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
All fields92 qualifying field-and-credential categories
1Physical Science Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $6,852/yr+349%2Engineering Technologies/Technicians, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,744/yr+231%3Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,650/yr+209%4Engineering ScienceAssociate's Degree · institution price context $7,396/yr+199%5Engineering, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $7,621/yr+187%6Fire ProtectionAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,669/yr+164%7Industrial Production Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,088/yr+158%8Electromechanical Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,276/yr+156%9Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $13,464/yr+154%10Air TransportationAssociate's Degree · institution price context $15,886/yr+152%11Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $12,754/yr+107%12Civil Engineering Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,069/yr+105%13Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $13,835/yr+84%14Computer ScienceAssociate's Degree · institution price context $9,941/yr+75%15Electrical and Power Transmission InstallersAssociate's Degree · institution price context $15,427/yr+75%16Dental Support Services and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $12,239/yr+71%17Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $12,749/yr+65%18Agricultural MechanizationAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,509/yr+59%19Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing AssistantsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $14,963/yr+59%20MathematicsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,306/yr+55%21Information Science/StudiesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $15,027/yr+50%22Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and InspectionAssociate's Degree · institution price context $14,541/yr+34%23Computer ProgrammingAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,261/yr+30%24Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,193/yr+29%25Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $14,273/yr+26%26Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $15,261/yr+24%27Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)Associate's Degree · institution price context $16,312/yr+11%28Management Information Systems and ServicesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $14,597/yr+4%29Precision Metal WorkingAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,327/yr+2%30Environmental Control Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $15,564/yr+0%31Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementAssociate's Degree · institution price context $13,472/yr−2%32Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $14,215/yr−8%33Computer Systems Networking and TelecommunicationsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $14,803/yr−9%34Computer Engineering Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $12,231/yr−12%35Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $10,385/yr−17%36Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,133/yr−19%37Data ProcessingAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,574/yr−23%38Funeral Service and Mortuary ScienceAssociate's Degree · institution price context $17,846/yr−32%39Business/Commerce, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,808/yr−33%40Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherAssociate's Degree · institution price context $7,650/yr−35%41Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $12,608/yr−37%42Health/Medical Preparatory ProgramsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,439/yr−38%43Human Resources Management and ServicesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $14,544/yr−49%44Biological and Physical SciencesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $7,201/yr−49%45Physical Sciences, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,368/yr−51%46Rehabilitation and Therapeutic ProfessionsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,088/yr−64%47Accounting and Related ServicesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $12,319/yr−64%48Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,236/yr−67%49Agricultural Business and ManagementAssociate's Degree · institution price context $14,072/yr−70%50Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business ServicesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $16,752/yr−71%51Criminal Justice and CorrectionsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,357/yr−83%52Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing OperationsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $28,088/yr−92%53Legal Support ServicesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $14,283/yr−94%54MarketingAssociate's Degree · institution price context $13,904/yr−95%55Biology, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,342/yr−98%56SociologyAssociate's Degree · institution price context $7,169/yr−98%57Allied Health and Medical Assisting ServicesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $14,302/yr−99%58Social Sciences, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,159/yr−107%59Communication and Media StudiesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,402/yr−108%60Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, OtherAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,001/yr−109%61Public HealthAssociate's Degree · institution price context $15,141/yr−113%62Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $14,829/yr−116%63Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $9,993/yr−120%64Community Organization and AdvocacyAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,403/yr−123%65Education, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $9,376/yr−126%66Agricultural Production OperationsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $14,014/yr−127%67Mental and Social Health Services and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,870/yr−132%68Hospitality Administration/ManagementAssociate's Degree · institution price context $10,971/yr−138%69Social WorkAssociate's Degree · institution price context $9,013/yr−139%70Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessAssociate's Degree · institution price context $12,730/yr−142%71Human Services, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $10,632/yr−143%72Health and Medical Administrative ServicesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $15,734/yr−144%73General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing OperationsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $10,243/yr−150%74Computer Software and Media ApplicationsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $15,221/yr−155%75Culinary Arts and Related ServicesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $12,265/yr−157%76Psychology, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,365/yr−160%77Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $9,518/yr−161%78Graphic CommunicationsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $7,593/yr−164%79Business Operations Support and Assistant ServicesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,950/yr−167%80Teaching Assistants/AidesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,073/yr−168%81Design and Applied ArtsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $12,539/yr−169%82MusicAssociate's Degree · institution price context $18,031/yr−170%83Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationAssociate's Degree · institution price context $7,930/yr−175%84Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $9,380/yr−189%85Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,580/yr−191%86Fine and Studio ArtsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,682/yr−196%87English Language and Literature, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $6,728/yr−198%88Audiovisual Communications Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $13,781/yr−198%89Film/Video and Photographic ArtsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $17,919/yr−202%90Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic ServicesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $26,154/yr−205%91Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $10,810/yr−214%92Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming ServicesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $10,701/yr−297%

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.