Just graduated? These 10 college majors pay the most in US

By Dat Nguyen April 20, 2025 | 03:12 pm PT

An employee works on an assembly line at startup Rivian Automotive's electric vehicle factory in Normal, Illinois, U.S. April 11, 2022. Photo by Reuters

Computer engineering is among the highest-paying college majors in the U.S. with an annual median wage in early career of $80,000, a study has found.

Two other majors, computer science and chemical engineering, are also in the top salary range of $80,000, recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows.

Chemical engineering, however, has a lower unemployment rate of 2%, compared to computer engineering’s 7.5% and computer science’s 6.1%.

Electrical engineering came in the fourth place at $78,000.

Aerospace engineering and industrial engineering were just behind at $76,000.

At $75,000 or lower, the list of majors includes mechanical engineering, civil engineering, economics and finance.

Engineering graduates are highly sought after for their blend of mathematical proficiency and technical know-how, attributes that hold significant value across diverse sectors, according to CNBC.

As technology-driven domains such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity continue to expand, computer engineering majors rank among the top-earning graduates.

Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York pointed out that the lowest-paying major in early career is foreign language, with a median wage of $40,000.

Just a tick higher were general social sciences and performing arts at around $41,000.

In terms of mid-career earnings, aerospace engineering topped the list with a median salary of $125,000.

It was followed by computer engineering ($122,000) and chemical engineering ($120,000).