The 25 Most Lucrative College Majors of 2020

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Education and health care degrees can result in very meaningful work, but to go where the money is, think about majoring in a STEM field.

Science, technology, engineering and math subjects dominate PayScale’s 2020-2021 College Salary Report database.

PayScale, a compensation data website, says it used salary information from 3.5 million respondents for this ranking.

Based on mid-career incomes, the following are the 25 highest-paying bachelor’s degree careers, starting with No. 25 and moving to the top spot.

25. Electrical and computer engineering (ECE)

Electrical engineer
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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $73,900
  • Mid-career: $123,300

24. Corporate accounting and finance

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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $61,200
  • Mid-career: $123,600

23. Computer science (CS) and engineering

Computer scientist
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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $74,000
  • Mid-career: $124,000

22. Nuclear engineering

Nuclear power plant tech
Vladimir Mulder / Shutterstock.com

Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $73,100
  • Mid-career: $124,500

21. Computer systems engineering

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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $74,600
  • Mid-career: $124,800

20. Marine engineering

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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $74,700
  • Mid-career: $125,000

18. Operations and information systems management (tie)

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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $63,800
  • Mid-career: $125,100

18. Political economy (tie)

Businesspeople
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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $58,200
  • Mid-career: $125,100

17. Aeronautical engineering

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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $71,600
  • Mid-career: $125,900

16. Information and computer science

Female computer scientist
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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $70,300
  • Mid-career: $127,600

15. Actuarial science

A black man in business attire works on a laptop computer at his desk
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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $64,700
  • Mid-career: $128,700

14. Chemical engineering

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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career:$73,500
  • Mid-career: $128,900

13. Aerospace studies

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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $50,300
  • Mid-career: $130,300

12. Actuarial mathematics

Older worker
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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $61,900
  • Mid-career: $130,500

11. Electrical power engineering

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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $73,100
  • Mid-career: $130,700

10. Systems engineering

Worker sitting at a computer
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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $74,000
  • Mid-career: $132,900

9. Aeronautics and astronautics

Airplane tails
Miha Travnik / Shutterstock.com

Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $74,000
  • Mid-career: $133,100

8. Pharmacy

pharmacist senior man patient prescription pharmaceuticals pills prescription pharmacy
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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $66,300
  • Mid-career: $133,200

7. Quantitative business analysis

Woman looking at financial chart on tablet computer
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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $67,900
  • Mid-career: $136,200

6. Chemical engineering/materials science and engineering

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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $74,500
  • Mid-career: $137,800

5. Public accounting

Person at desk with papers, calculator
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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $60,000
  • Mid-career: $138,800

3. Applied economics and management (tie)

Business meeting
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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $60,900
  • Mid-career: $139,600

3. Operations research (tie)

Warehouse manager
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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $78,400
  • Mid-career: $139,600

2. Electrical engineering and computer science (EECS)

A female programmer works from home at her computer desk
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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $101,200
  • Mid-career: $152,300

1. Petroleum engineering

Oil rig in an oil field
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Median salaries for people with a bachelor’s degree in this subject:

  • Early career: $92,300
  • Mid-career: $182,000

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