Which College Degrees Prepare Students For the Highest-Paying Careers?

Getting a college degree is a major investment of time and money. Because of this, it is critical that potential students make sure that they'll get a return on their investment. While there has been a lot written about college students who fail to get jobs in their field after graduating, not a lot of information is available to show potential students which degrees will help them to land jobs that will pay the most money. Here, we review four degrees with some of the highest paying jobs available to graduates.

Engineering

There are a lot of different majors that fall under this field, and nearly all of them will land you a job that makes a lot of money. In fact, a recent survey of college majors by NPR showed that seven out of the top ten highest paying degrees were in Engineering disciplines. Of course, these degrees require a time commitment of several years, and successful students have a good background in math and science.

Nursing and Other Healthcare Practitioners

The Affordable Care Act has expanded health care coverage to millions of people. That means hospitals and clinics are looking for people to work, and they have the money to pay them. Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners are expected to be in the highest demand and can typically get the highest salaries of over $70,000 a year in some areas. If you don't have a lot of time to get a degree, consider a two-year Licensed Practical Nurse certificate that can get your foot in the door with a well-paying job while you work on a higher degree.

Computer Programming

Practically every industry needs programmers, and that high demand means higher salaries. Programming was also listed on NPR's highest paying degrees list, and graduates can work practically anywhere. People who choose established manufacturing and mining operations will tend to make the most money, but there are opportunities for people who want to work creative projects such as video production and game design.

Education

No one expects to make a lot of money in teaching, but the field is known for high levels of job security and great benefits. Furthermore, degree holders with children can often save a lot on childcare costs compared to people in other fields. This means that it might take a while, but during a lifetime of earnings, a teacher can accrue just as much wealth as a holder of any other degree on this list. People with higher level degrees can also work for private companies designing standardized tests and curriculum.

While these degrees will help a student land a job that will pay a lot of money, it is still important for future students to make sure that they don't overpay for their degree. Remember that the cost of education is more than tuition, it also includes a lot of incidental expenses that you can save money on. Doing this will ensure that you do not rack up a lot of student loan debt.

See Also: Most Affordable Online Game Design Degree Programs (Bachelor's)