Top 20 College Majors That Lead to Good Careers

If you have a passion for not just science but how matter interacts with energy and time, then this path is for you. Although it may seem ultra specific, there are several different opportunities for those who choose to pursue physics. After securing at least an undergraduate degree, the possibilities are practically limitless, and range from air traffic control to academia. Many physicists work directly in research, studying everything from microscopic particles to the cosmologically vast. There are also several smaller subfields catered to specific findings, giving new graduates plenty of options to choose from and work towards. No matter what route is taken, a six-figure salary is a typical benchmark for physicists, making the extensive coursework in college worth it.

With the Internet allowing seemingly anybody to garner a wide audience, this job suddenly has new relevance. While it may not be as glamorous or fast-paced as it’s usually portrayed in the media, the life of someone in public relations can still be filled with excitement. Employees work directly with large companies or individuals, deciding what information is released to the greater public and helping their clients maintain a favorable image. Whether it’s helping a celebrity gain exposure or writing speeches for those in leadership roles, PR agents are often the glue holding everything together. That said, media literacy and strong writing skills are just two requirements for this position, as your words could mean life or death for someone else’s career.

You may think that the only way to translate a love of numbers into a full-time job is through education or finance, but there are several other areas that rely on specific mathematical techniques. Students start out learning a wide array of topics and gradually begin to study more specialized aspects as they advance into their graduate studies. Academia is one of the more popular choices, but they can also choose to pursue other avenures, such as statistics or financial analysis. There are even several prizes available for mathematicians to win once they become prominent in their area of study, providing constant motivation for progress. With all of the lucrative choices available, a diploma in this field can potentially help set you up for life.

It may be a stereotypically thankless role, but those who work it are some of the most important staff on payroll. All it takes is a Bachelor’s degree and a large amount of patience. Consultants will often work with companies to both help employees with technological issues and ensure the business achieves the goals they’ve set, meaning they’re involved at a macro and micro level. What it may lack in gratitude, it certainly makes up for in pay. Depending on the sector you work in, one could easily pull in around $100,000 a year. With technology booming more than ever, the amount of positions is constantly growing, making it the perfect vocational path for a new graduate.

Money is one of, if not the, biggest driving forces in the world, so it makes sense that there’s a whole field dedicated to understanding it. Economists utilize various mathematical techniques to help better understand the constant financial ebb and flow of the system. The curriculum can be intense, with students having to learn everything on a macro and micro level, along with having to take extra math and social science classes. However, once the work is done, the world is their oyster. Opportunities range from working for the national treasury to serving as a consultant for a local business. The salary ranges depending on how one utilizes what they learned, but even on the lower end, candidates can earn around $60,000 yearly.

While it’s incredibly rewarding, it’s definitely not without its challenges. If you have a love for learning and a desire to help others do the same, then education may be the perfect choice for you. Besides teaching itself, educators also create lesson plans and keep track of every pupil’s progress. Given its importance, there are several requirements that need to be met. Many educators are required to continue taking classes post-graduation and must work as a student teacher before being placed at a school. With a vast array of courses and grade levels to teach, the opportunities are seemingly endless. While the pay isn’t the most ideal, a tenured educator is at the very least heavily protected, ensuring consistent employment throughout their career.

While it may appear to be a broad area of study, there are plenty of specific options within the greater communications umbrella that can be rewarding both mentally and financially. On a macro level, communication deals with different patterns of human behavior. This makes it applicable to multiple industries, ranging from media work like journalism and broadcasting to more technical institutions, such as the military and medical field. Given how many other areas of study it intersects with, those interested in pursuing it need to be well-versed in humanities, politics, psychology, and marketing. As broad as it is, it’s a great choice for those who want to follow their aspirations while also having a guaranteed income.

It’s no secret that engineering is one of the better majors to choose from, at least from a career standpoint. Mechanical engineering is no different. Those who choose this profession are heavily involved in every process of creating various devices, from research all the way down to the final testing. The hands-on profession isn’t easy to break into. Candidates have to complete and pass several exams and work four years in the field before receiving an official license. Once the title is finally earned, they’ll have access to a whole world of profitable positions. With that in mind, it’s no wonder that it’s one of the fastest-growing industries, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting at least 10% growth in the next decade.

It should come as no surprise that this is one of the most gainful professions to work your way up in. People in this field have a hand in just about every aspect of a company’s choices, working with workers and higher-ups alike in order to help them reach their goals. There are several social skills that are non-negotiable for the position, including the ability to properly lead and communicate in competitive environments. Education is also highly valued, with options being made available from an undergraduate to a doctorate level. There’s also a steady level of growth estimated and multiple ways for the lessons to be applied in a job setting, making it easier to transition into an occupation post-secondary education.

In recent years, this has become one of the best majors to study. Given how many advertisements we see on a daily basis, from those on television to the ones we drive past, it makes sense that this would be a busy industry. Marketing seems easy, with many assuming it begins and ends with sales. However, they essentially have full control over how the population views a product. They influence the way people view everything from milk to government agencies. The salary reflects the job’s relevance, with the median income alone coming in at just under $157,000 a year. With the main requirement being a four year degree, it’s become one of the more accessible disciplines to find success in.

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, more than 375,000 computer related openings are expected each year. 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 $107,000 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. Median salaries in the United States come in around roughly $93,000 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 the median is slightly higher in the private 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 21,000 in the United States. On the other hand, there are nearly 326,000 civil engineering jobs available. One of the biggest bonuses about getting a degree in civil engineering is that the range 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 $86,000 while nurse practitioners make even more at an average around $126,000.

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 almost $275,000. Cardiologists and orthopedic surgeons however can avergae upwards of $525,000 to $545,000 per year.

Earlier we talked about today 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 2024, according to Glassdoor, the average base salary for a computer scientist is about $151,000, with many making more than that. As time goes on, this is a field that will undoubtedly continue to grow considering the direction that technology is taking.

Has your major helped lead you to a good career? Let us know in the comments below!