OBSERVED EARNINGS · LIKE-FOR-LIKE CATEGORIES

Highest-paying majors

National median earnings four years after completion, keeping field and credential level visible.

Field familyAll fields STEM & Computing Health & Clinical Business & Management Social & Behavioral Sciences Education Arts, Media & Humanities Law & Public Service Trades & Applied Fields

Degree levelAll credentials Associate Bachelor’s Master’s Doctorate

All fields92 ranked field-and-credential categories with at least 10 earnings observations

1Physical Science Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · 16 programs$91,557 2Engineering Technologies/Technicians, GeneralAssociate's Degree · 24 programs$82,564 3Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's Degree · 1,032 programs$79,954 4Engineering ScienceAssociate's Degree · 18 programs$76,355 5Air TransportationAssociate's Degree · 18 programs$75,637 6Engineering, GeneralAssociate's Degree · 54 programs$75,246 7Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · 34 programs$74,666 8Industrial Production Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · 42 programs$73,951 9Electromechanical Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · 66 programs$73,834 10Fire ProtectionAssociate's Degree · 27 programs$73,375 11Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · 71 programs$68,934 12Civil Engineering Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · 11 programs$67,993 13Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · 42 programs$66,606 14Electrical and Power Transmission InstallersAssociate's Degree · 63 programs$66,108 15Dental Support Services and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's Degree · 243 programs$64,564 16Computer ScienceAssociate's Degree · 33 programs$64,221 17Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing AssistantsAssociate's Degree · 44 programs$64,035 18Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsAssociate's Degree · 601 programs$64,016 19Information Science/StudiesAssociate's Degree · 26 programs$63,006 20Agricultural MechanizationAssociate's Degree · 10 programs$62,058 21MathematicsAssociate's Degree · 13 programs$61,557 22Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and InspectionAssociate's Degree · 13 programs$60,948 23Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · 28 programs$59,987 24Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · 180 programs$59,977 25Computer ProgrammingAssociate's Degree · 57 programs$59,646 26Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · 43 programs$59,496 27Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)Associate's Degree · 42 programs$58,608 28Management Information Systems and ServicesAssociate's Degree · 22 programs$57,424 29Environmental Control Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · 13 programs$57,129 30Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementAssociate's Degree · 135 programs$56,486 31Precision Metal WorkingAssociate's Degree · 74 programs$56,479 32Computer Systems Networking and TelecommunicationsAssociate's Degree · 103 programs$55,935 33Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's Degree · 68 programs$55,893 34Computer Engineering Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · 22 programs$55,105 35Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralAssociate's Degree · 142 programs$54,238 36Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's Degree · 16 programs$53,620 37Funeral Service and Mortuary ScienceAssociate's Degree · 24 programs$53,579 38Data ProcessingAssociate's Degree · 21 programs$53,247 39Business/Commerce, GeneralAssociate's Degree · 223 programs$52,628 40Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, GeneralAssociate's Degree · 63 programs$52,232 41Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherAssociate's Degree · 44 programs$51,834 42Health/Medical Preparatory ProgramsAssociate's Degree · 29 programs$51,601 43Human Resources Management and ServicesAssociate's Degree · 35 programs$51,118 44Biological and Physical SciencesAssociate's Degree · 86 programs$50,340 45Physical Sciences, GeneralAssociate's Degree · 24 programs$50,266 46Accounting and Related ServicesAssociate's Degree · 250 programs$49,138 47Rehabilitation and Therapeutic ProfessionsAssociate's Degree · 14 programs$49,063 48Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's Degree · 592 programs$48,685 49Agricultural Business and ManagementAssociate's Degree · 21 programs$48,565 50Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business ServicesAssociate's Degree · 13 programs$48,534 51Criminal Justice and CorrectionsAssociate's Degree · 480 programs$46,940 52Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing OperationsAssociate's Degree · 11 programs$46,098 53Legal Support ServicesAssociate's Degree · 121 programs$45,714 54MarketingAssociate's Degree · 34 programs$45,620 55Biology, GeneralAssociate's Degree · 53 programs$45,194 56SociologyAssociate's Degree · 29 programs$45,161 57Allied Health and Medical Assisting ServicesAssociate's Degree · 540 programs$45,151 58Social Sciences, GeneralAssociate's Degree · 38 programs$44,267 59Communication and Media StudiesAssociate's Degree · 64 programs$44,143 60Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, OtherAssociate's Degree · 12 programs$44,030 61Public HealthAssociate's Degree · 22 programs$43,403 62Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · 139 programs$43,115 63Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's Degree · 997 programs$42,789 64Community Organization and AdvocacyAssociate's Degree · 12 programs$42,552 65Education, GeneralAssociate's Degree · 34 programs$42,127 66Agricultural Production OperationsAssociate's Degree · 18 programs$41,868 67Mental and Social Health Services and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's Degree · 76 programs$41,527 68Hospitality Administration/ManagementAssociate's Degree · 36 programs$40,788 69Social WorkAssociate's Degree · 41 programs$40,761 70Human Services, GeneralAssociate's Degree · 83 programs$40,247 71Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessAssociate's Degree · 38 programs$40,142 72Health and Medical Administrative ServicesAssociate's Degree · 333 programs$39,604 73General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing OperationsAssociate's Degree · 12 programs$39,486 74Psychology, GeneralAssociate's Degree · 124 programs$38,612 75Culinary Arts and Related ServicesAssociate's Degree · 111 programs$38,508 76Computer Software and Media ApplicationsAssociate's Degree · 46 programs$38,361 77Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsAssociate's Degree · 184 programs$38,349 78Graphic CommunicationsAssociate's Degree · 24 programs$38,274 79Teaching Assistants/AidesAssociate's Degree · 11 programs$37,783 80Business Operations Support and Assistant ServicesAssociate's Degree · 73 programs$37,383 81Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationAssociate's Degree · 15 programs$37,102 82Design and Applied ArtsAssociate's Degree · 116 programs$37,065 83MusicAssociate's Degree · 13 programs$36,153 84Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesAssociate's Degree · 96 programs$35,276 85English Language and Literature, GeneralAssociate's Degree · 15 programs$34,868 86Fine and Studio ArtsAssociate's Degree · 38 programs$34,728 87Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasAssociate's Degree · 22 programs$34,656 88Audiovisual Communications Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · 35 programs$33,442 89Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralAssociate's Degree · 14 programs$32,304 90Film/Video and Photographic ArtsAssociate's Degree · 15 programs$32,202 91Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic ServicesAssociate's Degree · 14 programs$30,060 92Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming ServicesAssociate's Degree · 13 programs$23,086

Field families are reproducible groupings of federal two-digit CIP subject codes. Rankings require at least 10 programs with reported year-4 earnings; missing or suppressed values are not replaced with zero.