrease depending on your work area. Places with higher living standards such as big metropolitan cities will tend to have higher pay but increased living standards.
Take Advantage of College Resources
There is no college major that will guarantee you a job but you can take advantage of the resources that your college has available for you. When there is a college job fair, be sure to meet with the individuals in your interested field. Get internships, make connections with alumnus, and stay connected with the real world.
The present state of the economy causes many students to worry about their financial future. Yes, making money is important, but it should not be the dominating factor in deciding what the best college major is for you. You will probably be working for the next 40 years and you don’t want to be working at a job that does not provide some sort of satisfaction beyond a paycheck. These are the college majors that will get you a job but don’t rush into choosing a major. It’s not too late to wait a year or two before finding the best college major for you.