Concentrations That Make Bank

A recent Newsweek article, “Best Majors for Big Paychecks,” lists the top ten majors by median starting salary and median salary mid-career. In case you’re angling for a good salary after you graduate, you might want to consider this list when you pick a concentration.

Here’s the abbreviated list:

1. Engineering

2. Economics

3. Physics

4. Computer Science

5. Statistics/Math

6. Biochemistry

7. Construction Management

8. Finance

9. Information Systems

10. Geology

Economics should be no surprise here, since almost every economics concentrator we know is looking for a job in investment banking, finance, or consulting—three lucrative career paths. And Harvard continues to court engineers, accepting more and more potential concentrators each year. In the last three years, Harvard has seen a 68 percent increase in applicants who list their primary interest as engineering sciences.

On the other hand, Harvard is limiting your options in a couple of cases. We don’t have construction management, finance, or information systems majors.

What was surprising about this list was that philosophy didn’t make the cut. After all, knowing if and when to push a fat man in front of a runaway vehicle must deserve a larger salary than deciding when to buy and sell stocks.

Photo courtesy of Revisorweb/Creative Commons.