10 Best Degrees to Make Money in 2023 (Highest Earning)

While most people have been told that college is a must for anyone, many don’t realize how important it is to learn about the best degrees to make money.

If you can plan ahead, you will fall into a career that could earn you over a hundred thousand dollars a year to start.

Here are the best degrees that pay well, and how you can learn your way into a rewarding career with one.

10. Mechanical Engineering

Average annual salary: $93,000

Jobs for this degree: aerospace engineer, commercial engineer, a senior mechanical engineer.

What you’ll learn а about this degree: to earn this degree, you’ll need to study physics to apply Newton’s laws of motion to real-world problems you’ll face in your career. Your professors will also help you learn how to analyze, design and build structures and machines.

The jobs available to you will be extremely similar to those of physics graduates, as they study many of the same concepts.

9. Petroleum Engineering

Average annual salary: $94,000

Jobs for this degree: completion engineer, drilling engineer, production engineer.

What you’ll learn: to earn a petroleum engineering degree, you’ll take basic engineering courses and then move on to specialized courses that interest you.

These courses range from geology to good drilling, fluid flow, reservoir fluids, petroleum production, and reservoir analysis. This is one of the highest-paying degrees of its kind, especially if you learn how to negotiate job offers.

Benefits of Petroleum Engineering

Job outlook – Jobs in this field reflect oil prices and are expected to continue to grow.
Working on a hot topic – Natural fuels is a hot topic that is good to know about right now.
Ability to travel for work – In this role, you can work in many major states and enjoy traveling.
Intellectually stimulating work – You will never be bored in this ever-changing field.

8. Materials Science

Average annual salary: $94,000a

Jobs with this degree: analytical chemist (this is also a great way to make money with a biochemistry degree), biomedical engineer, geotechnical engineer.

What you’ll learn а about this degree: to earn a bachelor’s degree in materials engineering and science, you’ll need to demonstrate an understanding of how to apply advanced engineering and scientific principles to a variety of materials such as metals, ceramics, or glass, so you can develop new or improved products.

This is an interdisciplinary field that requires an understanding of various areas of engineering and science.

7. Computer Science

Average annual salary: $96,000

Jobs that match this degree: software developer, web developer, and user interface designer.

What you’ll learn а about: computer science courses help you gain an in-depth understanding of calculus and other relevant math courses, as well as the theories, operating systems, programming languages, and data structures you’ll need to know to succeed.

This is an incredibly information-dense degree, and sometimes the most important thing you can learn is how to research and find answers to problems.

If you’re not ready to jump into a full-time career just yet, take a look at these side jobs for software engineers and computer science graduates.

An upward trend

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average job market growth is about 7% every 10 years, but computer science is expected to grow 22% between 2020 and 2030. This degree offers tons of jobs that are quick to hire and pay well right off the bat.

6. Mechanical Engineering

Average annual salary: $96,000

Jobs for this degree: automotive engineer, maintenance engineer, a construction engineer.

What you’ll learn а about this degree: during this degree, you’ll learn about energy and motion, as well as thermal, solid, and fluid mechanics.

In a mix of lab work and information study, you’ll need to develop problem-solving skills so you can design and evaluate products while working with them.

You can even supplement your income with one of the highest-paying side jobs for mechanical engineers.

5. Materials Engineering and Materials Science

Average annual salary: $97,500

Jobs for this degree: manufacturing systems engineer, management consultant, lecturer in higher education.

What you’ll learn а about this degree: if you want a deep understanding of multiple disciplines, this is the best degree you’ll find.

Not only will you learn about scientific structures, properties, and processes, but you will also learn about the performance of materials.

With this degree, you can choose courses and modules that specifically match what you’re interested in and what you want to do as a career.

Tactics for success

Much of the work in materials engineering relies on confidence and commercial awareness. Strive to be both convincing and confident when presenting your findings, and you will be able to succeed in this job market.

4. Health and Medical Preparatory Programs

Average annual salary: $98,000.

Jobs for this degree: medical assistant, pharmacy technician, certified medical assistant.

What you’ll learn а about this degree: with your education, you’ll be prepared for admission to a professional program in dentistry, medicine, occupational therapy, optometry, or physical therapy.

While this doesn’t fully prepare you for these careers, it does open the door to tons of opportunities.

You don’t have to continue your education to land roles as a pharmacy technician or medical assistant!

3. Nuclear Engineering

Average annual salary: $100,000

Jobs for this degree: atomic process engineer, nuclear radiation engineer, reactor engineer

What you’ll learn а about this degree: to earn a nuclear engineering degree, you’ll learn the fundamentals of nuclear processes. This includes their production, interactions, and how to take and evaluate radiation measurements.
Along the way, you’ll learn about the social, energy, health, and safety impact of this career.

2. Computer Engineering

Average annual salary: $101,000

Jobs with this degree: computer network architect, blockchain developer, software developer.

What you’ll learn аbout: to earn a computer engineering degree, you’ll learn engineering, mathematics, and computer science so you can find and recognize problems, then create solutions for digital systems.

This will require a thorough understanding of everything from software to electronic circuits and microprocessors.

1. Electrical Engineering

Average annual salary: $107,000

Jobs for this degree: software engineer, electronic design engineer, hardware design engineer.

What you’ll learn а about this degree: to earn this degree, you’ll need to study the development, design, testing, and supervision of every part of the creation of electrical equipment, systems, and devices such as motors and communications equipment.

To be successful, you must have a strong background in math and science, especially physics.

Conclusion

When preparing to invest the tens of thousands of dollars you have for college, you need to have a good goal in mind.

Aim for one of these degrees, and you won’t have to worry about money from your first job!