The reason we go to college is to graduate to get a good paying job, right? With the spike in tuition and heavy loan debt, you want to make your time at college worth it. Certain majors offer certain jobs that can pay better than others. Using the “College Majors Handbook with Real Career Paths and Payoffs”, Census Bureau data, U.S. Department of Labor information and a 2011 survey of 170,000 college grads by the National Science Foundation, a list of the highest paying majors was compiled. All of the data and research proved that majors in the math, science, economics, engineering and medicine fields yield the highest pay.
Financial management will have you earning an average of $63,000 a year right out of college. According to the BLS, you can end up earning an average of $103,910 per year. Financial managers keep organizations afloat by keeping track of financial reports, investments and securing the longevity of the organization. In essence, without a financial manager if an organization isn’t careful they could waver into bankruptcy or other financial troubles. The economic crisis of 2008 proved that having a good financial manager is crucial. Having this role will make you an important part of the organization and will pay nicely.
Electrical and electronic engineering made the list with a starting salary of $65,000 a year. Chances are you own a product that was developed by an electronic engineer such as an mp3 player or GPS device. Electronic engineers develop and design electronic equipment. Electrical engineers develop, design and supervise electrical equipment. The type of electrical equipment ranges from power generation equipment to navigation and radar systems. Both electrical and electronic engineers end up earning an average of $87,180 a year.
We all love computers and all the great things they provide us such as the internet, but many of us don’t know the ins and outs of computer technology. This is where computer science majors come in. They start off earning $73,000 a year and can earn an average of $100,660 a year. That’s a lot of money, but it’s well earned. Computer science jobs are in demand by organizations that are struggling to find highly skilled workers in the field. A computer scientist will work with organizations in business, medicine, science and other fields to fix or improve their computing problems. Computer scientists are also always inventing and designing new ways to improve computer technology to make our lives with our laptops much easier.
Aerospace and aeronautical engineering sounds complicated, and in fact they do work on designing crafts that go up in space. They design spacecrafts, aircrafts, satellites and missiles. Aerospace and aeronautical engineers start off earning $74,00 a year and can earn up to $97,480 a year. These engineers will find jobs in manufacturing industries for research and development, and with the federal government. Some engineers work with the federal government’s national defense on secretive projects that require security clearances.
Into the medical field, majoring in pharmacy is a sure bet for a secure, long-standing job with good pay. Pharmacists start off earning $84,00 a year and can end up earning an average of $111,570 a year. This job is also growing at a faster rate than most, growing by 25 percent within the next ten years. Pharmacists work with dispensing prescription medications- you’ll usually see them at your local drugstore. They also work at hospitals and clinics.
Have a high paying job that wasn’t listed here? Let us know about it in the comments section below!
IMAGE: Courtesy of Flickr by 401(k) 2012