Top 10 Highest Paying College MajorsSalaries are crucial when making a decision on your college major. This is especially true having in mind all student loans, bills and expenses that start piling up immediately upon graduation.

Combining practicality with your own talents and abilities is more complicated than it seems.

Therefore, trends on the job market are constantly monitored and the Center on Education and the Workforce to Georgetown University has recently presented a research featuring the list of top ten best paid college majors.

Surprisingly enough, the most lucrative ones are by far not the most common. Overall, a relatively small portion of students chooses architecture and engineering sciences (8.3%), and yet this seems to be the most profitable category of them all.

Petroleum Engineering

This unconventional field in fact scored on the top of the ranking. Petroleum engineers have demonstrated a median annual income of $ 136,000. The number goes up to $ 200,000 if they have obtained a masters degree or additional qualifications.

The responsibilities of these professionals are connected to production of crude oil and natural gas. Apparently the industry is showing no signs of slowing down despite the political and religious tensions in the Middle East.

Pharmacy

This category encompasses both pharmaceutical sciences and administrative positions. Professionals here do not fall too far back from the top spot with average annual earnings of $113,000. They are the second most likely group to land a profitable career immediately upon graduation as well, as merely 7.5% of college graduates have chosen the field.

Many of them proceed with their education to get a doctor’s degree. It certainly takes long years and hard work, but the payment prospective sure seems to be a good stimulus.

Metallurgical Engineering

This major is yet another profitable member of the engineering sciences department. Apparently, studying the chemical behavior of metallic elements, compounds and alloys can bring you an estimated average income of $ 98,000 upon graduation.

Mining and Mineral Engineering

The science and technology behind the extraction of minerals is the main field of expertise here.

With the world running out of some of its most valuable resources, these specialists are in high demand. Unsurprisingly, the remuneration is quite impressive as well, reaching an average of $97,000.

Chemical Engineering

The most common occupations of contemporary chemical engineers are yet again in the process of transforming raw materials into useful substances. Nanotechnology, fuel cell processing and bioengineering are just some of the fields where the science major can find a useful application.

Those professionals typically receive a medium annual income of $ 96,000.

Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineers nowadays can find employment connected to businesses or organizations dealing with electronics, computers, telecommunications, radio-frequencies and even microelectronics used in portable devices. They have continuously demonstrated surprisingly high remuneration levels, with averages from $93,000.

Aerospace Engineering

Aeronautics seems to be one of the largely underestimated sciences across the globe. It didn’t even make it in the top three in terms of income and yet it remains the seventh most valued in monetary terms.

Research and development of applicable technologies to be implemented in aircraft and spacecraft requires extensive training and profound knowledge in various scientific fields. Aerospace engineers make an average of $ 90,000 per year.

Mechanical Engineering

The oldest and one of the broadest engineering sciences made it to the eight spot in the income competition. College graduates can choose a specialization in a number of fields – from heating and cooling system development to aircraft, robotics, medical devices and even weaponry.

Mechanical engineers have an average annual income of $87,000, but can reach much higher salaries depending on their expertise and chosen specific sphere of development.

Computer Engineering

The global myth of the extremely highly paid computer specialists can now be put to rest. They still did make it to the top ten, with $ 87,000 of median annual salary, but fall way behind the leaders. Surprisingly enough, the values are the same as those for mechanical and geophysical engineers.

With the increase of the number of people interested in the field, labor market has become more flexible and pays higher remuneration packages only to proven professionals.

Geological and Geophysical Engineering

The knowledge and expertise of these college graduates is used in the process of mitigation of natural hazards as well as in environmental protection. Additionally, research in the field is implemented in locating petroleum reservoirs, mineral deposits and even ground water. The profession has become more and more valued over the years and now shares the same annual salary levels as those of computer and mechanical engineering professionals.