Top 10 highest paying majors

6,591 Views | 49 Replies | Last: 17 yr ago by IndianAggie98
Aggiefan80
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something interesting to look at:

quote:
1. Chemical Engineering

* Average Starting Salary: $59,218

Chemical engineering majors can work in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, health care and business. In addition to working with chemistry to solve engineering problems, chemical engineers design equipment and develop other new products. Schools that have programs with strong reputations in chemical engineering include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Minnesota.

2. Electrical Engineering

* Average Starting Salary: $55,333

Electrical engineering majors usually focus on the design and development of the electrical equipment used in automobiles, aircraft and electric utilities. Most electrical engineers specialize in electrical equipment or power systems and work in a wide variety of industries. Good schools for electrical engineers include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of California at Berkeley and Stanford University.

3. Mechanical Engineering

* Average Starting Salary: $54,057

Unlike most engineers, mechanical engineers do a little bit of everything. Primary work involves the design and development of power-producing machines (gas turbines, steam engines, electric generators, etc.) Mechanical engineering majors can work in a broad range of industries, including manufacturing, agriculture and business. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley are among the schools that have world renowned mechanical engineering programs.

4. Computer Science

* Average Starting Salary: $53,051

Computer science majors work with all aspects of computer systems. Computer scientists are employed in every sector of the economy, but many choose to work in design or research. Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Carnegie Mellon University all have top-ranked computer science programs.

5. Civil Engineering

* Average Starting Salary: $48,998

Civil engineering majors design buildings, transportation systems, water systems and other construction projects. Most civil engineers specialize in one of the six main civil engineering disciplines: construction, environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation and water resources. Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Illinois are three schools with top-ranked civil engineering programs.

6. Economics

* Average Starting Salary: $47,782

Economics majors tend to focus on collecting and analyzing data. Most work in research or consulting; more than half are employed through the government. Top schools for economics majors include Harvard, the University of Chicago and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

7. Management Information Systems

* Average Starting Salary: $47,407

Management information systems majors work in all areas of business to help computerized organizations function more effectively. Three of the best schools for management information systems are Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Texas at Austin and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

8. Finance

* Average Starting Salary: $46,442

Financial professionals work with money, stocks, bonds and all sorts of other market assets. Most finance majors work in banks, in government or in the finance departments of firms and other financial institutions. Top schools for finance majors include the University of Pennsylvania, New York University and the University of California at Berkeley.

9. Accounting

* Average Starting Salary: $46,292

Accountants carry out fundamental financial tasks for individuals and organizations. Most accounting majors secure a position in one of four fields after graduation: government accounting, internal auditing, public accounting or management accounting. The University of Pennsylvania, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are just three of the many schools in the U.S. with respected accounting programs.

10. Business Administration/Management

* Average Starting Salary: $43,256

Business administration has been one of the most popular college majors for years. Students who major in business administration and management can start their own company or work in virtually any industry imaginable. The University of Pennsylvania, the University of Virginia and Notre Dame are just a few of the schools known for having top-notch business administration programs.



http://education-portal.com/articles/Top_10_Paying_College_Majors.html
Karrde
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That's going to vary from university to university. IE at A&M, Petroleum Engineering has a good reputation and amazing connections in a fairly small major, so there are very high starting salaries. A top ten in the country doesn't apply all that much to the top ten at A&M.
JP_Losman
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interesting that they left petroleum geology out. Its one of the highest paying last time i checked. much higher demand than freaking accountants, which are a dime/dozen.
AggieAccountant
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Im no good at the internet...but this is for JP_LOSMAN....

http://www.accountancyage.com/accountancyage/news/2208940/accountants-demand-despite
tamu2010
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http://www.accountancyage.com/accountancyage/news/2208940/accountants-demand-despite
McInnisAg08
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yes it will vary between schools. TAMU INFO-MIS department average was 5 k higher than average shown there
texaggie2009
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Here is some data from A&M. The survey seems to really be suffering from some response errors since sometimes only 2 people from a given major submitted, but it is still somewhat interesting.

http://careercenter.tamu.edu/guides/reports/SalarySurvey/2006/Fall/SalarySurveyResults_Fall%202006_generated_02-15-2007.html
texaggie2009
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More, this is specific to engineers:

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/School=Texas_A%26M_University/Salary/show_all
ShamefulTwoPercenter08
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Go Chem E's!
Randy03
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Career center report is 100% garbage.

Any time I see it referenced on this forum I call people on it, because its like citing a reading from Ms. Cleo as fact.

Also, non-cost adjusted salary figures are also pretty much worthless.

Yeah someone who does IT customer support in NYC gets like 60k a year, too bad he cant live within 100 miles of where he works on that salary.

Salary without where it is offered and then cost adjusted to the 100% COL Index is pretty much meaningless unless we are going to assume that no Aggies ever leave Texas.

[This message has been edited by Randy03 (edited 5/13/2008 3:30p).]
AgCanuck07
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Engineers do make great money coming out of school. However, their salaries tend to level off and experience significantly smaller raises after about 10-15 years.
Randy03
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If they stay in engineering, which smart ones do not.
AgCanuck07
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Very true
Ranger222
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tamuags08
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Its good to be top 10.
Charlie Murphy
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Wheres AG Econ???
Dad
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What about pre-med?
aTm2004
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quote:
6. Economics

* Average Starting Salary: $47,782

Economics majors tend to focus on collecting and analyzing data. Most work in research or consulting; more than half are employed through the government. Top schools for economics majors include Harvard, the University of Chicago and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).


Whoo-hoo!! Liberal Arts rocks!
el bee
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MIS
AggieIce
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quote:
What about pre-med?



most MD's get paid jack shatner for a starting salary
haircut
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Go EE!
Yesterday
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Liberal Arts starting salary is pretty high in my opinion!
Ol Jock 99
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quote:
most MD's get paid jack shatner for a starting salary

If you are referring to residency, you are correct. If you are referring to the 1st position post residency, I can only assume that you don't know what you are talking about. While it varies widely by specialty, you'll be hard pressed to find someone making under 6 figures.
Talon 07
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Seeing this list makes me glad I stuck it out with EE.
crockerDOM
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PETE is a smaller engineering and often isn't counted for these studies.

at A&M I want to say these last few years the starting salary was around 70-80K



I also have done no research other than talking to recent grads.
IAmThe12thMan
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Construction Science is at about 52-53K average right now at a&m. So at least I got that to look forward to in the future.
WoMD
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So they use pre-med as a degree to get a job without going to medical school? Cause that would be they way I understand the use of this information. If you assume that they go on to get a medical degree, then it really makes no difference. Besides, you can get into medical school with an english degree as long as you take the pre-reqs. A&M doesn't even have a pre-med. BIMS shouldn't count, as it is useless without a professional degree. Hence why I didn't bother finishing...
Lt. Joe Bookman
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i guess aero is in same boat as petro...too small?
RockOn
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quote:
Whoo-hoo!! Liberal Arts rocks!


You can thank me for positively skewing those numbers.
Token
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quote:
Yeah someone who does IT customer support in NYC gets like 60k a year, too bad he cant live within 100 miles of where he works on that salary.

funny, seeing that i'll be moving in an apt in manhattan(east village) in 2010 on a 57000 salary and be able to afford it.

"An A-Bomb, From A-Rod"
colonialag
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man, i really hate siding with randy on things but i think this was more what he was referring to:

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/movecalc.asp?a=0&d1=57000&d2=88.9423858458725&d3=204.330522527818

LadyOfTheLake
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Way to go EEs!!! good to know all those loooooong nights and ulcers are gonna be worth it soon. WHOOP!!!



"The price of freedom of religion, or of speech, or of the press, is that we must put up with a good deal of rubbish."
- Robert Jackson
JBLHAG03
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quote:
Construction Science is at about 52-53K average right now at a&m. So at least I got that to look forward to in the future.


That and 60-70 hour work weeks...including weekends. I was COSC as well and had enough of working in the field (I was a Project Engineer) after about 3 years.
eric.cartman
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Go ChemE.

It has always been on the top.
Jock 97
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RPTS must have come in at a very strong 11.

[This message has been edited by Jock 97 (edited 6/29/2008 1:21p).]
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