If you want to earn the most money with your degree, consider an engineering degree. Engineers earn an average of $63,800 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
That’s more than anyone else in any other field!
And not only do engineers earn more money than other workers—they also have one of the highest employment rates. In fact, there are currently about 1 million engineers working in America.
If you’re interested in a career that will pay well and provide you with excellent job security, consider an engineering degree!
Fastest Degree With Highest Salary
1 Business Administration
The business administration discipline is one of the most versatile and flexible fields to consider as you map out your accelerated learning program and professional trajectory.
With jobs ranging from hospitality management (up to $46,810 a year) to human resources management (up to $99,720 a year), there are plenty of options to fit your specific goals.
At the top end of a business administration degree spectrum is the marketing management position, which can earn up to $115,750 a year.
#2 Communications
Communications is a broad field that opens doors in every single industry. Each company, non-profit, or government entity needs people who can help them communicate effectively.
You could be a professional staff writer composing business proposals, training documents, or social media messages. Becoming an author or freelance writer is another possibility.
You could write speeches for a politician or be a public spokesperson for an organization. Maybe you want to be a PR Manager. Whatever you do, you’ll ensure that a person or organization’s message is communicated and interpreted clearly and correctly.
#3 Finance
For those of you who have a knack for balancing budgets and crunching numbers, a degree in finance definitely holds quite a bit of promise. As far as job opportunities go, securities and commodities sales agents can earn about $71,720 annually, while financial analysts average $76,950.
With multiple years of experience and a willingness to work your way up the financial ladder toward a higher management position, you have the potential to make $93,680 a year as an actuary or $109,740 as a financial manager.
#4 Healthcare Administration
Earning a degree in healthcare administration is all about fulfilling your desire to help others – and bringing in a pretty decent salary at the same time. Specifically, those who enter into this line of work have the chance to earn $65,750 a year as a social or community service manager, $87,862 as a healthcare practice manager, and $104,939 as a senior healthcare administrator.
It is important to note that there’s plenty of overlap in terms of professionals skills and daily job requirements between this field and related management opportunities that come with a degree in business administration, so keep those career paths in mind as well as you mull over this potential educational path.
#5 Human Resources
HR is the exciting field in which you get to recruit top talent for your company and manage their benefits. You might also be in charge of onboarding, training, paying, and disciplining employees.
Because your role could include so many responsibilities, you’ll gain an overview of most business areas, including accounting, management, and marketing. You’ll also study ethics and business law to ensure that your company is following best practices. Specific courses will include payroll and benefits management.
When you graduate, you could work in a division of the HR department at a large company or manage the entire department at a smaller business. You could also become a recruiter for a temp agency or a professional headhunter helping to match people with job opportunities.
#6 Information Technology
Information technology (IT) services professionals work toward optimizing and maintaining network systems and the software infrastructure that supports these data points and servers – a vital piece of the puzzle that keeps many businesses and organizations running smoothly.
As far as earning potential goes, the average salary for this field is $64,405, with systems administrators garnering $61,370, network engineers earning $64,000, and software engineers tipping the scales at $79,315.
#7 Management
A degree in Management prepares you for a wide variety of jobs. People usually think of managers as being in charge of a team of people, and that is one job type you might get. You might be a manager in charge of a team of employees at a retail store, restaurant, or production plant. You could certainly work your way up to a great salary in those industries.
But a manager is also in charge of other resources besides people. You might be a social media manager, for example, or a project manager for a government contractor. You could become a production manager for a manufacturing company.
When you study Management, you’ll gain an overview of the business world so that you can look at the big picture and manage your company or organization’s resources effectively. You’ll study, accounting and finance, human resources, and even marketing and sales. With all of these skills, you could also become an entrepreneur working for yourself.
#8 Management Information Systems
Various career paths open with a degree in management information systems (MIS.) For those that are considering this line of work, taking on a job as an information technology (IT) project manager, business systems analyst, or even a specialized software developer are opportunities that are rife with potential.
Average salaries for these positions can range from an entry-level $57,996 as an MIS software developer to a substantial yearly income of $128,222 collected by an IT project manager.
#9 Marketing
Much like business administration, receiving a degree in marketing ensures you’ll have a plethora of diverse and unique career paths to look forward to once you’re ready to enter the professional world.
Market research analysts may earn up to $60,300 annually, while brand managers, public relations experts, and advertising project managers have the potential to pull in salaries that range from $88,590 to $95,450.
#10 Supply Chain Management
A degree in supply chain management is the perfect fit for a person who enjoys coordinating large-scale projects and understands the need for rigorous quality control parameters in both the workplace and the end-user experience.
In terms of actual career paths, individuals who work in this field can earn yearly wages of $96,000 as a warehouse distribution manager, $111,000 as a senior manager of quality assurance, and $122,000 as a senior supply chain manager.
Quick Degrees that Pay Well: Our Methodology
What Is an Easy Bachelor’s Degree to Get?
By looking at the average GPA for students pursuing various college majors, we can determine which majors students are excelling in and likely consider easy. Here’s an entire article we wrote focusing on the easiest majors using a similar methodology. But remember that easy is a relative term.
How well you do in a program will depend on your interests, aptitude and how much effort you put in. Not everyone wants to spend 4 years in college to earn a degree that pays well.
If you don’t want to stick to a 4-year degree plan, your best option is to pick a major that lends itself to an accelerated pace.
Using the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, we compiled a list of corresponding careers and the bachelor’s degree required to gain entrance in these fields.
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage | Degree Required |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $139,220 | Information Science |
| Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers | $129,380 | Marketing or Business |
| Financial Managers | $125,080 | Business (or related) |
| Compensation and Benefits Managers | $119,120 | Business (or related) |
| Human Resources Managers | $110,120 | Business (or related) |
| Top Executives | $104,700 | Business (or related) |
| Software Developers | $103,560 | Computer or Information Science |
| Information Security Analysts | $95,510 | Computer or Information Science |
| Administrative Services Managers | $94,020 | Business (or related) |
| Construction Managers | $91,370 | Business (or related) |
| Management Analysts | $82,450 | Business (or related) |
| Emergency Management Directors | $72,760 | Business (or related) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,350 | Accounting or Business |
| Social and Community Service Managers | $64,100 | Human Services (or related) |
| Market Research Analysts | $63,230 | Marketing or Business |
| Secondary school teachers | $57,200 | Education |
| Middle school teachers | $55,860 | Education |
| Career/technical education teachers, middle school | $55,190 | Education |
| Elementary school teachers | $54,890 | Education |
| Kindergarten teachers | $51,640 | Education |
| Health Educators and Community Health Workers | $45,360 | Human Services (or related) |
