GeraLearn / US College Salaries by Major
US College Salaries by Major
The typical US Bachelor’s graduate had a median income of $47,260 about one year after completing their degree. By field, the median ranged from $83,188 (Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing) down to $20,532 (Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft). These are medians, not guarantees. Real U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard data (public domain).
What is the typical US salary by college field of study after a Bachelor’s degree?
Across all fields, the typical US Bachelor’s graduate had a median income of $47,260 about one year after completing their degree. The highest-earning field was Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($83,188) and the lowest was Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft ($20,532). These are medians — the typical graduate, half earned more and half less — not guarantees. Source: U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard (public domain).
US college salaries by major describe what US graduates typically earn early in their careers depending on the field they studied, measured by the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, which links federal student records to IRS earnings data. The headline figure is the median — the middle completer who was working and not enrolled in further study, with half earning more and half earning less. It is a typical outcome about one year after completion, not a guarantee, and earnings usually rise with experience over a career.
US college salary comparator
Pick a field of study to compare its typical (median) early-career earnings against the all-field median. Every figure is a real published College Scorecard median — not a guarantee.
Median early-career income
$83,188
Rank (of 120)
#1
Completers behind it
429,074
The $83,188 median for Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing is $35,928 above the $47,260 all-field median. It rolls up 1,043 published institution-level program medians.
Medians, not guarantees or averages. Figures are completer-count-weighted medians of real published College Scorecard institution-level program medians for Bachelor’s completers who were working and not enrolled, measured about one year after completion. Individual earnings vary by institution, region, role and experience. Nothing here is modelled or interpolated.
US college salaries by major, ranked
All 120 fields are listed. Click any field for its full breakdown — median income, completer count, programs rolled up, rank and context. Figures are medians of completers who were working and not enrolled, measured about one year after completion.
US college salaries by major — FAQ
- What is the average US salary by college field of study after graduating?
- Across all Bachelor’s fields, the typical US graduate had a median income of $47,260 about one year after completing their degree (the College Scorecard Field of Study release (updated 2026-06-10)). The median is the typical completer who was working and not enrolled in further study — half earned more and half earned less. Source: U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard (public domain).
- Which college field of study leads to the highest US salary?
- By median early-career earnings, Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing is highest at $83,188, followed by other health, engineering and technical fields. The lowest median in this rollup is Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at $20,532. Rankings reflect typical outcomes by field, not the potential of any individual graduate. Source: U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard (public domain).
- Do these figures mean a graduate is guaranteed to earn this much?
- No. Every figure is a median — the typical completer, not a guarantee or an average. For each field, half of graduates earned less and half earned more, and the figure measures earnings only about one year after completion. Individual earnings depend on institution, region, role and experience and typically rise over a career. Source: U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard.
- How is each field’s median calculated?
- College Scorecard publishes one median per institution per program and suppresses small cells for privacy, so there is no single official national median per field. Each field figure here is the completer-count-weighted median of the published per-institution program medians for that field at Bachelor’s level — a transparent rollup of real published medians, not an official Department of Education figure and not an average.
- Is this real government data?
- Yes. Every input is a published U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard "Field of Study" median (release updated 2026-06-10), in the U.S. Government public domain. Earnings are W-2 wages plus positive self-employment income from IRS records, for completers who were working and not enrolled. No figure is modelled, estimated, or interpolated.
Explore US salaries by field of study
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Median $83,188 · above the all-field median
Computer Engineering
Median $81,123 · above the all-field median
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
Median $77,971 · above the all-field median
Computer Science
Median $77,385 · above the all-field median
Industrial Engineering
Median $76,390 · above the all-field median
Chemical Engineering
Median $75,102 · above the all-field median
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering
Median $75,036 · above the all-field median
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
Median $74,199 · above the all-field median
Construction Management
Median $72,779 · above the all-field median
Mechanical Engineering
Median $70,763 · above the all-field median
Civil Engineering
Median $69,424 · above the all-field median
Engineering, General
Median $68,331 · above the all-field median
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
Median $67,395 · above the all-field median
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Median $67,315 · above the all-field median
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
Median $66,588 · above the all-field median
Information Science/Studies
Median $66,209 · above the all-field median
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
Median $66,075 · above the all-field median
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
Median $65,883 · above the all-field median
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
Median $65,690 · above the all-field median
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
Median $64,284 · above the all-field median
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
Median $63,324 · above the all-field median
Management Information Systems and Services
Median $63,023 · above the all-field median
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
Median $60,540 · above the all-field median
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
Median $59,772 · above the all-field median
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
Median $58,140 · above the all-field median
Finance and Financial Management Services
Median $57,566 · above the all-field median
Business/Commerce, General
Median $55,431 · above the all-field median
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Median $55,001 · above the all-field median
Air Transportation
Median $54,827 · above the all-field median
Accounting and Related Services
Median $54,371 · above the all-field median
Economics
Median $52,801 · above the all-field median
Human Resources Management and Services
Median $52,071 · above the all-field median
Business/Managerial Economics
Median $52,029 · above the all-field median
Computer Systems Analysis
Median $51,805 · above the all-field median
International Business
Median $51,599 · above the all-field median
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations
Median $51,066 · above the all-field median
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
Median $50,740 · above the all-field median
Agricultural Business and Management
Median $50,136 · above the all-field median
Mathematics
Median $49,919 · above the all-field median
Marketing
Median $47,664 · in line with the all-field median
Architecture
Median $46,551 · below the all-field median
Public Administration
Median $46,281 · below the all-field median
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Median $45,875 · below the all-field median
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
Median $45,265 · below the all-field median
Special Education and Teaching
Median $45,167 · below the all-field median
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Median $44,580 · below the all-field median
Physics
Median $43,461 · below the all-field median
International Relations and National Security Studies
Median $43,249 · below the all-field median
Chemistry
Median $43,013 · below the all-field median
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
Median $42,795 · below the all-field median
Community Organization and Advocacy
Median $42,155 · below the all-field median
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
Median $42,099 · below the all-field median
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
Median $41,595 · below the all-field median
Education, General
Median $41,421 · below the all-field median
Geography and Cartography
Median $39,960 · below the all-field median
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
Median $39,696 · below the all-field median
Non-Professional Legal Studies
Median $39,558 · below the all-field median
Human Services, General
Median $39,554 · below the all-field median
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Median $38,985 · below the all-field median
Apparel and Textiles
Median $38,262 · below the all-field median
Behavioral Sciences
Median $38,087 · below the all-field median
Social Work
Median $37,990 · below the all-field median
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Median $37,792 · below the all-field median
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Median $37,786 · below the all-field median
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Median $37,693 · below the all-field median
Public Health
Median $37,548 · below the all-field median
Educational Administration and Supervision
Median $37,480 · below the all-field median
Social Sciences, General
Median $37,335 · below the all-field median
Criminology
Median $37,108 · below the all-field median
Political Science and Government
Median $37,009 · below the all-field median
International/Globalization Studies
Median $36,920 · below the all-field median
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations
Median $36,625 · below the all-field median
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
Median $36,532 · below the all-field median
Journalism
Median $36,468 · below the all-field median
Communication and Media Studies
Median $36,443 · below the all-field median
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
Median $35,973 · below the all-field median
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
Median $35,810 · below the all-field median
Biological and Physical Sciences
Median $35,639 · below the all-field median
Area Studies
Median $35,557 · below the all-field median
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
Median $35,476 · below the all-field median
Hospitality Administration/Management
Median $35,277 · below the all-field median
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Median $35,028 · below the all-field median
Animal Sciences
Median $34,933 · below the all-field median
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
Median $34,923 · below the all-field median
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies
Median $34,742 · below the all-field median
Sociology
Median $34,121 · below the all-field median
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
Median $34,030 · below the all-field median
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
Median $34,020 · below the all-field median
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Median $33,901 · below the all-field median
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
Median $33,401 · below the all-field median
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Median $33,153 · below the all-field median
Biology, General
Median $32,958 · below the all-field median
Philosophy
Median $32,749 · below the all-field median
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
Median $32,586 · below the all-field median
Research and Experimental Psychology
Median $32,301 · below the all-field median
Psychology, General
Median $32,276 · below the all-field median
Computer Software and Media Applications
Median $32,159 · below the all-field median
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management
Median $32,065 · below the all-field median
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
Median $32,008 · below the all-field median
History
Median $31,852 · below the all-field median
Design and Applied Arts
Median $31,459 · below the all-field median
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
Median $31,167 · below the all-field median
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
Median $31,140 · below the all-field median
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences
Median $29,884 · below the all-field median
English Language and Literature, General
Median $29,848 · below the all-field median
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
Median $29,765 · below the all-field median
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
Median $29,388 · below the all-field median
Zoology/Animal Biology
Median $29,303 · below the all-field median
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
Median $29,074 · below the all-field median
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
Median $28,449 · below the all-field median
Anthropology
Median $28,262 · below the all-field median
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
Median $27,629 · below the all-field median
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Median $26,286 · below the all-field median
Music
Median $26,060 · below the all-field median
Visual and Performing Arts, General
Median $25,660 · below the all-field median
Graphic Communications
Median $25,358 · below the all-field median
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Median $24,345 · below the all-field median
Fine and Studio Arts
Median $24,070 · below the all-field median
Religion/Religious Studies
Median $22,543 · below the all-field median
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Median $20,532 · below the all-field median
Related education data
- US county opportunity profiles — education, income and employment by county (real Census ACS data)
- UK graduate salaries by subject — median UK graduate earnings by degree (DfE LEO, in £)
Boost your earning potential
Whatever you majored in, GeraLearn’s affordable, certificate-backed courses help you build the in-demand skills that lift earnings above the median — at your own pace.
Browse courses →Source: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard, Field of Study (Bachelor’s). Figures are from the College Scorecard Field of Study release (updated 2026-06-10), covering US Bachelor’s completers who were working and not enrolled in further study, measured about one year after completion (W-2 wages plus positive self-employment income, IRS records). U.S. Government public domain. Each field figure is a completer-count-weighted median of real published institution-level program medians — the typical graduate, not an average and not a guarantee. Last refreshed 2026-06-27. No figure is modelled or interpolated.