A new report found that graduates of California colleges and universities with STEM — science, technology, engineering, and mathematic — degrees tend to earn more than those in other academic fields, while higher levels of education are generally linked to higher earnings.
The HEA Group, a higher education research and policy organization
, analyzed the earnings of recent graduates to examine how income varies by major."For a long time, a college degree came with a guarantee, spoken or not: enroll, graduate, and a job and financially secure future would follow," the organization said. "That assumption is no longer taken on faith."
The report looked at U.S. Department of Education earnings data to determine "how economic outcomes vary by field
of study and credential level for graduates of California colleges and universities," the organization said.
Specifically, the report examined the median earnings of students four years after completing their programs. The analysis included nearly 277,000 graduates across 386 California institutions and focused on graduates who received federal financial aid, were employed and were no longer enrolled in school.
The organization, however, urged that earnings are not the only measure of a degree's value.
"The outcomes in this report aren't meant to rank one major against another," the organization said. "A degree in social work and a degree in computer science exist for different reasons, and both carry societal value beyond pure economics."
Instead, the organization said, the analysis is meant to provide students, families and counselors with information about the earnings of specific fields, "so that choosing a college and a major can be more informed than in years past."
"They deserve a clear, verifiable answer about what that investment actually returns, field by field and credential by credential," the organization said.
The report comes amid a national debate over the value of college degrees and whether graduates' earnings should play a role in higher education policy. For instance, the Trump administration has proposed and implemented policies that restrict or eliminate federal financial aid for certain college majors and degree programs based largely on graduates' earnings outcomes.
Here's what to know about the report.
More education generally associated with higher career earnings
The HEA Group's analysis found that, on average, more education is associated with higher earnings.
The typical annual salary for a high school graduate in California with no college experience is $36,082, according to the report. For each level of education reached, a graduate's earnings increased.
Those who complete a certificate program typically earn $42,040 annually, while associate degree holders earn $60,024, the report found. With a bachelor's degree, graduates typically earn $70,851 annually.
While higher levels of education were generally associated with higher earnings, income varied significantly depending on a graduate's field of study.
Highest-earning and lowest-earning majors
The highest-earning majors tend to be those in STEM fields, the report found.
Those who majored in mathematics and computer science earned a median salary of $138,785, while those who majored in computer engineering earned $125,120, according to the report.
Nursing follows, with those majoring in registered nursing, nursing administration, nursing research, and clinical nursing earning $123,693.
Here is a breakdown of the 10 highest-earning majors for a bachelor's degree, along with their median annual salaries, from The HEA Group's report:
- Mathematics and computer science: $138,785
- Computer engineering: $125,120
- Registered nursing, nursing administration, nursing research, and clinical nursing: $123,693
- Computer science: $123,528
- Engineering, general: $117,199
- Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering: $116,839
- Construction management: $112,576
- Industrial engineering: $105,268
- Clinical/medical laboratory science/research and allied professions: $104,786
- Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical/space engineering: $104,630
Meanwhile, arts and humanities majors tended to have some of the lowest earnings.
Among the lowest-paying fields were religious education ($40,261), drama/theatre arts and stagecraft ($41,877), music ($43,313), media management ($43,685), dance ($43,726), and fine and studio arts ($43,863). Botany/plant biology was one notable exception, a life science major with median earnings of $42,743.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: These California college majors earn the highest salaries, report finds
