Top 10 College Majors That Lead to Good Careers

Considering the pace at which technology is moving, it makes sense that jobs in fields related to computers are growing rapidly. In fact, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 2024, computer related jobs are expected to grow by more than 17%. Graduates from software engineering programs can expect some of the highest starting salaries in the job market. In America, App developers and software developers can make an average of $100 000 per year. And to think parents used to say that sitting in front of computers all day was a waste of time…

If you have an aptitude for math, one of the most lucrative fields you can study in college is actuarial science. You may know they make hefty salaries, but do you know what actuaries actually do? Their main job is calculating risk using a variety of mathematical and statistical methods in order to apply the results in fields of insurance and finance. You have to be committed to studying if you decide to pursue a career in actuarial mathematics, because in most countries, even once you’ve started your career you have to continue to pass a series of exams.

Being an architect is a career glamorized in the media and while it is in fact a great field to enter into, it may be more difficult than you would imagine. There is a lot of math and science involved in creating the technical designs of a building, so you need more than an artistic eye in order to succeed. You’ll need a bachelor’s degree in order to enter the field, but your career will be able to move further if you also acquire a master’s degree. Average salaries in the United States come in around roughly $76 000 a year and jobs can include many travel perks.

If you have a degree in accounting, it’s important to choose whether you wish to enter into the private realm or work in the public sector. Public accountants work with personal income taxes as well as auditing and forensic accounting. As a private accountant, you’ll work in a corporate environment for a company either individually or on a team in order to manage the business’s finances. Salaries are similar in both fields though they range slightly higher in the public sector.

While there are many types of engineering that can lead to illustrious careers, there are a few reasons why civil engineering is high on our list. Petroleum engineers may make the highest average salaries, but their job market is quite small at about 35 000 in the United States. On the other hand, there are nearly 274, 000 civil engineering jobs available. One of the biggest bonuses about getting a degree in civil engineering is that the number of jobs available to you is wide and varied. You can work in consulting, in construction, in government and in industry.

It should come as no surprise that getting a law degree is not only prestigious but can lead to a fulfilling career. What some people don’t know, is that seeking out a degree in law does not necessarily have to lead to working as a lawyer. Conversely, having a law degree does not automatically make you a lawyer. In order to actually practice law, you have to pass a test (called the Bar exam in the US and Canada). On top of that, bar exams vary by country, and even by state or province – although a few are transferable between certain states and provinces. So mostly, if you want to move and work elsewhere, you’ll need to take the test all over again.

While it may not be the most glamorous position, nursing is a field that is consistently in need of new additions. It also happens to be one of the jobs with the highest rates of job satisfaction. No matter how much technology progresses, nursing will always be one of the top jobs in any industry. Especially as the baby boomer generation ages, jobs are booming for every health care position. Registered nurses in the US also make very respectable salaries. Their average salary is $67, 930 while nurse practitioners make even more at close to $91, 450.

A degree in finance can help you work in either the public sector, the private sector or even the world of non-profits. Whether your interest lies in personal finance, investment banking, insurance or real estate management, the world is your oyster with a broad degree like this. You can enter the workforce with only a bachelor’s degree though most people consider an undergraduate finance degree as more of a first step on the path to further education. Getting an MBA (Masters of Business Administration) will open even more doors for you, on top of raising your salary expectations.

Everyone knows that becoming a doctor is one of the most prestigious career paths there is. They also know how hard it is to get into medical school and succeed with your studies. Medical students can incur some of the largest student debts due to the high cost of their studies, so getting a high paying job, and quickly, is a necessity. Depending on the country you live in, and whether you chose to work privately or publicly, salaries for medical doctors can vary greatly. Even on the lower end though, family practitioners make an annual average of $189 000. Cardiologists and orthopedic surgeons however can make upwards of $512 to $519 000 per year.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Physics


Marketing


Business Information Technology

The first entry we talked about today was software engineering, which is actually a subset of the broader field of computer science. Those studying computer science have to be both logical and creative since they have to be both technically savvy and innovative. As of 2015, according to Forbes, starting salaries for computer science grads average anywhere from $71, 500 to $102, 000. As time goes on, this is a field that will undoubtedly continue to grow considering the direction that technology is taking.