20 worst and best-Paying College Degrees of 2010

College Life
1

<p>I don’t know if this has been posted yet, but:</p>

<p>20 Worst-Paying College Degrees in 2010</p>

<p>College Degree - Starting pay - Mid-career pay</p>

<ol>
<li>Child and family studies - $29,500 - $38,400</li>
<li>Elementary education - $31,600 - $44,400</li>
<li>Social work - $31,800 - $44,900</li>
<li>Athletic training - $32,800 - $45,700</li>
<li>Culinary arts - $35,900 - $50,600</li>
<li>Horticulture - $35,000 - $50,800</li>
<li>Paralegal studies/law - $35,100 - $51,300</li>
<li>Theology - $34,700 - $51,300</li>
<li>Recreation & leisure - $33,300 - $53,200

<ol>
<li>Special education - $36,000 - $53,800</li>
<li>Dietetics - $40,400 - $54,200</li>
<li>Religious studies - $34,700 - $54,400</li>
<li>Art - $33,500 - $54,800</li>
<li>Education - $35,100 - $54,900</li>
<li>Interdisciplinary studies - $35,600 - $55,700</li>
<li>Interior design - $34,400 - $56,600</li>
<li>Nutrition - $42,200 - $56,700</li>
<li>Graphic design - $35,400 - $56,800</li>
<li>Music - $36,700 - $57,000</li>
<li>Art history - $39,400 - $57,100</li>
</ol></li>
</ol>

<p>[20</a> Worst-Paying College Degrees in 2010 - CBS MoneyWatch.com](<a href=“MoneyWatch: Financial news, world finance and market news, your money, product recalls updated daily - CBS News”>MoneyWatch: Financial news, world finance and market news, your money, product recalls updated daily - CBS News)</p>

<p>Here are the top 20 best-paying college degrees in 2010:</p>

<p>College Degree - Starting Median Pay - Mid-career pay</p>

<ol>
<li>Petroleum engineering - $93,000 - $157,000</li>
<li>Aerospace engineering - $59,400 - $108,000</li>
<li>Chemical engineering - $64,800 - $108,000</li>
<li>Electrical engineering - $60,800 - $104,000</li>
<li>Nuclear engineering - $63,900 - $104,000</li>
<li>Applied mathematics - $56,400 - $101,000</li>
<li>Biomedical engineering - $54,800 - $101,000</li>
<li>Physics - $50,700 - $99,600</li>
<li>Computer engineering - $61,200 - $87,700

<ol>
<li>Economics - $48,800 - $97,800</li>
<li>Computer science - $56,200 - $97,700</li>
<li>Civil engineering - $53,500 - $93,400</li>
<li>Statistics - $50,000 - $93,400</li>
<li>Finance - $47,500 - $91,500</li>
<li>Software engineering - $56,700 - $91,300</li>
<li>Management info. systems - $50,900 - $90,300</li>
<li>Mathematics - $46,400 - $88,300</li>
<li>Government - $41,500 - $88,300</li>
<li>Information systems - $49,300 - $87,100</li>
<li>Construction Management - $50,400 - $87,000</li>
</ol></li>
</ol>

<p>[Top</a> 20 Best-Paying College Degrees in 2010 - CBS MoneyWatch.com](<a href=“MoneyWatch: Financial news, world finance and market news, your money, product recalls updated daily - CBS News”>MoneyWatch: Financial news, world finance and market news, your money, product recalls updated daily - CBS News)</p>

<p>You may discuss.
Edit: I wanted to say that the headline for worst paying degrees is stupid. ’ Think twice before choosing a career that involves children.’
What happened to doing what you love? It’s not all about money.</p>

2

<p>Get it math and science!
Sadly our culture neglects to recognize their importance…</p>

3

<p>Meh, nothing too surprising there. w00t engineering!</p>

4

<p>Fascinating list. Really illustrates what Obama was saying in the State of the Union address.</p>

5

<p>Wheres Mech E on this list? Its very surprising it didnt make it into he top 20 considering they do many of the same jobs that other fields do…</p>

6

<p>Shouldn’t Accounting be there? Though I don’t know much about it…
Also what do you mean by “Government” major?</p>

7

<p>Makes me happy I switched from theatre to physics… Trying to become a meteorologist!!</p>

8

<p>Good luck with petroleum engineering in 30 years.</p>

9

<p>Elementary education second from the bottom - and we wonder why Johnny can’t read.</p>

10

<p>is economics honestly that good of a major? ive heard that it really stinks but apparently not? is it good combined with either business/law school?</p>

11

<p>@yg7</p>

<p>Government is Harvard speak for Poli Sci</p>

12

<p>If that’s the case, as a poli sci major I’d like to know where I can get a 41k starting salary job. The sorts of jobs I have been looking at have been half that.</p>

13

<p>Yeaw PetrE sittin pretty in a league of its own at #1.</p>

14

<p>

</p>

<p>Won’t really need luck after 25+ years of making that kind of money.</p>

15

<p>Funny, there looks to be a very strong correlation between best and worst paying college degrees and most difficult/easiest majors.</p>

16

<p>I would include Nursing in the top 20 category: A BS in Nusring will pay from 48-65 K year to start, with experienced Nurses making 65-80 K.</p>

17

<p>In 30 years, petroE majors will still have jobs. It’s just going to be a bit more shaky, possibly lower pay, the petroE major may not even exist anymore then, but there are many things you can do with a petroleum engineering major</p>

18

<p>I imagine a lot of the skills you learn in PetE can transfer into natural gas or many other mining fields.</p>

19

<p>Where is Pharmacy in this? I expected pharmacy to be in league with engineering.</p>

<p>Or does this list only count undergrad degrees?</p>

20

<p>@IvyStriver2</p>

<p>Actually, these lists prove that our culture does recognize the importance of math and science.</p>