DegreeVerdict
ROI Calculator
ASSOCIATE + BACHELOR’S · ILLUSTRATIVE ECONOMIC ROI

Best ROI majors

Compare degree fields using reported earnings, college-wide average net price, expected study time and earnings forgone while enrolled.

Field familyAll fieldsSTEM & ComputingHealth & ClinicalBusiness & ManagementSocial & Behavioral SciencesEducationArts, Media & HumanitiesLaw & Public ServiceTrades & Applied Fields
Degree levelAssociate + bachelor’sAssociateBachelor’s
STEM & Computing56 qualifying field-and-credential categories
1Systems EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $17,530/yr+179%2Computer EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,495/yr+135%3Petroleum EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $17,673/yr+130%4Construction EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,516/yr+121%5Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,545/yr+111%6Industrial EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,384/yr+108%7Computer ScienceBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,093/yr+107%8Nuclear EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,401/yr+101%9Chemical EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,885/yr+100%10Construction Engineering Technology/TechnicianBachelor's Degree · institution price context $14,638/yr+99%11Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,350/yr+97%12Engineering, OtherBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,529/yr+91%13Materials EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,493/yr+84%14Applied MathematicsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,894/yr+84%15Biomedical/Medical EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $21,718/yr+84%16Mechanical EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,830/yr+78%17Engineering-Related FieldsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,045/yr+74%18Manufacturing EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,990/yr+71%19Quality Control and Safety Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree · institution price context $13,952/yr+68%20StatisticsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,776/yr+66%21Electromechanical Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree · institution price context $22,913/yr+62%22Engineering PhysicsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $22,486/yr+61%23Engineering, GeneralBachelor's Degree · institution price context $22,464/yr+60%24Architectural EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $22,030/yr+58%25Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,366/yr+57%26Agricultural EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,298/yr+56%27Civil EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,465/yr+55%28Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree · institution price context $17,656/yr+53%29Industrial Production Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree · institution price context $15,078/yr+51%30Information Science/StudiesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,842/yr+50%31Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree · institution price context $17,946/yr+46%32Environmental/Environmental Health EngineeringBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,809/yr+44%33Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, OtherBachelor's Degree · institution price context $17,968/yr+43%34Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,384/yr+42%35Biological and Biomedical Sciences, OtherBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,656/yr+42%36Engineering Technologies/Technicians, GeneralBachelor's Degree · institution price context $16,210/yr+39%37Computer Engineering Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,556/yr+32%38PhysicsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,182/yr+29%39BiotechnologyBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,331/yr+25%40Computer ProgrammingBachelor's Degree · institution price context $22,918/yr+23%41Civil Engineering Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree · institution price context $17,445/yr+22%42Computer Systems Networking and TelecommunicationsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,444/yr+14%43Computer Systems AnalysisBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,259/yr+2%44MathematicsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,108/yr−2%45Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical SciencesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,020/yr−9%46ChemistryBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,373/yr−16%47Microbiological Sciences and ImmunologyBachelor's Degree · institution price context $16,118/yr−17%48Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular BiologyBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,685/yr−24%49Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $16,782/yr−37%50Neurobiology and NeurosciencesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $24,619/yr−40%51Physiology, Pathology and Related SciencesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,068/yr−42%52Atmospheric Sciences and MeteorologyBachelor's Degree · institution price context $21,154/yr−44%53Biology, GeneralBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,497/yr−52%54Computer Software and Media ApplicationsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $25,150/yr−76%55Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population BiologyBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,979/yr−80%56Zoology/Animal BiologyBachelor's Degree · institution price context $17,582/yr−103%

The ROI scenario compares reported earnings with a $45,000 annual earnings baseline and includes study-time opportunity cost. Annual cost is the average college-wide net price among institutions reporting the field, not program tuition. Certificate and graduate credentials are excluded because that proxy is not reliable enough for those programs.