According to Payscale.com, the five highest-paying bachelor degrees all involve the engineering field. Specifically, they are petroleum engineering, aerospace engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, and nuclear engineering. These advanced science degrees have many applications in the energy industry and other high-tech sectors.
Computer science is another high-paying major. Entry-level positions pay, on average, about $56,000, with the salary rising to nearly $100,000 in mid-career. Computer science majors can find employment with software companies, corporate IT departments, or Internet start-ups, among other positions. For most workers, salaries top out at about $107,000.
An economics degree, reports Forbes magazine, is also one of the most lucrative majors. Starting salaries pay around $48,000, while experienced economists make about $98,000 on average. Those with economics degrees can work in both the private and public sector.
An applied mathematics degree is another potential pathway to profit. Payscale.com ranks it as the most lucrative major after engineering degrees. A degree in applied mathematics trains students in advanced mathematical principles that can be utilized in cutting-edge industrial and technological fields. The median starting salary tops out at $50,000 for recent grads. Top pay is about $119,000.
Finance majors can make as much as $80,000 after graduation. An education in finance prepares students for careers in investment banking, venture capital and other applications of high finance. The major can lead to salaries upwards of $200,000 a year, though some outliers garner salaries in the millions.