How to Choose the Most Lucrative College Degrees for a Rewarding Career
Not all colleges are created equal when it comes to quality education and employment. Some schools benefit from a higher demand and prestige on the job market than others. Typically, the graduates from these schools tend to earn better salaries. For most of our readers, knowing how certain specializations fare on the job market after graduation provides them with an important factor when considering college degrees and career paths. Post-secondary education is meant to give one access to a rewarding career, both in terms of pay and in terms of overall job satisfaction. If you wonder what colleges are the absolute best to graduate from right now, here is our list of the top 5 choices. With this list, you should learn how to choose the most lucrative college degrees for a rewarding career.
Computer Engineering
The world is still so immersed in computer technology. Things are continuing on this path on a consistent basis. So, it’s no wonder that computer engineering has proven to be one of the most desirable and lucrative careers for several years. If you search for above average pay and job security, this field is ideal for both. What’s more, the job market is still not overly saturated in terms of employment for IT people. For the college degree, you must possess some limited high school level background in information and mathematics. You can see a list of schools in your local area for Computer Programmers.
Quick facts: MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Stanford University, and the University of California-Berkeley notably serve as the best schools to enroll in. The median salary You can expect median salaries around $60,500* within the first 5 years after graduating. This figure may increase to $104,000 following 10-20 years of work experience.
Economics
It’s no wonder that people who work with money and contribute to managing risks/optimizing profits earn some of the best pay out of all of the professions in the country. If you’re reasonably good at mathematics but you’re not necessarily a computer geek, this sort of college degree may be just the thing for you. To increase your pay expectancies, a master’s degree in the field tends to really make a difference compared to an entry level bachelor’s degree.
Quick facts: Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Chicago, as well as the MIT offer the best economics college programs in the country. You should expect a median salary of $48,100* within the first 5 years following graduation. This figure should rise to $96,200 after gaining a significant amount of experience in the field.
Electrical Engineering
The most lucrative college degrees definitely exist in the realm of engineering. Whatever engineering specialization you choose, you will most likely experience a rewarding career and high rates of employment following college; the best two choices seem to be computer and electrical engineering. If you have a good track record in mathematics and physics, then you already have a desirable background to enroll in an electrical engineering program. Click here to read more about the best Electrical Engineering schools in the country.
Quick facts: MIT cracks the list yet again as it stands as one of the absolute best electrical engineering schools in the country. The University of Stanford, the University of California-Berkeley, and the California Institute of Technology follow closely behind. As for the position’s median salary, expect to earn roughly $59,900* per year immediately following graduation, and roughly $96,100 after some years of experience.
Computer Science
Computer Science serves as another great college major. If you enjoy computers but aren’t very keen on the whole engineering part, this degree program may be the ideal one for you. Computer science appeals to both your theoretical and practical thinking. It requires you to become a specialist in pen-and-paper work about computer design, feasibility of new ideas, as well as dabble in programming.
Quick Facts: The best schools for computer science in the US are Carnegie Melon University, MIT, Stanford University and the University of California-Berkeley. The median pay for this career sits at $54,200* per year following graduation and $94,000 per year after gaining significant work experience.
Mechanical Engineering
As you can see, the current employment market really loves engineers. This trend won’t likely change in the foreseeable future. If you’re good with mathematics and you like using various manual tools, this may be a great career choice for you. A mechanical engineer usually works in energy systems, materials processing or in design manufacturing/machine systems. Some professionals in this field are also tasked to find solutions to environmental problems, so if concern for the environment is one of your values, this may again make this profession a rewarding career for you.
Quick facts: The best mechanical engineering schools in the country are: The MIT, yet again, followed by Stanford University, the California Institute of Technology, and the University of California-Berkeley. The median salary you can expect after graduation is $56,900* per year, and $88,100 after 10 years of working experience in the field.
*All salary statistics are provided by Payscale.com
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