This is how much you’re going to earn, based on your major

Researchers have worked out the highest paying majors in America for 2017-18, revealing them in a list of over 450 different courses.

Experts at Payscale have ranked every major in the nation based on how much you earn within five years of graduating (early career salary) and after 10 years of graduating (mid-career).

Good news for anyone studying Engineering of any kind – it makes up nine of the top 10 high-earning majors. Petroleum Engineering comes in at number one with a starting salary of almost $100,000. Here’s the top 10, ranked by early career pay:

Education, Christian majors (Biblical Studies, Theology) and arts-related courses consistently score at the bottom of the rankings with a starting salary of just over $30,000.

This data comes from extensive surveys on graduates across the US examining employees with degrees in the specified major at a Bachelor’s level who did not go on to get an advanced degree.

See where your major ranks below – we have included every major alphabetically, including their early and mid-career pay.

Major – Early career pay – Mid-career pay

Accounting – $48,400 – $82,800

Accounting & Auditing – $52,700 – $90,400

Accounting & Business – $46,600 – $74,300

Accounting & Computer Systems – $60,400 – $104,900

Accounting & Finance – $52,600 – $89,000

Accounting & Management – $49,900 – $76,000

Acting – $35,600 – $71,300

Actuarial Mathematics – $56,400 – $131,700

Actuarial Science – $61,200 – $130,800

Administration – $40,000 – $73,600

Advertising – $41,800 – $84,200

Advertising & Graphic Design – $41,800 – $66,000

Advertising & Marketing – $44,400 – $77,400

Aerospace Engineering – $66,300 – $113,300

African American & African Studies – $41,900 – $54,100

Agribusiness – $45,700 – $86,400

Agricultural Business – $47,500 – $70,900

Agricultural Economics & Business – $48,200 – $91,500

Agricultural Engineering – $56,100 – $94,400

Agriculture – $41,900 – $74,700

Allied Health – $40,100 – $71,800

American History – $43,000 – $69,800

American Studies – $43,900 – $79,900

Animal Science – $36,700 – $60,800

Animal Science & Management – $39,900 – $68,300

Anthropology – $40,500 – $63,200

Apparel Merchandising – $42,200 – $70,800

Applied Computer Science – $53,100 – $88,800

Applied Mathematics – $57,600 – $113,200

Applied Physics – $56,900 – $102,500

Architectural Engineering – $61,200 – $95,100

Architectural Technology – $44,800 – $73,000

Architecture – $45,200 – $83,100

Art – $37,000 – $59,600

Art & Design – $39,000 – $66,200

Art History – $41,100 – $65,400

Athletic Training – $36,800 – $54,100

Automotive Technology – $46,300 – $72,200

Aviation – $50,700 – $84,900

Aviation Maintenance Technology – $45,400 – $79,500

Aviation Management – $43,900 – $87,900

Aviation Technology – $47,800 – $77,400

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – $56,700 – $73,000

Banking – $46,300 – $59,400

Behavioral Science – $37,100 – $61,500

Bible Studies – $35,400 – $47,800

Bible Studies & Theology – $33,500 – $50,500

Biochemistry – $44,500 – $87,600

Bioengineering – $61,600 – $116,800

Biological Sciences – $42,900 – $82,100

Biology – $41,200 – $75,100

Biology & Chemistry – $42,200 – $78,600

Biomedical Engineering – $62,900 – $103,500

Biomedical Sciences – $41,000 – $79,000

Biotechnology – $46,100 – $82,500

Broadcast & Cinematic Arts – $38,600 – $74,100

Broadcast Communication – $36,300 – $67,000

Broadcast Journalism – $38,200 – $68,700

Building Construction – $57,900 – $96,600

Building Construction Management – $52,200 – $90,400

Business & Economics – $53,900 – $104,900

Business & Finance – $48,800 – $91,100

Business & Healthcare Management – $42,200 – $66,200

Business & Information Technology – $58,700 – $105,300

Business & Marketing – $45,700 – $88,800

Business Administration – $46,300 – $76,800

Business Administration & Accounting – $46,200 – $74,300

Business Communication – $43,900 – $85,500

Business Computer Information Systems – $51,700 – $100,800

Business Economics – $51,800 – $97,000

Business Finance – $52,300 – $100,100

Business Information Systems – $55,000 – $92,400

Business Management – $46,100 – $76,200

Business Management & Administration – $46,000 – $71,500

Business Management & Human Resources Management – $42,200 – $76,500

Business Management & Marketing – $44,000 – $84,000

Business Marketing – $45,700 – $78,700

Cell & Molecular Biology – $43,200 – $78,800

Chemical Engineering – $70,300 – $124,500

Chemistry – $45,700 – $88,000

Child & Family Studies – $32,000 – $42,100

Child Development – $32,300 – $44,000

Christian Education – $33,500 – $48,500

Christian Ministry – $33,400 – $48,400

Cinema Studies – $41,400 – $82,000

Civil & Environmental Engineering – $58,400 – $96,200

Civil Engineering – $57,700 – $98,500

Civil Engineering Technology – $51,300 – $83,700

Classics – $42,000 – $83,700

Clinical Laboratory Science – $49,200 – $64,100

Clinical Psychology – $38,200 – $59,700

Cognitive Science – $54,000 – $121,900

Communication – $42,200 – $74,600

Communication Design – $45,900 – $65,200

Communication Sciences & Disorders – $38,600 – $51,800

Communication Studies & Journalism – $40,500 – $72,400

Community Health – $38,900 – $54,900

Community Health Education – $37,600 – $57,600

Comparative Literature – $43,800 – $82,400

Computer & Information Science – $56,200 – $111,300

Computer & Network Administration – $52,000 – $76,900

Computer Aided Drafting & Design – $44,900 – $71,000

Computer Animation – $40,700 – $74,200

Computer Engineering – $70,300 – $116,000

Computer Engineering Technology – $57,700 – $101,600

Computer Graphics Technology – $42,500 – $75,200

Computer Information Systems – $53,500 – $93,000

Computer Networking Systems – $48,500 – $71,700

Computer Science – $65,900 – $110,100

Computer Science & Engineering – $70,900 – $116,800

Computer Science & Mathematics – $62,800 – $114,400

Computer Systems Engineering – $72,000 – $118,000

Computer Technology – $52,400 – $103,300

Computing – $53,400 – $96,800

Construction Engineering – $61,100 – $93,700

Construction Engineering Management – $60,500 – $103,700

Construction Engineering Technology – $51,600 – $78,000

Construction Management – $56,800 – $97,600

Construction Science – $60,700 – $102,600

Corporate Communications – $41,900 – $67,600

Corporate Finance – $59,700 – $90,500

Counseling – $36,700 – $48,300

Counseling Psychology – $36,200 – $50,100

Creative Writing – $40,200 – $68,500

Criminal Justice – $37,700 – $61,900

Criminal Justice Administration – $39,700 – $70,400

Criminology – $40,000 – $67,200

Cultural Anthropology – $42,400 – $71,900

Cybersecurity – $56,900 – $90,700

Dance – $37,900 – $54,800

Design – $44,700 – $77,300

Diagnostic Medical Imaging – $51,900 – $66,700

Diagnostic Medical Sonography – $58,100 – $73,800

Dietetics – $45,600 – $62,500

Digital Media – $41,200 – $70,100

Drama – $42,600 – $73,300

Drawing & Painting – $40,000 – $60,300

Early Childhood & Elementary Education – $35,000 – $43,600

Early Childhood Education – $32,100 – $40,400

Earth Science – $45,600 – $65,800

East Asian Studies – $42,300 – $95,100

Economics – $54,100 – $103,200

Economics & Political Science – $50,600 – $97,200

Economics and Mathematics – $60,000 – $122,900

Education – $39,500 – $60,600

Electrical & Computer Engineering – $69,000 – $118,800

Electrical & Electronics Engineering – $66,200 – $107,400

Electrical Engineering – $67,800 – $114,800

Electrical Power Engineering – $68,600 – $119,100

Electronics Engineering – $63,300 – $104,300

Elementary Education – $36,000 – $49,300

Engineering – $63,100 – $111,600

Engineering Management – $61,500 – $101,600

Engineering Physics – $60,400 – $112,600

Engineering Technology – $52,600 – $86,700

English & History – $41,200 – $70,300

English Language – $38,700 – $70,300

English Literature – $41,400 – $76,300

English Teacher Education – $36,500 – $59,300

Entrepreneurship – $48,000 – $82,400

Environmental Biology – $40,000 – $71,700

Environmental Design – $42,300 – $79,600

Environmental Engineering – $55,300 – $96,000

Environmental Health & Safety – $51,900 – $91,800

Environmental Health & Safety Management – $54,700 – $96,500

Environmental Management – $46,100 – $73,300

Environmental Science – $43,800 – $78,400

Environmental Studies – $41,600 – $74,300

European History – $45,700 – $83,700

Exercise & Sports Science – $37,500 – $60,300

Exercise Physiology – $38,100 – $68,300

Exercise Science – $36,600 – $54,500

Facilities Management – $55,100 – $99,900

Family & Consumer Science – $36,300 – $59,000

Family Studies – $35,400 – $44,500

Fashion Design – $42,400 – $81,300

Fashion Marketing & Management – $38,500 – $60,100

Fashion Merchandising – $41,700 – $66,400

Film Production – $42,100 – $67,300

Film Studies – $40,200 – $82,400

Film, Video & Media Studies – $40,100 – $72,000

Finance – $53,300 – $93,200

Finance & Banking – $51,400 – $87,400

Finance & Economics – $56,600 – $103,300

Finance & Investments – $55,200 – $103,600

Finance & Real Estate – $57,500 – $97,100

Financial Management – $48,100 – $82,300

Fine Arts – $38,200 – $62,200

Fire Protection Engineering – $58,800 – $95,300

Food Science – $47,800 – $89,500

Food Science & Technology – $46,900 – $87,100

Foods & Nutrition – $43,800 – $61,500

Foreign Languages – $43,900 – $77,400

Forestry – $41,400 – $72,000

Forestry Management – $41,800 – $71,900

French Language – $43,200 – $74,700

French Literature – $41,200 – $86,500

General Business – $45,200 – $77,700

General Science – $41,600 – $75,200

General Studies – $38,600 – $58,200

Genetics – $43,000 – $99,000

Geographic Information Systems – $43,600 – $70,700

Geography – $43,600 – $72,700

Geological Engineering – $56,100 – $90,600

Geology – $45,400 – $83,800

Geophysics – $54,100 – $122,200

Geosciences – $45,600 – $77,500

German Language & Literature – $44,100 – $72,900

Gerontology – $36,700 – $51,900

Government – $49,400 – $107,000

Graphic Arts – $38,500 – $61,300

Graphic Design – $40,200 – $61,700

Health & Exercise Science – $37,600 – $59,100

Health & Physical Education Teaching – $35,600 – $59,900

Health Care Administration – $41,100 – $67,700

Health Care Management – $39,300 – $66,900

Health Information Management – $42,100 – $66,800

Health Promotion – $36,800 – $57,900

Health Sciences – $38,700 – $68,600

Health Services Administration – $36,700 – $54,500

History – $42,200 – $75,700

History & Politics – $42,800 – $83,600

Home Economics – $38,800 – $49,600

Horticulture – $39,100 – $52,400

Hospitality & Tourism – $38,600 – $65,400

Hospitality Management – $40,600 – $64,100

Hotel & Restaurant Management – $41,200 – $67,200

Hotel Administration – $55,300 – $92,700

Hotel Management – $44,200 – $82,400

Human Biology – $43,200 – $80,700

Human Development – $37,100 – $56,600

Human Development & Family Studies – $35,000 – $54,200

Human Ecology – $35,200 – $59,700

Human Resources – $41,900 – $68,400

Humanities – $41,300 – $65,600

Illustration – $40,000 – $64,600

Industrial & Labor Relations – $57,800 – $100,200

Industrial & Systems Engineering – $65,700 – $114,400

Industrial Design – $49,000 – $87,200

Industrial Distribution – $57,400 – $112,000

Industrial Engineering – $64,400 – $107,100

Industrial Engineering Technology – $58,400 – $87,600

Industrial Management – $52,600 – $99,200

Industrial Psychology – $43,000 – $78,500

Industrial Technology – $54,600 – $86,600

Informatics – $60,500 – $95,300

Information Systems – $55,800 – $96,900

Information Technology – $52,300 – $86,300

Information Technology & Systems – $52,500 – $90,100

Instrumental Music Teacher Education – $40,200 – $56,600

Insurance – $47,300 – $83,500

Integrated Marketing Communications – $42,200 – $64,400

Interdisciplinary Studies – $40,000 – $60,000

Interior Architecture – $42,400 – $73,200

Interior Design – $39,700 – $63,300

Interior Design & Merchandising – $38,600 – $57,800

International Affairs – $44,900 – $73,300

International Business – $48,500 – $93,200

International Business & Finance – $54,600 – $112,200

International Business Management – $49,400 – $96,300

International Relations – $46,400 – $86,100

International Studies – $43,500 – $73,100

Interpersonal Communications – $40,400 – $71,200

Japanese Language – $46,200 – $106,100

Journalism – $41,000 – $73,300

Journalism & Mass Communication – $41,300 – $73,700

Kinesiology – $38,800 – $61,900

Landscape Architecture – $45,200 – $73,500

Latin American Studies – $43,100 – $82,400

Law – $50,700 – $72,200

Law Enforcement – $46,700 – $69,100

Leadership – $45,500 – $69,900

Legal Studies – $40,600 – $59,500

Liberal Arts – $39,100 – $67,100

Logistics – $51,700 – $75,300

Logistics & Supply Chain Management – $52,500 – $87,400

Logistics Management – $50,800 – $74,500

Management – $45,400 – $76,500

Management & Leadership – $49,600 – $66,100

Management Information Systems – $57,900 – $101,300

Management Science – $56,600 – $96,500

Manufacturing Engineering – $61,900 – $96,400

Marine Biology – $37,200 – $76,000

Marine Engineering – $73,900 – $123,200

Marketing – $45,200 – $84,900

Marketing & Communications – $43,300 – $83,900

Marketing & International Business – $46,600 – $97,200

Marketing & Management – $44,900 – $86,300

Marketing Communication – $40,800 – $83,500

Marketing Management – $45,700 – $83,700

Mass Communication – $39,800 – $67,200

Materials Science & Engineering – $66,300 – $104,100

Math & Science – $49,500 – $81,100

Mathematics – $54,200 – $99,000

Mathematics & Statistics – $54,600 – $104,000

Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering – $62,900 – $113,200

Mechanical Engineering – $64,000 – $106,800

Mechanical Engineering Technology – $58,000 – $90,000

Media Studies – $44,500 – $68,700

Medical Laboratory Science – $48,900 – $61,700

Medical Laboratory Technology – $49,700 – $67,200

Medical Technology – $50,000 – $62,800

Merchandising – $46,700 – $68,000

Metallurgical Engineering – $75,300 – $105,100

Meteorology – $42,600 – $91,100

Microbiology – $42,900 – $81,400

Mining Engineering – $71,300 – $108,500

Molecular Biology – $47,600 – $91,000

Mortuary Science – $42,100 – $56,300

Multidisciplinary Studies – $39,400 – $58,000

Multimedia – $38,900 – $67,600

Multimedia & Web Design – $43,800 – $73,100

Music – $38,200 – $63,300

Music Industry – $41,900 – $61,700

Music Teacher Education – $37,000 – $56,500

Music Technology – $39,700 – $63,700

Music Therapy – $36,200 – $53,700

Natural Resource Management – $39,400 – $67,600

Natural Resources – $41,600 – $75,900

Natural Sciences – $43,300 – $72,900

Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering – $68,200 – $113,800

Networks & Telecommunications – $46,100 – $84,600

Neuroscience – $41,900 – $70,100

Nonprofit Management – $35,700 – $52,400

Nuclear Engineering – $69,000 – $127,500

Nuclear Medicine Technology – $55,200 – $71,200

Nursing – $58,200 – $76,300

Nursing Science – $59,700 – $76,400

Nutrition & Dietetics – $45,300 – $62,900

Nutrition Science – $43,400 – $74,300

Occupational Health and Safety – $52,500 – $90,800

Occupational Therapy – $53,500 – $85,100

Operations & Supply Chain Management – $53,900 – $92,400

Operations Management – $54,600 – $92,300

Operations Management & Information Systems – $60,100 – $104,500

Organizational Behavior – $50,900 – $93,000

Organizational Communication – $41,100 – $71,200

Organizational Development – $49,100 – $77,200

Organizational Leadership – $44,200 – $68,100

Organizational Leadership & Supervision – $46,800 – $71,400

Organizational Management – $43,500 – $65,500

Organizational Psychology – $45,000 – $81,800

Packaging Science – $61,400 – $102,300

Painting – $36,100 – $56,400

Paralegal Studies – $35,100 – $56,400

Parks & Rec – $38,400 – $53,000

Pastoral Ministry – $34,500 – $52,300

Petroleum Engineering – $94,600 – $175,500

Philosophy – $44,800 – $85,100

Philosophy & Religion – $40,200 – $80,900

Photography – $38,600 – $56,500

Photojournalism – $37,100 – $47,200

Physical Education & Exercise Science – $39,600 – $58,400

Physical Education Teaching – $39,600 – $61,400

Physical Therapy – $42,800 – $89,700

Physician Assistant Studies – $87,800 – $107,600

Physics – $58,000 – $108,000

Physics & Mathematics – $56,900 – $107,200

Plastics Engineering – $64,100 – $97,100

Plastics Engineering Technology – $61,600 – $95,100

Political Science – $44,600 – $82,000

Political Science & Philosophy – $42,000 – $71,500

Pre-Law – $42,500 – $79,100

Pre-Medicine – $43,800 – $74,600

Printmaking – $32,400 – $61,700

Product Design – $50,600 – $86,400

Professional & Technical Writing – $42,100 – $73,500

Professional Studies – $42,200 – $63,700

Project Management – $51,300 – $80,300

Psychology – $38,700 – $65,300

Psychology & Sociology – $38,500 – $64,100

Public Accounting – $57,500 – $110,000

Public Administration – $41,300 – $69,400

Public Affairs – $44,700 – $73,700

Public Health – $39,100 – $62,900

Public Policy Analysis – $48,700 – $86,500

Public Relations – $40,100 – $73,600

Public Relations & Communication – $40,600 – $73,000

Radiation Therapy – $61,800 – $84,200

Radio & Television – $38,600 – $64,100

Radio/Television & Film Production – $41,200 – $69,400

Radiography – $50,100 – $63,000

Radiologic Science – $50,500 – $70,900

Radiologic Technology – $48,500 – $68,300

Radiology – $46,300 – $66,500

Real Estate – $54,400 – $94,100

Recreation & Leisure Studies – $35,800 – $55,000

Recreation Administration – $43,300 – $55,300

Rehabilitation Services – $30,200 – $55,500

Religious Studies – $38,300 – $62,100

Respiratory Care – $50,600 – $65,400

Respiratory Therapy – $47,400 – $64,000

Restaurant & Food Service Management – $41,700 – $61,700

Retail & Consumer Science – $46,000 – $79,800

Retail Management – $44,100 – $75,900

Retail Merchandising – $42,300 – $81,000

Risk Management & Insurance – $53,600 – $87,100

Russian Language – $48,700 – $85,700

Safety Management – $52,900 – $82,400

Sales & Business Marketing – $50,900 – $98,900

Sales & Marketing – $47,300 – $85,600

Sculpture – $35,500 – $53,200

Secondary Education – $39,700 – $63,000

Small Business Management – $40,200 – $63,200

Social Science – $41,000 – $61,900

Social Work – $34,000 – $48,300

Sociology – $40,700 – $63,300

Sociology & Organizational Studies – $43,700 – $73,700

Software Engineering – $66,300 – $104,300

Spanish Language – $41,100 – $65,600

Spanish Literature – $46,000 – $76,100

Special Education – $35,900 – $51,800

Speech Communication – $42,100 – $72,800

Speech Pathology & Audiology – $38,700 – $69,700

Speech-Language Pathology – $37,600 – $58,900

Sports Management – $40,000 – $68,200

Sports Medicine – $42,000 – $71,300

Statistics – $60,000 – $104,600

Structural Engineering – $60,800 – $105,100

Supervision & Management – $38,200 – $57,200

Technical Communication – $43,900 – $86,200

Technical Management – $47,700 – $76,600

Technical Theatre – $36,100 – $62,600

Technology Management – $49,500 – $73,400

Telecommunications – $41,500 – $83,700

Telecommunications Management – $48,000 – $91,800

Textile & Apparel Studies – $41,400 – $80,600

Textile Design – $42,700 – $80,500

Theatre – $36,100 – $58,700

Theatre & Drama Studies – $41,300 – $74,800

Theatre/Theatre Arts Management – $40,600 – $70,300

Theology – $37,400 – $53,300

Therapeutic Recreation – $35,200 – $50,700

Transportation & Logistics Management – $49,100 – $84,000

Urban & Regional Planning – $44,000 – $78,700

Urban Planning – $46,300 – $72,300

Urban Studies – $44,100 – $74,700

Veterinary Technology – $31,800 – $43,100

Video Production – $40,300 – $62,600

Visual Communication Design – $41,600 – $67,700

Visual Communications – $40,300 – $64,900

Vocal Performance – $38,500 – $52,300

Wildlife & Fisheries Science – $34,700 – $62,900

Wildlife Biology – $40,000 – $61,400

Women’s Studies – $40,300 – $55,600

Writing – $39,400 – $62,200

Youth Ministry – $33,800 – $51,300

Zoology – $36,500 – $73,300