The 10 worst-paying college majors, five years after graduation

CNBC ^ | 03/02/2023 | Mike Winters

[SeekAndFind]

College graduates who studied liberal arts or education aren't likely to make a lot of money in their careers, but a degree in theology results in the lowest payout of all majors right after college, new data reveals.

Graduates who major in theology and religion earn median salaries of $36,000 five years after college, according to a New York Federal Reserve analysis. As an hourly wage for full-time work, that comes out to just over $17 per hour.

That's followed by family and consumer science, social service, psychology, performing arts and leisure and hospitality majors, who all make less than $40,000 five years after graduation.

Here's a look at how much graduates with the lowest-paying majors earn early in their careers:

Median pay for each of the majors on the list is at least $6,500 less than the median salary for all majors, which is $46,500.

While teachers tend to have good job security, summers off and pensions, they're mostly paid by state governments, which haven't kept wages in line with inflation over the years. Likewise, theology majors often work in educational roles that don't typically pay well.

In contrast, the highest-paying majors are all in STEM fields, an acronym for science, technology, engineering and math. STEM jobs are in high demand since they are expected to grow twice as fast as non-STEM jobs through 2031. The 10 best-paid majors five years after college are mostly subsets of engineering. Chemical engineers took the No. 1 spot with a median salary of $75,000.

Later on in their careers, the pay disparity nearly doubles, as graduates with the lowest-paying majors earn median salaries less than $60,000 while graduates with the highest-paying majors make over six figures.

[SeekAndFind]

NOTE:

Median pay for each of the majors on the list is at least $6,500 less than the median salary for all majors, which is $46,500.

While teachers tend to have good job security, summers off and pensions, they're mostly paid by state governments, which haven't kept wages in line with inflation over the years. Likewise, theology majors often work in educational roles that don't typically pay well.

In contrast, the highest-paying majors are all in STEM fields, an acronym for science, technology, engineering and math. STEM jobs are in high demand since they are expected to grow twice as fast as non-STEM jobs through 2031. The 10 best-paid majors five years after college are mostly subsets of engineering. Chemical engineers took the No. 1 spot with a median salary of $75,000.

Later on in their careers, the pay disparity nearly doubles, as graduates with the lowest-paying majors earn median salaries less than $60,000 while graduates with the highest-paying majors make over six figures.

[NWFree]

That’s why they become politicians and rip us off

[GreyHoundSailor]

Where does the always popular ‘Gender Studies’ fit in there? Must be lower than anything listed.

[Jonty30]

Which college degree do you need to work as a Starbucks barista?

[vmpolesov]

But but but not enough women and bipocs in stem!

[SeekAndFind]

RE: Which college degree do you need to work as a Starbucks barista?

Better to work at Starbucks AFTER high school, so you don’t waste tens of thousands of dollars going in debt to pay for a useless college degree.

[dayglored]

> Where does the always popular ‘Gender Studies’ fit in there? Must be lower than anything listed.

The list only includes people who got actual jobs after college.

What kind of "job" does "gender studies" qualify one for? I suspect those folks aren't working for pay, they're living off of someone else who is working.

[Organic Panic]

Geesh. And tradesmen are laughed at and spit on by the “educated.” My buddy pulls in $300 an hour as a plumber for high end houses. I make more as a fabricator /machinist than I ever did in my engineering profession. It isn’t even worth the time to go to college in those crap degrees.

[proxy_user]

These statistics are based on those who get an undergraduate degree only. If you major in English and then go to law school, you might do well, but you don’t count in the statistics.

[Ronaldus Magnus III]

bipoc?

Black
Indigenous
Piece
Of
Crap
?

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

**but a degree in theology results in the lowest payout**

That is because those called to preach have a higher calling not of this world.

I know a man who had a great job with a major retailing company and was making beaucoup of money!

He gave it all up to become a preacher in a small 40 member church because he felt he was called to that church.

And if you want to make money, go to a trade school! Welding, Carpentry, Electrician, Plumber, mechanic! Dirty work but it reeks of MONEY!
Just for the record, I learned at the school of Hard Knocks and did well learning almost all of this above.

[EastTexasTraveler]

“Where does the always popular ‘Gender Studies’ fit in there? Must be lower than anything listed.”

It is zero because they can’t get a job.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

It reeks of MONEY! don’t turn it down! I’ve done plumbing, pipe fitting, welding, electrician,carpentry, auto mechanic.
If I were just getting out of High School I would still try to apprentice myself to one of the above.

[lgjhn23]

I don’t see any oil drilling hands, electricians, plumbers, pipeline welders, HVAC techs, on the list....oh, wait..those aren’t prestigious degreed jobs...all those guys actually work at something beneficial to society. /s

[SPDSHDW]

Electrician, plumbing or welding are the best on that list currently, imo.

I was a heavy duty mechanic, and while I enjoy it, it doesn’t make as much money like the others. plus you gotta buy tools. lots of random tools.

[catnipman]

“an hourly wage for full-time work, that comes out to just over $17 per hour”

i noticed our local Target offering $17.50/hour starting wages, and that’s WITHOUT Divinity degree ...

[MachIV]

Even if one gets a degree in one of the more lucrative fields does not mean one will be able to secure a position in said field and potentially end up in a lower income job anyway.

If that happens, it has the potential to mean lower income mostly for life. Early career misfortunes tend to dictate perceptions among potential employers from that point forward.

[fso301]

Where does the always popular ‘Gender Studies’ fit in there? Must be lower than anything listed.

They get jobs outside of their field of study. Jobs like community organizer, antifa rioter, ballot harvester, ballot stuffer, etc.

At least for the listed 10 lowest paying majors there is some hope of being employed in a field of study.