Ranked by how many students complete them each year, with what those graduates go on to earn.
| # | Major | Level | Grade | Median earnings | Typical range | Graduates/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 241 | Air Transportation | Master's | B | $77,039 | $61,064–$77,039 | 725 |
| 242 | Medical Clinical Sciences & Graduate Medical Studies | Master's | A | $172,991 | $112,815–$188,472 | 725 |
| 243 | Quality Control | Master's | B | $68,880 | $73,635–$79,473 | 717 |
| 244 | Systems Engineering | Bachelor's | A | $74,279 | $61,020–$74,576 | 705 |
| 245 | Biomathematics | Bachelor's | A | $71,015 | $70,176–$71,015 | 697 |
| 246 | Engineering Physics | Bachelor's | A | $69,338 | $47,260–$61,218 | 691 |
| 247 | Science, Technology and Society | Bachelor's | C | $37,363 | $41,565–$64,913 | 644 |
| 248 | Petroleum Engineering | Bachelor's | A | $77,213 | $67,380–$80,022 | 627 |
| 249 | Computer Networking | Master's | C | $68,666 | $66,592–$68,666 | 593 |
| 250 | Clinical & Medical Laboratory Science & Research | Master's | D | $42,682 | $42,682–$55,512 | 563 |
| 251 | Biological and Physical Sciences | Master's | C | $64,791 | $37,363–$64,791 | 551 |
| 252 | Allied Health | Master's | A | $165,486 | $89,841–$166,905 | 504 |
| 253 | Engineering Science | Bachelor's | A | $66,169 | $58,221–$63,005 | 501 |
| 254 | Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | Bachelor's | C | $36,848 | $29,685–$42,682 | 499 |
| 255 | Community Organization and Advocacy | Master's | D | $45,466 | $40,945–$49,058 | 478 |
| 256 | Systems Science and Theory | Bachelor's | B | $60,623 | $25,194–$50,856 | 476 |
| 257 | Family and Consumer Sciences | Bachelor's | C | $43,426 | $38,018–$41,193 | 475 |
| 258 | Genetics | Master's | B | $72,671 | $69,338–$73,321 | 474 |
| 259 | Nuclear Engineering | Bachelor's | B | $63,005 | $49,644–$66,287 | 427 |
| 260 | Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | Master's | C | $54,109 | $40,467–$54,109 | 398 |
| 261 | Parks, Recreation | Master's | D | $41,565 | $39,729–$42,682 | 360 |
| 262 | Drafting & Design Engineering Technology | Bachelor's | B | $54,154 | $45,277–$64,706 | 354 |
| 263 | Botany & Plant Biology | Bachelor's | F | $23,761 | $21,964–$21,964 | 343 |
| 264 | Architectural Engineering Technology | Bachelor's | B | $61,020 | $43,798–$53,697 | 342 |
| 265 | Gerontology | Master's | D | $45,383 | $41,937–$42,682 | 336 |
| 266 | Forestry | Master's | C | $51,273 | $42,682–$51,273 | 329 |
| 267 | Zoology & Animal Biology | Master's | F | $41,205 | $39,369–$49,058 | 329 |
| 268 | Naval Architecture | Bachelor's | A | $89,968 | $70,456–$89,968 | 326 |
| 269 | Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | Master's | C | $54,948 | $44,384–$54,948 | 302 |
| 270 | TESOL | Bachelor's | C | $37,208 | $21,508–$27,439 | 297 |
| 271 | Building & Construction Finishing | Bachelor's | A | $67,660 | $67,660–$69,338 | 251 |
| 272 | Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General | Master's | D | $47,427 | $37,208–$47,427 | 224 |
| 273 | Engineering-Related Technology | Bachelor's | C | $44,933 | $43,240–$65,332 | 202 |
| 274 | Vehicle Maintenance | Bachelor's | A | $64,087 | $49,840–$55,964 | 179 |
| 275 | Mining and Mineral Engineering | Bachelor's | A | $69,338 | $69,338–$74,953 | 177 |
| 276 | Gerontology | Bachelor's | C | $34,942 | $30,228–$35,060 | 163 |
| 277 | Geological & Geophysical Engineering | Bachelor's | B | $55,770 | $50,856–$55,964 | 138 |
| 278 | Intercultural & Multicultural | Bachelor's | C | $33,993 | $24,035–$30,228 | 123 |
| 279 | Practical Nursing | Bachelor's | F | $23,262 | $14,935–$14,935 | 51 |
The most-awarded degrees in the US are not the best-paying ones. Business, psychology and nursing dominate on volume for reasons of interest, access and licensing rather than salary — check the earnings column beside each row.
A field with tens of thousands of graduates a year has a deep, competitive job market and plenty of programmes to choose between, which usually means more scholarship money in circulation and more places where you can study it affordably.
Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study earnings, measured two years after completion. Majors with too few programmes publishing earnings are left out rather than estimated.