Earning a college degree is a costly undertaking. Students gain much from the collegiate experience, and one of the payoffs for the investment is (hopefully) a solid job. Choosing a major greatly affects the chances of landing a well-compensated position. While everyone should pursue a field that fits them, it can be useful to know the top college majors for 2025 — and by top, we mean those that typically lead to higher pay.
Per the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the projected average starting salary for the class of 2025 is $76,251, a 2% increase from $74,778 for the class of 2024. Graduates in engineering and computer-related disciplines usually command the highest entry-level wages.
Further detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that as of Oct. 2024 median weekly earnings were $946 for those with a high school diploma versus $1,533 for individuals holding a bachelor’s degree.
To guide students toward a major, we examined the top 15 degrees that support stable career paths. Our analysis used average starting pay, median salary after about five years in the field, demand for the major, projected job growth and whether undergraduate or graduate study is commonly required.
We also checked unemployment figures for these occupations and typical college costs. TheU.S. Bureau of Labor Statisticsis an excellent source if you want data on majors not covered here.
How Much Does College Cost?
College price tags differ greatly by state and by whether an institution is public or private. Average tuition runs from roughly $9,750 up to about $58,628, not counting room and board, which can add as much as $17,400. College expenses have climbed steeply, according toEducation Data. The total cost to earn a bachelor’s degree has more than doubled in the 21st century, with tuition showing an approximate compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.04%.
The2024 Trends in College Pricing reportnotes average tuition and fees for 2024–25 as:
- $43,350 at private colleges
- $11,610 at public colleges for in-state students
- $30,780 at public colleges for out-of-state students
It also lists typical room and board costs:
- $15,250 at private institutions
- $13,310 at public institutions
In 2023–24 theaverage aid per full-time equivalent undergraduatewas $16,360, rising to $28,420 for graduate students. A total of $256.7 billion in aid was awarded to undergraduate and graduate students that year.
In November 2022, theFAFSASimplification Act made applying for federal student aid simpler, including expanding eligibility categories and Pell Grant access.
For many programs, you can complete general education at a community college and then transfer to a four-year school for your specialty. Tuition and feesat public two-year colleges typically range from $1,440 to $8,660 depending on location.
STEM vs. Liberal Arts
STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — majors are often recommended for higher-earning career tracks compared with humanities fields. Labor data continually indicate steady or above-average projected job growth in STEM areas. While arts majors may satisfy creative passions, STEM careers generally offer noticeably higher starting pay than many liberal arts roles.
What Is the Best College Degree for You?
It’s crucial to choose a subject that interests you and aligns with your natural strengths. Pick a major that suits who you are instead of trying to become someone else for the sake of a program. Your initial major selection doesn’t lock you into one route forever; many students change majors after their freshman year, and that’s perfectly normal.
Strong communication skills matter in any job. Critical thinking helps whether you’re managing projects or designing petroleum systems. When selecting a major, notice what keeps you engaged and what turns you off — these are vital signals for long-term career success.
Top 15 College Majors for Good-Paying Jobs
- Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Science
- Health Care Informatics
- Nursing
- Finance
- Cybersecurity
- Public Administration
- Economics
- Construction Management
- Logistics
- Physics
- Marketing
- Game Design
- Pharmacy
Bear in mind that salaries for each major vary considerably by state, region and whether a job is in an urban or rural area. We consulted multiple employment sources for starting salaries and relied largely on the Bureau of Labor Statistics for median pay figures.
The BLS projects an average job growth of roughly 4% across all occupations from 2023–2033, equal to about 6.7 million new positions.
Below are several high-value bachelor’s degrees that might be the ideal major for you.
Engineering
Engineering encompasses numerous career trajectories. While the entry-level coursework is similar across disciplines, graduates often specialize into branches like electrical, industrial, civil, architectural, marine, nuclear, petroleum and chemical engineering.
All engineering tracks pay well, and although job growth may not be spectacular in every subfield, unemployment tends to be very low. Engineering remains one of the most resilient degree choices for the labor market, offering many potential career paths.
Most engineering roles require at least a bachelor’s degree to begin. For example, environmental engineers can start with a bachelor’s, whereas nuclear engineering often calls for a master’s or doctoral credential. Here is a salary overviewfor various engineering positions from Michigan Tech.
- Starting salary: $41,956 for the lower-paid engineering roles
- Median salary: $91,420
- Growth rate 2023–2033: Around 195,000 new positions estimated per year
- Postgraduate degree needed: Not for every engineering career
Computer Science
This degree covers the design, development, theory and application of computer systems and software. Graduates pursue roles such as systems analysts, IT managers or software developers. Computer science is one of the most versatile majors because it applies across many industries. Software engineering graduates typically find abundant job opportunities, with unemployment around 2%.
- Starting Salary:$104,863
- Median Salary: $130,160
- Growth rate 2023–2033: 17%
- Postgraduate degree needed: Some employers favor candidates with advanced degrees
Computer Engineering
Computer engineering blends software and hardware focus, centering on architecture, AI, operating systems and hardware design. Graduates often work as app developers, IT specialists or firmware engineers, and unemployment is low.
- Starting Salary:$30,000
- Median Salary: $138,080
- Growth rate 2023–2033: 7%
- Postgraduate degree needed: Usually not
Health Care Informatics
This emerging field shows one of the fastest projected growth rates, at 29% (compared with average rates of about 5–8%). It merges healthcare with information systems to develop digital solutions across medical settings.
Health informatics professionals build systems for data analysis, clinical communications and secure health information exchange. Privacy rules around health data are a key driver of demand.
- Starting Salary: $82,781
- Median Salary: $110,680
- Growth rate 2023–2033: 29%
- Postgraduate degree needed: A bachelor’s is required; some employers prefer graduates with advanced degrees
Nursing
Nursing combines STEM fundamentals with interpersonal skills, making it a widely chosen major. Registered nurses can branch into many specialties. The highest-paid nursing roles, such as nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives, report median pay near$129,480.
More nurses are pursuing extended training to become nurse practitioners, which allows them to take on duties similar to physicians. NPs typically complete master’s or doctoral programs and pass national certification exams. The specialty is expanding rapidly at a projected 40% growth rate, with an average salary around$130,295.
- Starting Salary (nurse anesthetist): $122,504
- Median Salary: $129,480
- Growth rate 2023–2033: 40%
- Postgraduate degree needed: Yes — typically a master’s or higher
Finance
Business and accounting majors can access a wide array of roles in administration, analysis, planning and more. Management analysts, personal financial advisors and project managers rank among the highest earners in business fields.
Finance graduates also often work in real estate, which can be lucrative. Business administration remains a very popular major, and unemployment in finance-related occupations sits under 3%.
- Starting Salary:$67,370
- Median Salary:$99,890
- Growth rate 2023–2033: 9%
- Postgraduate degree needed: Not required for most positions
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is among the top college majors for present job demand and growth. The sector is expanding rapidly, and while not every college offers a dedicated degree, similar paths include information technology and computer science. Advanced degrees can be especially valuable; for instance, a Chief Information Security Officer can earn more than$341,265 annually.
- Starting Salary:$96,652
- Median Salary:$120,360
- Growth rate 2023–2033: 33%
- Postgraduate degree needed: Not required for most roles
Public Administration
Students earning political science or public administration degrees can pursue careers in government, nonprofits or academia. Potential roles include city manager, nonprofit executive or public health administrator. Public policy director positions can be particularly well-paid, with arange near $131,000 to $229,000, though compensation varies broadly.
Public administration is a useful foundation for those who may later attend law school. It’s a path for people eager to have impact while still earning a solid living, and unemployment in the field is generally low.
- Starting Salary: $35,610
- Median Salary: $104,900
- Growth rate 2023–2033: 6%
- Postgraduate degree needed: Not typically
Economics
Economics differs from finance as it is a social science rather than a business degree. Graduates can become economists, analysts, consultants, data scientists and more. The field rewards postgraduate study the most; nearly 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs held undergraduate economics degrees.
- Starting Salary:$76,500
- Median Salary:$115,730
- Growth rate 2023–2033: 5%
- Postgraduate degree needed: Yes
Construction Management
Construction management suits those interested in buildings who have strong communication abilities and can balance cost estimation with material science. It’s an excellent option for bachelor’s degree holders who prefer not to pursue a master’s.
Pay in construction management varies based on experience and specialized expertise. Residential projects typically pay less than civil or heavy infrastructure work.
- Starting Salary: $47,831
- Median Salary:$104,900
- Growth rate 2023–2033: 9%
- Postgraduate degree needed: Most roles require a bachelor’s, not a graduate degree
Logistics
Logistics programs often begin at the associate level with vocational emphasis. Bachelor’s degrees cover transportation management, systems design, accounting, statistics, supply chain and HR components.
Logistics is a rapidly expanding area. Typical expectations are:
- Starting Salary: $67,881
- Median Salary:$79,400
- Growth rate 2023–2033: 19%
- Postgraduate degree needed: Not usually
Physics
A physics degree opens many doors if you’re willing to pursue graduate school. Careers include astronomy, meteorology, photonics, climate science, robotics, gaming, education and research.
Physics examines how the universe operates — space, time and energy — and offers flexibility to work in academic, research or private sector roles.
- Starting Salary:$94,805
- Median Salary:$149,530
- Growth rate 2023–2033: 7%
- Postgraduate degree needed: Yes — many physics occupations require advanced degrees or a Ph.D.
Marketing
Careers in marketing, advertising and public relations are non-STEM paths that still offer decent pay, relatively low unemployment and typically don’t demand advanced degrees. These fields focus on promoting products and services.
You can start with a high school diploma, but a bachelor’s helps with upward mobility. Entry pay is modest, but marketing managers can earn strong salaries after some experience.
- Starting Salary:$53,158
- Median Salary: $156,580
- Growth rate 2023–2033: 8%
- Postgraduate degree needed: Not usually
Game Design
Game design is a newer major not available everywhere. Related majors include software and graphic design. Game design skills apply beyond entertainment — newsrooms and classrooms increasingly use game mechanics in storytelling and instruction.
- Starting Salary:$47,000
- Median Salary:$149,118
- Growth rate 2023–2033: 8%
- Postgraduate degree needed: Not usually
Pharmaceutical Sciences
A bachelor’s in pharmaceutical sciences can lead to many roles, though becoming a licensed pharmacist requires a Pharm.D. One profitable option with a bachelor’s is pharmaceutical sales, which averages about $63,444 per year.
Pharmacists need a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) and can work in hospitals, research, retail and academia. While the projected job growth is modest, median pay has climbed substantially over the past two decades.
- Starting Salary: $88,899
- Median Salary:$136,030
- Growth rate 2023–2033: 5%
- Postgraduate degree needed: Yes
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About the Best College Majors
Selecting a major involves many considerations, and below are answers to common questions. One major influence on pay is job location (and the company if remote). Even the BLS notes location’s effect on earnings.
Physics Ph.D. holders working in physics or astronomy typically see pay ranges between$94,805 and$149,530. Pharmacists with a Pharm.D. average roughly$125,860 to $155,550.
A bachelor’s in marketing plus several years of experience can be lucrative. Marketing directors average about $104,448 annually, and some top directors earn $181,500 or more, according tocompensation data.
Advanced degrees such as master’s or doctorates are typically necessary to reach the highest pay tiers in many fields.
About one-third of students change majors at least once, so begin in an area that genuinely interests you. Broad majors like psychology or communications can transfer into many career paths while you explore other options.
Psychology frequently ranks as the most popular major at many colleges.
Architecture is often cited as the most demanding major, with students spending more than 22 hours a week on projects and preparation, in addition to class time. It combines engineering, physics, construction know-how and creative design.
Other challenging majors include chemistry, engineering and mathematics — though passion for a subject can make it feel far less arduous.
The engineering job market is healthy across specialties, offering good pay and low unemployment. Engineering disciplines include electrical, industrial, civil, architectural, marine, nuclear, petroleum and chemical engineering.
Computer science and computer engineering overlap significantly in areas such as coding and systems design. Computer science is ideal for those pursuing software development, systems administration or cybersecurity.
Nurse practitioners are among the fastest-growing roles; the specialty is projected to expand 40% through 2033, with an average salary near $130,295. Top earnings go to nurses with advanced degrees, certifications and licenses.
Data-related careers generally have strong growth projections (about 35%). Health Informatics — managing digital health records and communications — is expected to grow 29% through 2033.
Cybersecurity and information security analyst jobs are expected to expand much faster than average, with projected growth of 33% through 2033 per the BLS.
Health informatics roles can begin around $82,781 annually, often after obtaining certificates and a bachelor’s degree. Entry-level cybersecurity positions average around$96,652. Median pay for computer science and computer engineering jobs is approximately $130,160 and $138,080, respectively.
Alex Martinez is a finance-focused content creator who enjoys writing about smart saving and income strategies. Their work also appears on GoBankingRates, Investopedia, FinanceBuzz and The Smart Wallet.
Contributors to this piece included JoEllen Schilke and Susan Shain.
