20 Best-Paying College Majors: 2024

  Payscale's newly released 2024 College Salary Report collects alumni compensation data representing 763 majors at some 2,400 colleges and universities across the U.S. The report is intended to help college-bound students make informed decisions about their education and future careers. A college degree, it says, significantly influences earning power. "Our research shows that college graduates earn 37% more than those with only a high school diploma," Amy Stewart, Payscale's principal for research and insights, said in a statement. "Choosing a school or major with strong income potential could cut your student loan repayment time in half, so it's crucial to consider all your options — particularly for those who are on the fence about the value of a formal education." Payscale also notes that students' choice of a major does not lock them into a career, as many majors are transferable to different career paths. ThinkAdvisor has identified the 20 best-paying college majors, ranked by pay at mid-career — median salaries earned by holders of bachelor's degrees with 10 or more years' work experience — rather than starting salary, or zero to five years' experience. See the gallery for the 20 best-paying college majors, according to Payscale.