The Highest-Paid College Majors

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Computer science majors are number four on the list of highest-paid college majors but, considering seventy percent of the list is made up of engineering careers, you might want to take a long hard look at switching majors.

Engineers took seven of the top ten spots in NACE’s April survey, with petroleum engineers–a category added this year–earning the most, with average starting salaries of $93,500. Other than engineering majors, the list of highly paid grads includes computer science majors, management information systems/business majors, and finance majors.
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I'm surprised Computer Engineers make more than EE's.

Then again, I shouldn't be complaining, since I am one :p
 
Of course engineering and engineers, we actually do shit to make the world work.
 
When I read articles that make sense like this one, it always reminds me of the other end of the spectrum :D

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I'm a mechanical engineer. I don't know a single computer science major that started at a higher salary than me. Most comp science people also had trouble finding jobs.
 
Mining and nuclear would probably follow right after petroleum engineers.

Mineral and energy engineering disciplines is the place to be.

If you are a masochist
 
450 said:
I thought computer engineer implied CS+EE.
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It did in the 90s.

It's all one integrated program now. There is some overlap between CPE and EE study plans but not that much anymore. We learn more programming languages while the EE's take DSP and more advanced circuits classes.

In the end, it seems like the real world treats both majors as the same from what I've seen at internships....they just make everyone code. :p
 
Nuc_E said:
Mining and nuclear would probably follow right after petroleum engineers.

Mineral and energy engineering disciplines is the place to be.

If you are a masochist
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Majoring in nuclear engineering is no longer possible at most schools
 
I worked at a nuclear power plant for a year. Nuclear engineering has been taken out of a lot of schools. There are a few schools that do reactor engineering though. They made a lot more than my starting salary at that place
 
cougarsoccer said:
I worked at a nuclear power plant for a year. Nuclear engineering has been taken out of a lot of schools. There are a few schools that do reactor engineering though. They made a lot more than my starting salary at that place
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No jobs in it. You either work for Westinghouse or GE doing technical writing, regulate as a fed, or become a plant rat working on anything but the reactor. It's an overly specific ME degree for which no one will hire you, assuming your a physicist.

I got My NE degree and stayed three more semesters for a ME. Got a job in plastics.
 
Funny, highest paid can often coincide with highest unemployment, considering I doubt that is factored in ;)
 
Yea. It's overly specific. That why I went with mechanical engineering. I can work just about anywhere. Nuclear power plant now doing substation design
 
The depressing part is that I am only 20,000-25,000 more than my fields starting salary on that list with more than 22 years of experience ... time to look for another job I think :eek:
 
When I was taking chemistry, mechanical engineers were paid more than chemical engineers.
 
BladeVenom said:
When I was taking chemistry, mechanical engineers were paid more than chemical engineers.
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I graduated during the huge recession (Chemical Engineer)... I could technically look for a Chem E job now, but I'm working in the Civil Engineering industry at the moment.
 
So, for Petroleum Engineering, what happens when oil isn't that attractive anymore?

I am just curious, I am still wondering whether to study Chemical Engineering or do Petroleum Engineering. I feel like while with Chemical the starting salary isn't as high, it seems more useful for later.

I thought I read that Petroleum Engineers generally get paid crazy amounts, but the jobs aren't the most secure since it depends on the supply/demand and prices of oil.
 
xIronCrossx said:
So, for Petroleum Engineering, what happens when oil isn't that attractive anymore?

I am just curious, I am still wondering whether to study Chemical Engineering or do Petroleum Engineering. I feel like while with Chemical the starting salary isn't as high, it seems more useful for later.

I thought I read that Petroleum Engineers generally get paid crazy amounts, but the jobs aren't the most secure since it depends on the supply/demand and prices of oil.
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From what I understand, Chemical Engineers can do what Petroleum Engineers can (just they specialize in it more, so we aren't as efficient). But we do have more options because we don't necessarily need to work in the oil/gas industry (Which is huge where I am from... Alberta Canada).
 
Supposed entry-level finance salaries always seem like BS to me. From what I've seen, you would need at least 2 or 3 years of solid analyst experience in order to make that "average" salary of $57,400 in Minneapolis, which is a slightly-above-average market. The only way you could make that much straight out of undergrad is if you had at least one exceptional intern experience, very high GPA, and you were willing to sell your soul to Wall Street. There's just no way that is the average starting salary of a Finance grad with zero post-grad experience.

At the same time, I'm aware many companies consider jobs that require 2-3 years experience as entry level, which makes no sense to me either.
 
I know a Nuclear Engineer. He works for the Military, he is up there. Makes a boat of load of cash. I am betting 6 figures.
 
My company hires nuclear engineers. Our tools are responsible for making your chips smaller.
 
xIronCrossx said:
So, for Petroleum Engineering, what happens when oil isn't that attractive anymore?
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Let me know when the fairy farts that are supposed to be powering our cars of tomorrow can be refined into plastics, synthetic fibers and all sorts of stuff petroleum is used for. It is, definitely, a cyclical field however.
 
Computer Engineering: $71,700

hahaha

Yeah, I had a salary of 48k our out uni with MS
 
Cruiza said:
Supposed entry-level finance salaries always seem like BS to me. From what I've seen, you would need at least 2 or 3 years of solid analyst experience in order to make that "average" salary of $57,400 in Minneapolis, which is a slightly-above-average market. The only way you could make that much straight out of undergrad is if you had at least one exceptional intern experience, very high GPA, and you were willing to sell your soul to Wall Street. There's just no way that is the average starting salary of a Finance grad with zero post-grad experience.

At the same time, I'm aware many companies consider jobs that require 2-3 years experience as entry level, which makes no sense to me either.
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Yea, these look like NYC salaries to me. I thought they were very high given that the entire US was taken into consideration.
 
Serious question: If I want to go back to school for engineering but the degree I already have is in the arts, am I screwed?
 
2nd place "Computer Engineering: $71,700"

Good, maybe all this work will pay off in a few years...

it sure is hard, and sometimes I do wish I did something easier.
 
Megalith said:
Serious question: If I want to go back to school for engineering but the degree I already have is in the arts, am I screwed?
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Nope. You put in the work and understand the material, you can undo that silly arts degree. I'm about 75% convinced I need to go back for an engineering degree, too...
 
These salaries seem somewhat realistic for EE - slightly elevated but not as bad as other studies I've seen. At least for EE I've seen mid 60s as a starting salary for many of my friends. I also had a friend start at 40(!) On the contrary I also have a friend that started as a store manager at McDonalds at 40k... And local fire chief and police chiefs make six figures in a 100k city....

If I could go back, I think Physics teacher.
 
I see kids everyday that at 23 and 24 years old and graduating as Pharmacists. Starting salary is $100,000.

Met someone yesterday who just started pharmacy school at 17 and will graduate at 21 making $100,000. They started PSO as a junior in high school and took all the prereqs by the time they graduated at 17.
 
The salary figures are VERY dependent on your location. Here in MD salaries tend to be a lot higher for comp sci/engineering due to the market and cost of living.
 
If I were in it to make money, Engineering would be one of the last places I'd be in. It's good if you want to earn a decent salary, but the fresh college grads will always be making almost as much as you, regardless of experience.

My 15 year old engineering degree doesn't actually even pay the taxes on my wife's software sales salary. Oh, and she never finished college.
 
Wrecked Em said:
If I were in it to make money, Engineering would be one of the last places I'd be in. It's good if you want to earn a decent salary, but the fresh college grads will always be making almost as much as you, regardless of experience.

My 15 year old engineering degree doesn't actually even pay the taxes on my wife's software sales salary. Oh, and she never finished college.
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The degree opens doors. You have to go through them and move on up.

But yes, a guy working in "engineering" who hasn't moved on to management for 20+ years won't be making much more money than grads.
 
I know quite a few guys from my CS program that were hired by Microsoft before they graduated. Most were offered 100k + benefits, some were a bit under that. I ended up getting hired by my school and get to work in another country for a bit, little less pay than Microsoft but it's on par with that list.
 
shawnoen said:
I see kids everyday that at 23 and 24 years old and graduating as Pharmacists. Starting salary is $100,000.

Met someone yesterday who just started pharmacy school at 17 and will graduate at 21 making $100,000. They started PSO as a junior in high school and took all the prereqs by the time they graduated at 17.
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Pharmacists do make a nice salary, however dentists can start at $150k with higher earning potential than pharmacists with opportunity to start your business or private practice.
 
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