Engineering students earn the highest salaries right out of college and are still near the top years later.
That’s according to the New York Fed’s latest findings, based on the latest available 2024 U.S. Census data.
This analysis breaks down the annual earnings of college graduates by major and reflects the earnings of full-time workers whose highest degree is a bachelor’s degree, excluding currently enrolled students. In recent years, various engineering degrees have consistently ranked among the highest paying fields.
The highest-paying majors for workers ages 22 to 27 are computer engineering, computer science, and chemical engineering, with median starting salaries of more than $85,000 for new graduates. That’s well above the U.S. median personal income of just over $45,000, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
However, according to the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics, only about 6% of bachelor’s degrees awarded in the United States are in engineering, a relatively small proportion of all college graduates.
Here are the 18 majors with the highest salaries for workers ages 22 to 27.
Computer Engineering: $90,000Computer Science: $87,000Chemical Engineering: $85,000Aerospace Engineering: $85,000Industrial Engineering: $83,000Electrical Engineering: $82,000Mechanical Engineering: $80,000Construction Services: $75,000Civil Engineering: $75,000General Engineering: $75,000Other Engineering: $75,000Economy: $72,000Business Analysis: $72,000Finance: $70,000Math: $70,000Nursing: $70,000Math: $70,000Finance: $70,000
Data from the National Association of Colleges and Employers shows that engineering graduates are in strong demand for their combination of mathematical skills and technical expertise, which are valuable across a wide range of industries.
While artificial intelligence is changing the way technical jobs are done, employment in many engineering fields is still projected to increase over the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Engineering also tends to pay well over time. For graduates between the ages of 35 and 45, the average salary for any engineering major is reported to be at least $100,000. According to the New York Fed, all large companies with median incomes of $100,000 or more are:
Chemical Engineering: $135,000Computer Engineering: $131,000Aerospace Engineering: $130,000Electrical Engineering: $123,000Computer Science: $120,000Mechanical Engineering: $120,000Construction Services: $120,000Civil Engineering: $115,000Economics: $115,000Financial: $112,000Business Analysis: $109,000General Engineering: $105,000Other Engineering: $105,000Physics: $105,000Engineering Technology: $104,000Industrial Engineering: $100,000Mathematics: $100,000Information Systems: $100,000Marketing: $100,000Biochemistry: $100,000Political Science: $100,000
In contrast, students majoring in education and the arts tend to earn significantly less overall. Six fields of education majors between the ages of 35 and 45 report a median income of less than $60,000, placing them in the low-wage fields surveyed.
Want to improve your communication, confidence, and success at work? Take CNBC’s new online course, Mastering Body Language for Influence. Sign up now and use coupon code EARLYBIRD to receive a 20% off introductory discount. Offer valid from February 9th to February 23rd, 2026. Terms and conditions apply.
