The 6 Most Valuable College Degrees in 2024 If You Want a High-Paying Career
Written by
Vance Cariaga
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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One unfortunate fact of working life is that when a high salary is most needed — like right out of college — you’re usually on the lower end of the pay scale. Many college grads enter the working world with limited financial resources but a ton of college debt to pay off. They must also spend money on a new apartment, utility services, a new car, a new wardrobe and other things. Graduating with a degree that commands high pay can solve a lot of problems.
Most college graduates don’t fall into that category, however. The median earnings for full-time workers ages 25 to 34 were $1,056 a week during the first quarter of 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That translates into $54,912 a year. The median wages for all workers were $1,139 a week, or $59,228 a year.
But certain college degrees can push your pay a lot higher. A recent analysis from Research.com looked at various databases to identify valuable college degrees that can lead to high-paying careers. Here are six degrees that could help you earn more than $100,000.
Physics
Median pay: $104,000
Key knowledge and skills: Problem-solving, numeracy, communication of complex ideas and data analysis
Potential entry-level jobs: Computer programmer, physicist, research fellow
Computer Science
Median pay: $107,000
Key knowledge and skills: The ability to design, develop and test new technologies and upgrade existing ones; an understanding of how computer hardware and software function with data
Potential entry-level jobs: Systems engineer, software engineer, web developer
Biotechnology
Median pay: $118,000
Key knowledge and skills: An understanding of how to use biochemistry, biological sciences and genetics to prepare agricultural, clinical, environmental and industrial products; various disciplines, including gene identification, bioinformatics, drug and biological development, industrial microbiology, genetic engineering, phylogenetics, and comparative genomics
Potential entry-level jobs: Lab technician, research associate, quality control analyst
Civil Engineering
Median pay: $123,000
Key knowledge and skills: Ability to design and supervise infrastructure construction, including tunnels, buildings, roads, bridges, airports, dams, and sewage and water supply systems
Potential entry-level jobs: Civil engineer, field engineer, structural engineer
Aerospace Engineering
Median pay: $136,000
Key knowledge and skills: Ability to design, build, test and maintain aircraft and systems for national defense, missiles and spacecraft
Potential entry-level jobs: Aerospace engineer, maintenance engineer, mechanical engineer
Pharmacology
Median pay: $142,000
Key knowledge and skills: Ability to create new chemical substances and analyze the effects of new medicinal compounds, plus an understanding of the positive and negative sides of the drugs made
Potential entry-level jobs: Pharmacologist, biomedical scientist, medical research scientist
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