The highest-earning graduates majored in engineering and science, and earned a median salary of at least $70,000, according to an analysis by the New York Federal Reserve.
STEM graduates typically earn more than their liberal arts counterparts.
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The New York Federal Reserve collected data on how much new college graduates, between the ages of 22 and 27, earned in 2021. The analysis was published in February and explored the labor market by each college major. . The data takes into account the wages of full-time workers with a bachelor’s degree, and excludes those currently enrolled in school.
Two types of salaries are included in the report: early-career, which refers to graduates between 22 and 27 years old, and mid-career, which refers to graduates between 35 and 35 years old.
The New York Federal Reserve found that the seven highest paying majors are in STEM industries, especially engineering and science majors. Notably, the lowest paying majors are in the liberal arts and social sciences.
Of the seven best-earning majors, six are in the engineering field, while one is in the sciences. Two of the top three majors specialize in computers.
See how much the highest-paid mayors earn, per New York Fed data. Additionally, statistics for underemployment — which means working in jobs that typically don’t require a college degree, according to the report — and unemployment rates for each listed major are also detailed.
Entrants are sorted from highest median salary to lowest.