Getting a college degree is anexpensive proposition.
The choice of a college major has a lot to do with getting a good-paying job.
And by best, we mean the majors that result in higher salaries.
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Those with majors in engineering and computer sciences are typically able to earn the highest entry-level salaries.
For those with a bachelors degree, its $1,533.
To help students pick a major, we looked at the top 15 degrees that create sustainable careers.
Bureau of Labor Statisticsis a great resource if you are interested in a college major not mentioned here.
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How Much Does College Cost?
College costs vary widely from state to state and from private to public schools.
The average tuition is $9,750 to about $58,628, not including room and board.
Room and board can tack on up to $17,400.
The cost of college has skyrocketed, according toEducation Data.
That amount rose to $28,420 for graduate students.
Overall, $256.7 billion of aid was distributed to both undergraduate and graduate students during this period.
Labor statistics continuously show steady or increased projected job growth in STEM fields.
What Is the Best College Degree for You?
It is important you study something interesting to you that fits your natural aptitudes.
verify you study something that fits who you are rather than changing yourself for the major.
Your college major decision doesnt have to lock you into one path for the rest of your life.
You might pick a college major as a freshman and then change it the next year.
Good communication skills are important in every career.
Critical thinking works whether you are doing project management or petroleum engineering.
These are important cues for success on your career path.
Here are some valuable degrees that could be the best college major for you.
Engineering
There are a lot of engineering career paths.
The beginning of those paths are pretty similar, but then you get to branch out.
Engineering is one of the safest degrees for job markets.
College students have multiple career options with these majors.
Most engineering fields require at least a bachelors degree to get started.
This can include careers such as computer systems analyst, information systems manager or computer systems analyst.
There is a low unemployment rate for these college majors.
Careers include app developers, IT specialists and firmware engineers.
This field combines health care and computer system knowledge to create digital systems for all medical fields.
Health information privacy laws are partially driving this fields rapid growth.
Health care professionals can branch off into multiple directions when they have a nursing degree.
It has become more common for nurses to train longer to become nurse practitioners.
Nurse practitioners take on responsibilities similar to doctors.
Nurse practitioners return to school for either masters or doctoral degrees and have to pass a national board-certified exam.
The field is growing extremely quickly at 40%, and the average salary is$130,295.
Finance
Business majors and accounting majors can find a lot of opportunities.
Management analysts, personal financial advisors and project management specialists earn the highest average salaries.
Business administration is one of the most popular college majors.
Unemployment in finance is less than 3%.
It is one of the fastest-growing fields.
A doctorate or masters degree really pays off in this field.
A Chief Information Security Officer can make over$341,265annually.
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They might be city managers, nonprofit directors or public health managers who work in human resources.
Degrees in public administration are good for people interested in going to law school.
you’re able to combine a desire to make the world better with a career that pays well.
This is an area with extremely low unemployment.
College graduates with this degree can become economists, financial analysts, management consultants, data scientists and more.
It is a high-earning field that pays people with postgraduate degrees best.
Almost 10% of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies hold undergraduate degrees in economics.
Salaries vary widely in construction management, heavily influenced by experience and special skills.
Residential construction generally pays the least, and civil or heavy-duty projects pay the most.
Logistics
Logistics majors typically start with an associates degree with a vocational emphasis.
Logistics is another quickly growing field.
Heres what it’s possible for you to expect.
Physics is the study of how everything functions, including space, time and energy.
It promotes and advertises goods and services.
The starting salary isnt that high, but marketing managers are well paid.
A few years of experience makes a big difference.
Game Design
Game design is a relatively new college major and isnt offered everywhere.
Other college majors for game design are software development and graphic design.
Game design can be used in multiple careers.
For example, journalism and education fields are increasingly using game design principles in reporting and teaching.
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Being a pharmacist requires a Doctor of Pharmacy, also called a Pharm.D.
Pharmacists work in hospitals, medical research, retail locations and academics.
While there isnt high job growth, the median salary has grown 64% over the last 20 years.
Even the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has discussedthe impact of your location on your earnings.
Pharmacists with a PharmD (doctorate) average pay range is$125,860 to $155,550.
A bachelors degree in marketing combined with a few years of experience is the most lucrative career.
Psychology or communications are good all-around majors that translate into many types of jobs.
you’re free to take classes in other areas until you find something that appeals to you.
Psychology tends to be the most popular major at most colleges.
That time doesnt include the time spent in classes.
Architecture combines engineering, physics, construction knowledge and creativity.
The other hardest majors are chemistry, engineering and math.
Though, of course, if you are fascinated by these subjects they will seem less difficult.
There is a healthy job market for all types of engineers.
Plus, engineering fields boast good pay along with low unemployment.
Both majors have a lot of overlap, especially in computer coding and system design.
A computer science degree is great for someone heading into software design, systems administration and cybersecurity.
Nurse practitioners, a nursing specialty, is the fastest growing career field.
The field is growing extremely quickly at 40% through 2033, and the average salary is $130,295.
Top salaries are for nurses who have earned advanced degrees and certifications and sat for licensing exams.
Data science fields in general have healthy growth predictions, at 35%.
Cybersecurity information security analysis is also a field that is growing much faster than average.
Health Informatics can start at $82,781 a year, often after obtaining specific certificates and a bachelors degree.
Cybersecurity majors start off at the bachelors level with an average salary of$96,652.
Jobs in computer science and computer engineering have median salaries around $130,160 and $138,080 respectively.
His work also appears on GoBankingRates, Investopedia, FinanceBuzz and The Smart Wallet.
JoEllen Schilke and Susan Shain contributed to this report.
