The Bachelor's Degrees With The Highest Salary Potential 2017

As college students walk across grassy
campuses this fall, they wrestle with choosing
a major. Money should never be the only
factor they’re considering — nor should it be
ignored. So what are the bachelor’s degrees
with the highest earning potential?
Compensation site PayScale revealed the
majors leading to jobs with high pay at the
early-career (three years’ experience) and
mid-career (20 years’ experience) stages.
Science, technology, math and engineering
majors make a strong showing.
10. Electrical Power Engineering
Electrical engineering graduates are often
hired into a variety of fields, from aerospace
and automotive to computer hardware.
Early-career pay: $68,600
Mid-career pay: $119,100
9. Cognitive Science
Cognitive science is the study of "mind and
intelligence, embracing philosophy,
psychology, artificial intelligence,
neuroscience, linguistics, and anthropology,"
Stanford University explains .
Early-career pay:$54,000
Mid-career pay:$121,900
8. Geophysics
Studying geophysics can lead to a job in oil,
gas, mining or research, according to the
University of Texas.
Early-career pay: $54,100
Mid-career pay: $122,200
7. Economics and Mathematics
Econ and math majors often go on to take
positions in finance, consulting and research.
Early-career pay: $60,000
Mid-career pay: $122,900
6. Marine Engineering
Marine engineers "design, build, and
maintain ships from aircraft carriers to
submarines, from sailboats to tankers,"
according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
Early-career pay: $73,900
Mid-career pay: $123,200
5. Chemical Engineering
Jobs in chemical engineering touch a wide
array of industries, from food processing and
pharmaceuticals to apparel and energy.
Early-career pay: $70,300
Mid-career pay: $124,500
4. Nuclear Engineering
Nuclear engineers use radioactive materials to
build things, such as medical diagnosis
machines.
Early-career pay: $69,000
Mid-career pay: $127,500
3. Actuarial Science
Actuarial science, often used in finance and
insurance, involves applying math and
statistics to assess risk.
Early-career pay: $61,200
Mid-career pay: $130,800
2. Actuarial Mathematics
Early-career pay: $56,400
Mid-career pay: $131,700
1. Petroleum Engineering
Petroleum engineers "design and develop
methods for extracting oil and gas from
deposits below the Earth’s surface," according
to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Early-career pay: $94,600
Mid-career pay: $175,500
Follow me on Twitter @JeffKauflin or email me
at jkauflin[at]forbes[dot]com.
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