College Majors Using the highest Starting Salaries

Competition can be fierce in today’s post-financial crisis employment market, so ensuring a safe and secure future starts with planning for a span of college study that will garner a lucrative, long-term career. Which college you attend definitely is important, but the kind of major that creates an in-demand degree is key.

Here are three current college majors that can net a huge paycheck in a short time and hold the promise of excellent job growth over the long term.

1. Petroleum engineering
This is the creme en creme of engineering majors right now, thanks to the United States’ drilling recorded on domestic energy production in the last few years. Based on PayScale, graduates with a degree in petroleum engineering typically start out in a higher wage than most, at $98,000, and attain a midcareer income degree of a sweet $168,000 after Fifteen years within the field. Not bad for any four-year degree!

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2010 median purchase employment that falls inside the parameters of this degree was $114,080, having a growth factor of 17%, which was considered average at the time.

Since then, the power boom seems to have chose to make this degree a lot more popular — and lucrative. A study using census data collected just before 2011 showed petroleum engineers reporting an average earnings of $120,000, while a recent survey through the Society of Petroleum Engineers showed a 2012 median salary of $166,753, much nearer to PayScale’s numbers. The SPE salary levels represented a 12.4% increase from 2011 to 2012, and did not include bonuses. With extra bonus income factored in, the average reported income jumped to $223,472.

2. Actuarial mathematics
For individuals who like combining number crunching with risk assessment, a bachelor degree in actuarial mathematics is just the ticket to a lifetime of learning, as well as plump paychecks. This occupation was recently rated as the Best Job of 2019 by CareerCast, which noted the nerdy attraction of statistical analysis with constant on-the-job intellectual stimulation.

As for salary, math lovers have hit the jackpot, because the BLS listed the task as using a median pay degree of $87,650 in 2010. Not just that, but the outlook is very rosy, with a faster-than-average job growth potential of 27%. PayScale reports a midcareer salary of $112,000 for positions that require an actuarial mathematics degree.

3. Computer science
A four-year degree in information technology will prepare graduates for positions such as computer computer manager, which pays an entry-level salary of more than $58,000 annually and midcareer salary levels within the six-figure range. For those with at least five years’ experience, BLS noted that a earnings of $115,780 per year was the median pay level this year. The task growth outlook is predicted to become about 18% with the year 2020.

Obtaining a college degree is often the largest investment you may make inside your future, so it pays to take the time essential to research the areas of study which will give you the most bang for the educational buck. These three examples prove that choosing the right major will reward you with a skill profile that will guarantee a lifetime of financial security.