A college degree is often the most expensive investment you will make in your lifetime. If you’re going to spend your hard earned money on a degree, or put yourself in debt through student loans for that degree, you better be sure you’re choosing a curriculum that is going to earn you top dollar when you graduate. If you’re entering college for the first time or returning due to a life-change, consider one of these five top earning bachelor degree programs.
Engineering
Engineering careers are consistently the highest paying jobs in the nation. To successfully complete an engineering program you must have advanced skills in science and mathematics. A degree in petroleum, chemical or nuclear engineering will earn you over $100,000 a year. If you have an interest in design, implementation of design and even the environment, consider a career in engineering.
Computer Sciences
Computers are most certainly the wave of the future and job prospects in all manners of the computer industry are better than average over the next decade. Computer engineers have a median salary of $99,500, programmers earn approximately $73,000 per year and database administrators can earn over $70,000 a year.
Investment Banking
Consider a degree in finance or accounting and you may find yourself becoming an investment banker earning over $80,000 a year. To be a successful investment banker you should have an interest in finance, stocks, bonds and business. Many bankers find themselves hired in with the company they choose to intern at, so pick wisely.
Nursing
Registered nurses can earn upwards of $65,000 a year. If you have a strong desire to care for and help people and a general interest in the medical field, consider a career as a registered nurse. As an RN, you can work in hospitals, doctor’s offices and clinics. You will be a successful RN if you possess leadership skills, the ability to think critically and an ability to empathize with people in distress.
Landscape Architecture
The starting salary for a landscape architect is approximately $64,000. Different from a traditional landscaper, the architect is responsible for planning the layout of plant life taking into consideration the layout of the site, the design of structures on the site and any roads, walkways or naturally occurring features in and on the land. A person interested in planning, design and aesthetics can make a great landscape architect.
It’s a well known fact that the top earning careers in the country are those that are held by people with college degrees. It’s also a fact that college can be incredibly expensive. If you’re not the type of person who has had a life-long dream of holding a particular career, consider one on this list. If you successfully graduate, you’re almost guaranteed a high paying job.
Terry Southerland is a career advisor and content contributor for thebestdegrees.org, a site providing lists of online degrees as well as rankings of colleges with the best associate degrees.