What a major pays
Median earnings by field of study from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard: what graduates of each major typically earn, the pay range across programs, the degree ladder from certificate to doctorate, and the federal job outlook.
| Major | Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Clear the bar | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences Health Professions | Grad cert | $224,001 | $195,421 to $264,760 | 100% | 16 |
| Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences Health Professions | Master's | $216,728 | $201,160 to $242,474 | 100% | 21 |
| Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies Health Professions | Master's | $202,941 | $178,862 to $246,042 | 100% | 14 |
| Dentistry Health Professions | First prof. | $172,943 | $159,660 to $184,815 | 100% | 57 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations Business & Management | First prof. | $166,604 | $138,548 to $258,635 | 100% | 5 |
| Dentistry Health Professions | Doctoral | $156,942 | $128,406 to $174,160 | 100% | 7 |
| Computer Science Computer & Information Sciences | Master's | $148,463 | $127,022 to $174,359 | 100% | 55 |
| Systems Engineering Engineering | Master's | $144,012 | $133,775 to $153,332 | 100% | 24 |
| Physics Physical Sciences | Doctoral | $141,253 | $132,984 to $166,997 | 100% | 9 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration Health Professions | Master's | $140,604 | $120,714 to $149,976 | 100% | 16 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services Health Professions | Doctoral | $136,922 | $109,207 to $148,488 | 100% | 7 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Health Professions | First prof. | $136,052 | $120,221 to $147,897 | 100% | 30 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration Health Professions | First prof. | $135,953 | $132,196 to $141,396 | 100% | 91 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services Health Professions | Master's | $135,875 | $113,498 to $221,043 | 100% | 15 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration Health Professions | Doctoral | $134,530 | $132,063 to $143,480 | 100% | 41 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Health Professions | Doctoral | $134,294 | $123,947 to $157,910 | 100% | 152 |
| Computer Engineering Engineering | Master's | $130,329 | $117,786 to $155,493 | 100% | 28 |
| Optometry Health Professions | First prof. | $130,042 | $126,389 to $134,430 | 100% | 18 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Health Professions | First prof. | $130,026 | $115,870 to $133,193 | 100% | 5 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Health Professions | Grad cert | $130,010 | $117,552 to $139,996 | 100% | 42 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Engineering | Master's | $129,886 | $110,049 to $145,344 | 100% | 70 |
| Human Computer Interaction Interdisciplinary Studies | Master's | $127,652 | $115,320 to $161,848 | 100% | 9 |
| Veterinary Medicine Agriculture & Natural Resources | First prof. | $127,621 | $122,648 to $133,556 | 100% | 25 |
| Mathematics and Computer Science Interdisciplinary Studies | Bachelor's | $126,153 | $85,968 to $147,013 | 100% | 9 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Health Professions | Master's | $126,084 | $117,034 to $135,294 | 100% | 224 |