This year’s top 10 highest-paying college majors include some you may have never heard of

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This year’s top 10 highest-paying college majors include some you may have never heard of

Increasingly, your earnings potential varies greatly depending on your choice of major in college.

“Even more so than the school itself, choosing a major is key in determining what skills a graduate can perform out of school, and what types of professions they’re qualified for,” said Jackson Gruver, data analyst at Payscale.

“Ultimately, the degree you decide to pursue could have a significant impact on your lifetime earning potential.”

While students who pursue a major specifically in science, technology, engineering or math — collectively known as STEM disciplines — are projected to earn the most overall, Payscale’s college salary report found that petroleum engineering currently holds the top spot for highest-paying bachelor’s degrees in 2023.

Graduates in the field earn nearly six figures just starting out and more than $200,000 with 10 or more years of experience.

Highest paying college majors in the U.S. in 2023

10 years after graduation

MISSING: summary MISSING: current-rows.

1.	Petroleum engineering	$212,500	$97,500
2.	Operations research + Industrial engineering	$191,800	$98,300
3.	Interaction design	$173,600	$74,700
4.	Applied economics + management	$164,400	$76,500
5.	Building science	$163,100	$69,000
6.	Actuarial mathematics	$160,000	$70,700
6.	Operations research	$160,000	$92,200
8.	Systems engineering	$159,100	$87,000
9.	Optical science + engineering	$158,300	$79,600
10.	Information + computer science	$157,800	$76,000