STEM degrees emerge as dominant players on America’s highest-paying degrees list, featuring an average salary of $97,000 for engineering graduates and $78,000 for mathematics graduates, according to recent research conducted by QR code generator QRFY.
The study, delving into U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures as of September 2023, analyzed median salaries per degree field, the percentage of graduates with advanced degrees, and the most popular majors per field. Engineering graduates claimed the top spot with a median salary of $97,000, surpassing the average by 54%, and 42% of them hold an advanced degree, with electrical engineering being a prevalent major.
Following closely, computer and IT graduates secured the second-highest earning position, boasting a median annual salary of $90,000, 43% higher than the average. Transportation degrees claimed the third spot with a median salary of $82,000, marking a 30% increase over the average.
Engineering technologies graduates secured the fourth spot, earning a median salary of $80,000, 27% more than the average, while mathematics graduates rounded off the top five with a median salary of $78,000, representing a 24% increase.
The remaining degrees in the top ten, in order, are construction, physical science, science technologies, architecture/biology/military (joint ninth), and business, each offering median salaries above the average for all graduates.