A February report from the New York Fed found that liberal arts and education majors tend to have the lowest salaries right out of college.
An analysis based on 2024 U.S. Census data, the most recent available, shows that full-time workers ages 22 to 27 with majors in theology, performing arts, social work, and education report the lowest early-career median earnings.
Graduates with these degrees all earn a median annual income of less than $45,000, below the U.S. median personal income of $45,140, according to Census Bureau data.
Teachers and other education professionals are typically paid by state and local governments, and wage growth tends to lag behind that of the private sector. Although these roles often offer job security, defined pensions, and summer vacation, a 2025 report from the Economic Policy Institute found that teachers earn less than other college-educated workers with comparable education levels and experience.
And generally speaking, students majoring in liberal arts and social services often end up in nonprofit, public sector, or service-oriented roles, which historically pay less than technical fields associated with high-demand industries like engineering and computer science.
In contrast, most engineering majors earn more than $75,000 five years after graduating from college. These median earnings rise to more than $100,000 between ages 35 and 45, with chemical engineering students earning the highest annual income at $135,000.
The 14 majors with the lowest average earnings for workers ages 22-27 are:
Pharmacy: $40,000 Theology and Religion: $41,600 Social Services: $43,000 Performing Arts: $44,000 General Education: $45,000 Early Childhood Education: $45,000 Elementary Education: $45,000 Liberal Arts: $45,000 Biology: $45,000 Leisure and Hospitality: $45,000 Psychology: $45,000 Anthropology: $45,000 Art History: $45,000 Fine Art: $45,000
It’s worth noting that these numbers reflect workers with a bachelor’s degree as their highest degree, so this data does not include licensed pharmacists, who earn a median annual salary of $137,480, according to BLS data. To become a pharmacist, you need a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and a state license. According to the American Pharmacy Association, a bachelor’s degree alone is not enough to qualify a person to practice.
Being at the bottom of early career rankings in pharmacy doesn’t last long. Mid-career pharmacy majors between the ages of 35 and 45 earn a median annual salary of $85,000, more than double their starting salary. Because the data reflects workers by major rather than job title, not all pharmacy graduates earn the typical six-figure salary of a licensed pharmacist.
In fact, even 10 years into workers’ careers, education remains concentrated near the bottom. Below, take a look at 15 majors for full-time workers between the ages of 35 and 45. These majors have the lowest median incomes, all under $75,000.
Early childhood education: $52,000Primary education: $55,000General education: $56,000Special education: $56,000Social services: $60,000Other education: $60,000Secondary education: $62,000Anthropology: $65,000Family and consumer sciences: $65,000Theology and religion: $66,000Health services: $67,000Nutritional Science: $70,000Therapeutic Therapy: $70,000Psychology: $72,000Art: $72,000
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