Choosing the Best Paying Majors

By Jay Rau

A college education can be expensive. Since it’s such a large investment, it’s important to have a good idea of how much money you will likely be making once you graduate. Knowing the starting salary of your college major can help you determine your future ability to repay student loans and help you make smart decisions about paying for college.

According to an infographic from EducareLab, the highest paid graduates left college with degrees in Engineering, Computer Science, Math and Physics. The lowest paid graduates majored in Art and Music Education, Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Culinary Arts, Health and Human Services, Social Work, Counseling, Bible Studies and Pastoral Ministry.

The infographic also shows that the average debt of a 2014 graduate was $33,000, although this varies by state. Students graduating in the lowest paid college major of Early Childhood Education are paid an average of $30,300, which means these students could take a long time to pay off their debt. On the other hand, Petroleum Engineering graduates are paid over $100,000, so it would be a lot easier for them to pay back a debt of $33,000.

You can see the complete list of highest paid college majors in the infographic below.

Source: EducareLab.com.