College Majors Offering Top Earning Potential

Choosing a field of study in college is certainly not all about how much money you will earn after graduation. In today’s economy though, it’s important to know where the jobs will be in the near future. U.S News & World Report just published a piece detailing which majors offer the strongest earning potential and job prospects after graduation.

It’s probably no surprise that engineering, physics, computer science and mathematics top the list. Also, keep in mind that economics may be a better choice than business as students learn more on the analytical side in econ, which is a big plus.

And not to despair for majors in humanities. The article states that students with these majors may earn less than those with econ or engineering degrees, but they still have strong earning potential and versatility across industries. “Whether it be sociology, or political science, or anthropology … anything that helps you understand people’s behaviors and trends in behaviors, I think those would be good majors for people who aren’t as analytically focused,” said Katie Bardaro, a lead economist at PayScale, an online salary database.

Here’s the complete article by Kelsey Sheehy. Also, check out our recent piece on Forbes Top Colleges in 2012.