Highest Paying Majors

Q: How many majors are ranked by salary?

This ranking covers 100 college majors with sufficient earnings data reported to the College Scorecard. Majors without enough graduates to report a reliable median are excluded.

College majors ranked by national median earnings 5 years after graduation, based on government-verified College Scorecard data.

#	Major	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (5yr)	Graduates
1	Dental Residency Programs Other	$229,117	$194,492	—
2	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences Health Professions	$214,674	$193,348	3,254
3	Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies Health Professions	$160,241	$170,838	1,370
4	Computer Science Computer & Information Sciences	$128,167	$161,667	1,282
5	Dentistry Health Professions	$115,707	$144,700	11,288
6	Nuclear Engineering Technologies/Technicians Engineering Technology	$101,386	$131,454	440
7	Nursing Health Professions	$110,500	$130,000	145
8	Operations Research Engineering	$93,496	$126,578	3,032
9	Real Estate Development Agriculture & Resources	$93,596	$125,210	938
10	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration Health Professions	$97,626	$123,650	29,070
11	Systems Engineering Engineering	$101,809	$120,473	6,060
12	Optometry Health Professions	$102,616	$110,454	1,672
13	Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology Biological Sciences	$81,701	$104,437	5,424
14	Veterinary Medicine Agriculture & Resources	$100,042	$103,829	5,668
15	Taxation Business	$82,273	$102,770	2,890
16	Business Administration Business	$77,300	$102,333	1,280
17	Marine Transportation Transportation	$81,911	$101,090	918
18	Security Policy and Strategy Interdisciplinary	$102,639	$100,341	—
19	Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Engineering	$89,443	$100,209	926
20	Medicine Health Professions	$65,950	$100,013	38,354
21	Engineering, Other Engineering	$84,608	$99,509	5,534
22	Computer Engineering Engineering	$83,909	$98,901	32,558
23	Real Estate Business	$71,878	$97,306	5,826
24	Law English & Literature	$79,802	$96,933	57,064
25	Petroleum Engineering Engineering	$69,762	$96,321	3,006
26	Engineering-Related Fields Engineering Technology	$89,914	$96,030	12,090
27	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering Engineering	$83,959	$96,027	58,710
28	Bioethics/Medical Ethics Health Professions	$89,295	$92,893	7,628
29	Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies English & Literature	$84,118	$90,843	18,460
30	Construction Engineering Engineering	$76,363	$90,834	1,604
31	Engineering, General Engineering	$80,895	$90,642	13,294
32	Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering Engineering	$80,711	$90,459	14,606
33	Human Computer Interaction Interdisciplinary	$74,116	$89,657	3,186
34	Systems Science and Theory Interdisciplinary	$63,416	$89,363	1,704
35	Mining and Mineral Engineering Engineering	$84,287	$89,293	610
36	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Health Professions	$93,245	$89,054	391,492
37	Medical Illustration and Informatics Health Professions	$82,259	$88,419	3,680
38	Chemical Engineering Engineering	$74,003	$87,653	26,494
39	Biomedical/Medical Engineering Engineering	$68,809	$87,487	23,912
40	Statistics Mathematics & Statistics	$72,100	$87,322	18,682
41	Industrial Engineering Engineering	$77,124	$86,993	17,922
42	Applied Mathematics Mathematics & Statistics	$69,309	$86,933	20,600
43	Nuclear Engineering Engineering	$76,052	$86,155	1,732
44	Mechanical Engineering Engineering	$76,088	$85,927	92,054
45	Metallurgical Engineering Engineering	$71,269	$85,531	414
46	Construction Management Business	$74,651	$85,495	5,948
47	Engineering Mechanics Engineering	$77,174	$85,261	494
48	Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering Engineering	$80,320	$85,139	1,602
49	Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Business	$80,934	$84,725	70,402
50	Computer and Information Sciences, General Computer & Information Sciences	$68,454	$84,478	115,096
51	Engineering Science Engineering	$79,110	$84,333	2,098
52	Electromechanical Engineering Engineering	$84,375	$84,177	86
53	Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management Computer & Information Sciences	$75,911	$83,880	40,340
54	Geological/Geophysical Engineering Engineering	$70,213	$83,575	834
55	Biochemical Engineering Engineering	$68,935	$83,236	230
56	Ocean Engineering Engineering	$69,786	$82,619	596
57	Architectural Engineering Engineering	$74,518	$82,541	1,630
58	Construction Engineering Technologies Engineering Technology	$73,132	$82,441	6,116
59	Mathematics and Statistics, Other Mathematics & Statistics	$67,893	$82,292	1,214
60	Information Science/Studies Computer & Information Sciences	$66,046	$82,226	31,324
61	Materials Engineering Engineering	$75,977	$81,814	6,838
62	Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians Engineering Technology	$86,540	$81,782	556
63	Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Agriculture & Resources	$75,897	$80,978	824
64	Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection Construction	$77,120	$80,930	430
65	Civil Engineering Engineering	$71,990	$79,901	41,996
66	Polymer/Plastics Engineering Engineering	$75,578	$79,493	562
67	Physics Physical Sciences	$52,483	$78,798	24,584
68	Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other Computer & Information Sciences	$70,856	$78,364	1,238
69	Manufacturing Engineering Engineering	$78,894	$78,205	1,700
70	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Health Professions	$82,923	$78,062	43,784
71	Mathematics and Computer Science Interdisciplinary	$92,849	$77,435	2,246
72	Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other Engineering Technology	$64,338	$76,995	2,346
73	Management Information Systems and Services Business	$65,386	$76,790	24,194
74	Engineering Physics Engineering	$64,465	$76,490	1,624
75	Insurance Business	$63,184	$76,446	3,516
76	Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians Engineering Technology	$70,422	$76,399	6,626
77	Public Policy Analysis Public Administration	$56,035	$76,115	12,250
78	Materials Sciences Physical Sciences	—	$76,066	1,164
79	Biotechnology Biological Sciences	$60,772	$75,795	4,828
80	Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations Interdisciplinary	$68,006	$75,664	4,466
81	Finance and Financial Management Services Business	$59,479	$75,098	105,814
82	Computer Systems Analysis Computer & Information Sciences	$62,852	$74,839	3,038
83	Agricultural Engineering Engineering	$64,972	$74,438	2,980
84	Legal Professions and Studies, Other English & Literature	$55,837	$74,283	4,608
85	Fire Protection Security & Law Enforcement	$67,783	$73,660	5,088
86	Personal Awareness and Self-Improvement Philosophy & Religious Studies	$53,316	$73,629	—
87	Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering Engineering	$65,539	$73,383	5,450
88	Educational Administration and Supervision Education	$71,273	$73,037	84,286
89	Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians Engineering Technology	$56,205	$72,783	2,334
90	Computer Programming Computer & Information Sciences	$63,361	$72,575	4,988
91	Economics Social Sciences	$55,446	$72,547	89,868
92	Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians Engineering Technology	$63,361	$72,467	6,268
93	Pharmacology and Toxicology Biological Sciences	$52,716	$72,153	2,166
94	Business/Managerial Economics Business	$55,011	$72,091	12,088
95	Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians Engineering Technology	$65,283	$71,801	3,508
96	Science, Technology and Society Interdisciplinary	$58,979	$71,621	2,116
97	Science Technologies/Technicians, Other Psychology	$57,651	$71,522	956
98	Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians Engineering Technology	$66,702	$71,365	1,176
99	Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians Engineering Technology	$60,845	$71,301	800
100	Engineering Technology, General Engineering Technology	$62,043	$71,107	3,934

About This Ranking

This ranking is based on data from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, which reports median earnings by field of study across reporting institutions nationwide.

Majors are ranked by national median earnings 5 years after graduation. Only majors with enough reporting graduates for a reliable median are included. Actual pay for a given major varies by school, state, and individual program — see each major's page for the full breakdown.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest paying majors?

The highest paying college major is Dental Residency Programs, with a national median salary of $194,492 five years after graduation, followed by Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences. Rankings are based on U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data.

How many majors are ranked by salary?

What salary figure is used to rank majors?

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