Where to Look If You Want the Best Starting Salaries for Your Major
The first thing on any starving student’s mind when it comes to graduation is…money.
After all, we didn’t spend hundreds of weekends studying and days without sleep for nothing. We want to graduate and make tons of money.
I think we all understood, not all degrees were created equal. Never did I see a Sociology major expecting to have the starting salary of an Engineering major.
But what we might not have thought of is just where in our industry would we make the biggest bang for our buck?
For instance, if I was graduating in Business Management, what employers would pay me the most for my major. Is it retail, manufacturing, colleges, or hospitals?
Thanks to the recent Nace Survey we now can answer that very question.
Where to Look If You Want the Best Starting Salaries for Your Major
Below I’ve organized the data by major. I’ll share what the average salary is as well as who are the high paying and low paying employers.
Accounting
Average Salary: Accounting majors in 2011 saw an average starting salary of $50,500.
Lowest Paying Employers: accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services at $47,050.
Highest Paying Employers: Securities, commodities, and financial investments at $53,910.
Business Administration/Management
Average Salary: Business Admin/Management majors in 2011 saw an average starting salary of $43,600.
Lowest Paying Employers: Retail at $35,190.
Highest Paying Employers: Hospitals at $60,040.
Communication
Average Salary: Communication majors in 2011 saw an average starting salary of $39,577.
Lowest Paying Employers: Retail, radio, television broadcasting at $33,460.
Highest Paying Employers: Journalism and advertising at $52,300.
Computer Science
Average Salary: Computer Science majors in 2011 saw an average starting salary of $60,594.
Lowest Paying Employers: N/A.
Highest Paying Employers: N/A.
Economics
Average Salary: Economics majors were paid the best out of the business majors in 2011 and saw an average starting salary of $54,400.
Lowest Paying Employers: N/A.
Highest Paying Employers: Securities, commodities, funds, trusts, and financial investments at $77,640.
Education
Average Salary: Education majors saw an average starting salary of $37,830.
Lowest Paying Employers: N/A.
Highest Paying Employers: Special Education at $39,100.
Engineering
Average Salary: Engineering majors saw an average starting salary of $61,872.
Lowest Paying Employers: Civil engineering at $57,100.
Highest Paying Employers: Aerospace and computer engineering up to $70,400.
Finance
Average Salary: Finance majors in 2011 saw an average starting salary of $48,300.
Lowest Paying Employers: Banking at $43,830.
Highest Paying Employers: Securities, commodities, funds, trusts, and financial investments at $68,770.
Health Sciences
Average Salary: Health science majors in 2011 saw an average starting salary of $44,955.
Lowest Paying Employers: Hospitals general health science at $38,440.
Highest Paying Employers: Nursing at $48,100.
Humanities and Social Sciences
Average Salary: Humanities and Social science majors in 2011 saw an average starting salary of $35,503.
Lowest Paying Employers: Criminal justice, social work, $30,500.
Highest Paying Employers: English at $37,400.
Math and Sciences
Average Salary: Math and science majors in 2011 saw an average starting salary of $40,204.
Lowest Paying Employers: N/A.
Highest Paying Employers: Insurance, management consulting, computer systems design, and manufacturing at $50,000.
Marketing
Average Salary: Marketing majors in 2011 saw an average starting salary of $51,200.
Lowest Paying Employers: Retail at $35,680.
Highest Paying Employers: Manufacturing, computer systems, design $57,300.
What Do You Think?
The great news is that across the board, average starting salaries went up for recent grads compared to 2010.
If you graduated and took a lower salary, maybe there are some better opportunities now. Or maybe you can use this as part of your justification for a raise.
Did any of the numbers surprise you? Tell me what you think in the comments below.
images courtesy of Dennis Wong, needoptic, Peter Alfred Hess, dawolf-, stuck in customs, Davide Rusconi, Steve Weaver, sidknee23, n0r, alvaro tapia hidalgo, denis mironov, jdlasica
Informative post, Bryce!
I’m certain that this information will prove to be highly useful for those recent and future grads out there.
On a side note though, I loved some of the images you put with each industry. Finance was priceless! My partner is in banking, and from what I hear this is the image they have some days.
Thanks for sharing the wealth of info!
Deeone recently posted..The Power of a Single Word
Thanks Deeone,
I wasn’t originally going to include the pictures, but I didn’t like the look of the post without them.
Glad it was a good addition in your eyes.
As for the finance pic, I tried to do something different. I went through finance classes in college and that’s how I usually felt afterwards, I also started my career in banking, so I’ve seen a tiny bit of that industry as well.
Certainly can be stressful at times, but to be fair there are plenty of happy and smiling faces in that field as well. No bias intended.
Hope you had an AWESOME weekend. Keep spreading your amazingness.
Bryce
This was really useful, i’m glad you pretty much covered every single category and major lol, no surprises here
ella recently posted..3 Gorgeous Event Checklist Templates
Thanks Ella,
Glad it was useful for you.
Bryce
Informative post Bryce!
I totally agree with Deeone there that this is a wonderful post for grad. students who are looking out for jobs. I guess everything is so well laid out, which would make it easy for them to pick out the kind of job they want.
From the looks of it, engineering and computer science seem promising enough! I wish we had such a list when we graduated, would have made a lot of difference to us to help decide the kind of job we take up
Thanks for sharing
Harleena Singh@Freelance Writer recently posted..Accept Change & Adjust to Life
Yep Computer Science and Engineering can make a very good starting salary.
I know I would have liked to see where the best starting salaries were for my major when I was in school. Hope this will help a few of students currently exploring where to work after school.
Bryce
Hey Bryce,
The numbers were a little mind boggling. Actually I come from India (though I don’t live there anymore); education is relatively affordable in the country. Also, converting those dollars to the local currency make the numbers even more huge than it is!
Well, the fact that education remains a dream for many is saddening. Education is a right, it should be affordable.
Hajra recently posted..Will they call you over for a bloggers party?
Hi Hajra,
Thanks for the comment and perspective. Education has become a business in the states and there are both positives and negatives because of that.
One of the major negatives is that education is not cheap. Sure there are scholarships and financial aid available, but that often doesn’t cover the majority of the cost for most people.
For something that can give its citizens a better life and future, you’d think we could make it affordable to everyone.
Maybe someday,
Bryce
Bryce Christiansen recently posted..Where to Look If You Want the Best Starting Salaries for Your Major
Hi Bryce,
Great list for soon to be graduates or those thinking about what to major in. Computers and engineering seem to rank high, which is not surprising. All diplomas are not created equal, but again, it is an added bonus to love what you do. Thanks for sharing this helpful list.
Cathy | Treatment Talk recently posted..Zen Mama: Letting Go Leads to Happiness
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it.
I know it’s probably not the most relative post for you so it means a lot to me when you still take the time to share something.
Hope all is well.
Bryce
Bryce Christiansen recently posted..3 Benefits of Taking Your Dog to Work
Hey Bryce,
This is a great list. Computer science graduates have got it made. 60,000 is a great average salary. If I could do it all over again I would graduated college first before I joined the military. Now I’m in class with a lot of the younger soon to be IT graduates.
Education is very important. And like Cathy said, it would in your best interest to love what you do.
Vic recently posted..Positive Encouragement In Seven Super Obvious Places
That’s true.
First, you have to do what you love.
Second, once you find the area you are passionate about, use this to explore where you can get the most bang for your buck.
Great points Vic,
Bryce
Bryce, great info here for new grads. I enjoyed the pics as well. Looks to me like Economics is where it’s at. It’s all about supply and demand!
Have a great weekend.
Scott recently posted..10 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Dad
Thanks Scott.
It has been interesting to learn about.
Bryce
Wow! This is a super useful post, Bryce! I can’t wait to share this around! =) Seeing the numbers has also helped me get a general feel for what a good salary is in general, whether or not I fit cleanly into any of the majors. Great post!
Samantha Bangayan recently posted..Now a Real Peruvian: A Milestone
Thanks Samantha,
I appreciate your comment.
It really does give a bigger picture as well and should help those who might not fit into one of these majors.
Let me know if I can do anything for you.
Bryce
I really love this post.. also nice pictures that you put within each industry, I really love that
Dean recently posted..4 Easy Steps To Get a CNA Certificate Online
Thanks Dean,
Hope it was helpful.
Bryce
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