An examination of earnings records for nearly 277,000 California graduates who received federal student aid reveals that certain undergraduate majors lead to substantially higher incomes four years after students finish their degrees.
The HEA Group, an education research organization, determined that graduates in mathematics and computer science recorded the highest average annual earnings at $138,785. Computer engineering and nursing followed, with averages of $125,120 and $123,693 respectively.
STEM fields overall produced the strongest results, consistent with patterns observed across the country, according to the organization’s president, Michael Itzkowitz.
“Before students consider additional levels of education, it’s important that they know what kind of investment they’re gonna make upfront, but also what kind of payoff they’re gonna have on the back end,” Itzkowitz said.
Business administration, management and operations ranked as the most frequently chosen major yet delivered a lower average salary of $74,271 four years after graduation.
The same analysis found that completing longer programs translated into greater earnings. Bachelor’s degree holders earned $34,769 more on average than associate’s degree recipients, who in turn earned $23,942 more than certificate holders.
Itzkowitz cautioned that salary figures alone do not capture the full value of different fields of study and that results can differ depending on the specific institution attended. “A social work degree and an engineering degree exist for very different reasons, and both have different kinds of societal value that goes beyond the paycheck,” he said.
This report is based on coverage by LAist: https://laist.com/news/education/these-college-majors-lead-to-the-highest-paying-jobs-for-california-students