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The 25 highest-paying college majors - more than half earn at least $100,000 by mid-career
CNBC (Business Website) ^ | 16 April 2025 | Mike Winters

Posted on 04/16/2025 2:00:06 PM PDT by zeestephen

If your goal is to make money right after college, majoring in engineering is one of the safest bets.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: engineering
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1 posted on 04/16/2025 2:00:06 PM PDT by zeestephen
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To: zeestephen

What, no Lesbian Studies?


2 posted on 04/16/2025 2:03:05 PM PDT by Petrosius
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To: zeestephen

Salaries grow fast for engineering, but have been stagnant for past 15 to 20 years it seems.


3 posted on 04/16/2025 2:04:32 PM PDT by griffin (When you have to shoot, SHOOT; don't talk. -Tuco)
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To: griffin

H1B


4 posted on 04/16/2025 2:07:06 PM PDT by Sirius Lee ("Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.”)
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To: zeestephen

The top eight for ages 22-27 are Engineering.

And seven of the top ten for ages 35-45 are Engineering.

There’s definitely a correlation to be found, in what demographics pursue those degrees. i.e., “Hard work pays off”, and all that...


5 posted on 04/16/2025 2:10:49 PM PDT by simpson96
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To: zeestephen

I have a degree in ine of those fields. It is no guarantee. Without connections, the odds are very long.


6 posted on 04/16/2025 2:12:05 PM PDT by MachIV
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To: zeestephen

Now do “Plumber”


7 posted on 04/16/2025 2:12:49 PM PDT by bigbob (Yes. We ARE going back!)
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To: Sirius Lee

Yeah, that plays a part, but from my experience, i dont see enough of them to make that big a difference. I think much of the problem root cause is much more systemic. Like more manufacturing going overseas 2nd other economic effects.

Contract work seems to be better....or if you head into a director or vp level.


8 posted on 04/16/2025 2:13:10 PM PDT by griffin (When you have to shoot, SHOOT; don't talk. -Tuco)
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To: zeestephen

Good luck getting through the Calculus. It makes or breaks a lot of Engineer wannabees.


9 posted on 04/16/2025 2:13:24 PM PDT by MachIV
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To: griffin

H1b and outsourcing to India.
It was started by Intel back in the early 90’s.
In the end it only ended Intel.
The problem was obvious with the head of Intel’s Pentium project.
Vinod Dham was THE person who covered up the Pentium FPU flaw so he could get huge stock options.

Thus began a long line of scam artists who convinced Executive Staff to fund dumb ideas.


10 posted on 04/16/2025 2:14:10 PM PDT by Zathras
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To: griffin

Or if you get i,to a niche industry....like firearms...and are open to relocation.

I should clarify....it seems salaries for very experienced engineers have been stagnant for 15 to 20 years.


11 posted on 04/16/2025 2:16:28 PM PDT by griffin (When you have to shoot, SHOOT; don't talk. -Tuco)
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To: griffin

I was making more than that mid-career in the early 2000’s without a college degree. I really worry for our youth earning potential is way down. People are starting their first jobs getting what I was paid in the late 80’s. My children are doing OK, but not nearly as well as I did and with a lot more useful education under their belt.

FWIW I went into tech on the trading side with a good deal of specific knowledge for certain niche markets.


12 posted on 04/16/2025 2:18:22 PM PDT by Woodman
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To: zeestephen

In the same time the trades make as much or more quicker.


13 posted on 04/16/2025 2:18:31 PM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: MachIV

Lol...alot of guys that failed out of fluid mechanics went into medical.


14 posted on 04/16/2025 2:18:58 PM PDT by griffin (When you have to shoot, SHOOT; don't talk. -Tuco)
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To: griffin

My kid is an Astronautical Engineer doing something on the Space Force. Let’s just say he’s wildly overcompensated.


15 posted on 04/16/2025 2:20:15 PM PDT by cyclotic (Don’t be part of the problem. Be the entire problem)
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To: Petrosius

Certainly Women’s studies, Theater, and Fine Arts are at the top of the chart.


16 posted on 04/16/2025 2:20:32 PM PDT by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: zeestephen

My oldest daughter has a biomedical engineering BS and mechanical engineering masters.

Works in medical devices.

Doing well. Lots of opportunities in that field here in NJ.


17 posted on 04/16/2025 2:24:53 PM PDT by Fuzz
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To: Woodman
In my early i wish i would have been more knowledgeable about entrepreneurial principles and skilled trades. Engineering has been SO risk averse that it really stagnates successes and experience, imo. I wish I would have struck out on my own WAY before I did. Big corporations I detest with a passion.
18 posted on 04/16/2025 2:25:12 PM PDT by griffin (When you have to shoot, SHOOT; don't talk. -Tuco)
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To: ImJustAnotherOkie

As expected not a single studies major, no humanities, no arts, zip zilch nada!

Basic if the major is not technical or medical by nature it is useless for an income with the exception of a general business which is near the bottom of the chart.

Literally no surprises with anyone that has a functioning brain.


19 posted on 04/16/2025 2:26:32 PM PDT by Skwor
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To: Woodman

My salary peaked about 2010 and stayed at 100k until i started doing contract work. But a guy is more apt to get contract work if you have good, applicable experience.


20 posted on 04/16/2025 2:28:16 PM PDT by griffin (When you have to shoot, SHOOT; don't talk. -Tuco)
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