Ranked on what graduates earn two years after finishing — every major we hold federal earnings for, best first.
| # | Major | Level | Grade | Median earnings | Typical range | Graduates/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 241 | Human Biology | Bachelor's | D | $31,189 | $27,669–$32,925 | 1,867 |
| 242 | Romance Languages | Bachelor's | D | $32,382 | $27,439–$36,488 | 9,490 |
| 243 | Rehabilitation | Bachelor's | D | $31,314 | $27,488–$34,704 | 3,840 |
| 244 | Nutrition Sciences | Bachelor's | D | $29,882 | $28,753–$33,281 | 3,454 |
| 245 | Human Development, Family Studies | Bachelor's | F | $29,685 | $27,552–$32,391 | 10,724 |
| 246 | Neurobiology and Neurosciences | Bachelor's | F | $29,685 | $25,194–$32,925 | 11,367 |
| 247 | History | Bachelor's | D | $30,409 | $25,856–$33,604 | 23,955 |
| 248 | Exercise Science | Bachelor's | D | $30,409 | $26,248–$33,281 | 48,104 |
| 249 | Graphic Communications | Bachelor's | F | $28,816 | $22,667–$36,368 | 3,401 |
| 250 | Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | Bachelor's | D | $33,043 | $26,353–$33,043 | 1,872 |
| 251 | Theological and Ministerial Studies | Bachelor's | D | $31,127 | $25,194–$32,563 | 2,102 |
| 252 | Research and Experimental Psychology | Bachelor's | D | $30,035 | $25,658–$33,119 | 18,392 |
| 253 | Fine Arts | Master's | F | $29,639 | $23,456–$33,565 | 3,045 |
| 254 | Animal Sciences | Bachelor's | D | $30,616 | $25,967–$32,925 | 7,296 |
| 255 | Broadcasting | Bachelor's | D | $29,995 | $26,353–$33,993 | 10,950 |
| 256 | Bible & Biblical Studies | Bachelor's | F | $29,685 | $24,421–$31,314 | 1,941 |
| 257 | Psychology | Bachelor's | F | $29,685 | $26,353–$31,616 | 117,175 |
| 258 | Music | Master's | F | $25,194 | $24,228–$33,993 | 6,242 |
| 259 | Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General | Bachelor's | D | $30,554 | $26,715–$31,529 | 1,979 |
| 260 | English | Bachelor's | F | $29,503 | $24,962–$32,382 | 27,287 |
| 261 | Health & Medical Preparatory Programs | Bachelor's | F | $29,016 | $25,194–$31,853 | 3,406 |
| 262 | Biology | Bachelor's | F | $27,947 | $25,194–$32,382 | 85,344 |
| 263 | Rhetoric and Composition & Writing Studies | Bachelor's | D | $31,585 | $22,872–$33,993 | 5,997 |
| 264 | TESOL | Bachelor's | C | $37,208 | $21,508–$27,439 | 297 |
| 265 | Physiology | Bachelor's | F | $26,121 | $25,194–$31,305 | 7,361 |
| 266 | Linguistic, Comparative | Bachelor's | F | $26,933 | $23,649–$31,848 | 4,816 |
| 267 | Arts, Entertainment | Bachelor's | F | $29,685 | $23,456–$30,475 | 2,861 |
| 268 | Communication Disorders Sciences | Bachelor's | F | $25,658 | $22,710–$28,598 | 11,297 |
| 269 | Music | Bachelor's | F | $25,194 | $21,508–$32,391 | 15,225 |
| 270 | Fine Arts | Bachelor's | F | $25,967 | $22,192–$28,960 | 23,904 |
| 271 | Film and Photography | Bachelor's | F | $25,580 | $22,268–$27,482 | 12,629 |
| 272 | Zoology & Animal Biology | Bachelor's | F | $25,194 | $22,329–$28,348 | 2,630 |
| 273 | Intercultural & Multicultural | Bachelor's | C | $33,993 | $24,035–$30,228 | 123 |
| 274 | Religion & Religious Studies | Bachelor's | F | $28,598 | $19,794–$31,127 | 5,540 |
| 275 | Anthropology | Bachelor's | F | $25,967 | $21,964–$28,816 | 8,349 |
| 276 | Ecology, Evolution, Systematics | Bachelor's | F | $24,904 | $21,964–$28,598 | 4,476 |
| 277 | Drama & Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Bachelor's | F | $23,067 | $20,140–$25,194 | 12,377 |
| 278 | Botany & Plant Biology | Bachelor's | F | $23,761 | $21,964–$21,964 | 343 |
| 279 | Practical Nursing | Bachelor's | F | $23,262 | $14,935–$14,935 | 51 |
The majors at the top feed occupations with a licence, a shortage, or both. That is a fact about the labour market rather than about the difficulty of the subject — and it is why the same handful of fields tops this table in every country that publishes graduate earnings.
Each row is a median across every US programme in that field. Open any one and the range between the 25th and 75th programme is often $20,000 or more. Where you study, and what you do alongside the degree, moves your number more than swapping subjects does.
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.