What degree should I get? If you want to earn a good salary, then you should consider earning a degree. There are several degrees out there that pay well, but which ones are worth pursuing?
Degrees are important because they open doors for you. They give you access to better jobs, higher salaries, and other benefits. Some degrees even offer financial aid or scholarships.

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So, which degree pays the best? Well, it depends on where you live. For example, some states require a bachelor’s degree to become a teacher, whereas others only require a high school diploma.

There are six degrees that pay the highest salaries.

1. Nursing

The demand for registered nurses keeps rising as the Affordable Healthcare Act goes into full effect. Nurses work in all healthcare-related environments and often act as liaisons between over-worked doctors and patients.

The top 10 percent of Registered Nurses earn $94,000 or more yearly. You can live comfortably on this salary, but taking your education a little further to nurse practitioner will allow you to live well at the entry-level.

You perform many of the same duties as a registered nurse while also acting as a primary care physician for patients. Most nurse practitioners work in a clinic under the supervision of a medical doctor. You can earn an entry-level annual salary of $96,460 as a Nurse Practitioner.

2. Engineering

Your degree in engineering earns the highest starting wage. The need for engineers in multiple fields makes graduates valuable to diverse industries. As an engineer with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, you can earn $3.4 million or more during your lifetime. This is an estimated $2.2 million more than a person with only a high school diploma.

Careers requiring engineer degrees with the highest entry-level salary potential include:

  • Chemical
  • Nuclear
  • Computer
  • Environmental
  • Mathematical
  • Electrical

Graduates can expect starting salaries of $61,000 to $69,000 yearly in the above fields.

With a Master’s degree in Petroleum Engineering, your value to the industry and your starting salary increase substantially. At the entry-level of this field, you can expect an annual salary of $102,000.

3. Economics

An economics major is a degree option that examines questions related to resource allocation, incentives, and wealth, among others. Economics is relevant to graduate and professional study in fields like business management, law, and public affairs, as well as undergraduate degrees that are useful for many career paths.

4. Physics

With engineering careers taking the top spots as the most desired college degrees to earn, it only makes sense for physics majors to also find many career opportunities in these same areas after graduation.

5. Statistics

With estimated job growth of 27 percent over the next 10 years, both private and government employers need your skills as a statistician. With your Bachelor’s degree in mathematics or statistics, your future looks financially secure.

6. Computer Science

Working for companies like Google or the SAS Institute may not seem possible even with an excellent GPA and a Bachelor’s degree in computer science. You impress the recruiters from these top information technology companies by putting in some extra work.

Internships and courses that challenge your presentation skills put your name higher on a recruiter’s list. Take extra classes in coding so you become an expert in the field. These talents will help you find a job with an entry-level salary of $56,500.