@warbrain - Probably, but the stats hold true for undergraduate measures too (SAT scores, ASVAB scores, etc.)
@sseamom - I agree! I think we need to reform K-12 public education in a lot of ways, but one of the ways might be to increase teacher pay and autonomy so as to attract more high-achieving college graduates who would otherwise go to other careers. And maybe allow them to teach without a master’s degree for at least 5-10 years, and paying for that master’s when they return. Because if trying to repay undergraduate debt on a $35-45K salary isn’t bad enough, now they’re expected to pay out of pocket for a graduate degree too and repay that debt with very little bump in salary.
@wis7 - Salary is only one component of the choice, I believe. It’s not just about salary - I also mentioned career development and advamcement as well as prestige and recognition.
Our value placed on certain fields sometimes has to do with supply and demand and sometimes has nothing to do with supply and demand. Professors, for example, enjoy prestige and relatively high pay, but there’s a big oversupply of PhDs in the majority of fields (yes, in STEM too). Lawyers also enjoy prestige despite the huge glut. MBAs are another one - people think an MBA garners instant cash, but the average starting salary for an MBA from a low-ranked school might not be more more than a BA-level salary.