The college degrees paying $100K salaries in 2023 | College Connection
The college years provide students with a multitude of opportunities for both social and academic growth. Simultaneously, they are the years in which students prepare for what will hopefully be productive and lucrative careers.
According to data released by CNBC, students seeking high-paying employment would do well to consider a major in the field of engineering, as eight of the top 10 best paying careers are in this discipline. Statistics from Bankrate placed Electrical Engineering in first place with a median salary of $110,000, followed by Computer Engineering with a median salary of $104,000. These were followed, respectively, by Chemical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering ($100,000), Materials Engineering/Materials Science ($98,500), Engineering Mechanics, Physics & Science and Mechanical Engineering ($95,000), and Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering ($90,000).
Interspersed in these top-paying careers were Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences & Administration, and Computer Science, both with a median salary of $100,000.
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Students with an interest in engineering would do well to research potential colleges with a strong reputation in this field. U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 issue of Best Colleges ranks the top programs at engineering schools where the highest degree is a doctorate, and those where the highest degree is a bachelor’s or master’s.
The top 10 schools that offer a doctorate degree, starting with the highest ranked, are Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University, University of California-Berkeley, California Institute of Technology and Georgia Institute of Technology (tied for fourth place), University of Michigan, Carnegie Mellon University and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (tied for seventh place), Cornell University and Purdue University at West Lafayette and University of Texas at Austin (all tied for ninth place).
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The top 10 schools with a bachelor’s or master’s as the highest degree are Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering and Harvey Mudd College (tied for second place), U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Bucknell University and California Polytechnic State University and the U.S. Air Force Academy (all tied for sixth place), Cooper Union, and California State Polytechnic University and Milwaukee School of Engineering (tied for 10th place).
Colleges in or near New Jersey with highly ranked engineering programs include Bucknell University, Lafayette College, Manhattan College, Virginia Tech, Penn State, University of Maryland, Lehigh University, Rutgers University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Drexel University, University of Delaware and Stony Brook-State University of New York.
Students considering a major in engineering should get some exposure to the field during their high school years by participating in clubs, securing an internship, or attending a summer pre-college engineering program.
Susan Alaimo is the founder & director of Collegebound Review, offering PSAT/SAT® preparation & private college advising by Ivy League educated instructors. Visit CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: College degrees: Majors paying highest salaries in 2023
