High school students go to college with the hope of obtaining a degree that would allow them to get a lucrative and fulfilling job in the future. While many students follow their passion, others just aim for the degree that will provide them with the best employment opportunities.
There are, of course, outside factors that affect one’s chances of employment, such as the job market and overall strength of the economy. But students can select certain areas of study that all but guarantee them employment if they graduate with a bachelor’s degree in that field.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to identify the college majors with the lowest unemployment rates. Average earnings include all people who graduated with a degree that major, even if they are unemployed, working part time, or out of the labor force.
While getting a job is the ideal outcome for college graduates, not all jobs are equally lucrative. Several different types of education majors appear on this list, but none of are especially well compensated relative to other jobs on this list. Pay for educators can be especially low in some of the worst states to be a teacher.
Some majors on this list can prepare graduates for some of the more competitive private-sector positions. This means that employers must bid for the services of the best candidates in the field, often driving their salaries closer to the six-figure range. Many of these science-based college majors prepare graduates to work in some of the highest paying jobs in the country.
Click here to see the college majors with the lowest unemployment
25. Medical Technologies Technicians
> Unemployment: 1.79%
> Avg. salary: $55,436
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 18.5%
> BA holders in labor force: 182,810
Of the nearly 183,000 Americans with a bachelor’s degree in the medical technology field, more than 98% are employed. Like many other jobs in the medical and health field, these technicians also tend to be very well compensated. The average annual earnings for someone with this degree is $55,436 — more than double the average earnings for all college graduates of $25,818.
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24. Early Childhood Education
> Unemployment: 1.76%
> Avg. salary: $32,505
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 53.1%
> BA holders in labor force: 221,104
Early childhood education degree-holders are among the many graduates in educational fields with relatively low unemployment. Though nearly all degree holders in this field are employed, most are not especially well compensated relative to other types of graduates on this list — especially considering that most Americans with an early childhood education degree go on to earn a master’s degree.
23. Theology And Religious Vocations
> Unemployment: 1.71%
> Avg. salary: $36,956
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 55.6%
> BA holders in labor force: 319,990
According to a Pew study, more than 76% of Americans are religious, nearly all of whom are Christian. This means that hundreds of millions of residents need somewhere to worship and spiritual leaders to guide them. Just 1.71% of theology and religious vocations majors are unemployed, one of the lowest unemployment rates among all college majors.
22. Health And Medical Preparatory Programs
> Unemployment: 1.70%
> Avg. salary: $99,363
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 57.1%
> BA holders in labor force: 98,960
Health and medical preparatory programs serve as an undergraduate path for students to continue their education in medical fields like dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, nursing, physical therapy, and more. More than half of graduates with this major go on to earn their doctorate. Working in the medical field is often lucrative, and the average salary for people with health and medical prep bachelor’s degrees is nearly $100,000 per year.
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21. Mathematics Teacher Education
> Unemployment: 1.67%
> Avg. salary: $35,971
> BA holders with a master’s degree: N/A
> BA holders in labor force: 92,940
The American education system has placed a premium on STEM courses — STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Likely due in part to this renewed focus, college graduates with math teacher education majors are more likely to be employed than almost all other majors. Graduates in this field have a 1.67% unemployment rate, less than a third of the overall U.S. unemployment rate of 5.38% for all college graduates with at least a bachelor’s degree.
20. Electrical, Mechanical, And Precision Technologies And Production
> Unemployment: 1.66%
> Avg. salary: $51,344
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 9.7%
> BA holders in labor force: 22,533
Working in technology is often lucrative. Those who majored in the relatively broad field of electrical, mechanical, and precision technologies and production tend to earn a relatively high wage. Thes average annual salary is $51,344, nearly double the average earnings among all college graduates of $25,818. This salary is especially high, given that less than one-tenth of people with this bachelor’s degree also go on to earn a master’s degree
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19. Naval Architecture And Marine Engineering
> Unemployment: 1.63%
> Avg. salary: $73,356
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 40.6%
> BA holders in labor force: 20,430
Those who major in naval architecture and marine engineering prepare to design boats and other water-bound vessels, including cargo ships, yachts, offshore drilling platforms, floating wind turbines, underwater robots, nuclear submarines, and more. Like other types of architecture and engineering majors, this field sets up its graduates for financial success with an average salary of $73,356.
18. Elementary Education
> Unemployment: 1.58%
> Avg. salary: $27,701
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 73.3%
> BA holders in labor force: 1,337,467
With more than 1.3 million degree holders in the American labor force, elementary education is one of the most common degree fields in the country. This abundance appears to be necessary as less than 1.6% of graduates with this major are unemployed, well below the unemployment rate of 5.38% for all college graduates. Though nearly three-quarters of elementary education bachelor’s degree holders have a master’s degree as well, they are often not well paid, with an average annual salary of $27,701. That is barely above the average salary for all majors.
17. Biological Engineering
> Unemployment: 1.58%
> Avg. salary: $69,678
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 42.9%
> BA holders in labor force: 55,611
Biological engineering majors learn to solve issues with living systems by using human-made devices and processes. This includes genetic modification of crops and medical advancements, among other areas. Of the 55,611 bachelor’s degree holders in this cutting-edge field in the U.S. labor pool, less than 900 are unemployed.
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16. Zoology
> Unemployment: 1.53%
> Avg. salary: $83,490
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 62.9%
> BA holders in labor force: 109,336
Zoology, or the study of animals, is one of several scientific fields to rank among the majors with the lowest unemployment rates. This discipline often requires further education beyond a bachelor’s degree — nearly 63% of degree holders also go on to get a master’s degree, 78% get a professional degree, and 36% get their doctorate. This high level of education tends to pay off, as the average zoology degree holder’s salary of $83,490 is more than triple that of all bachelor’s degree holders.
15. Nursing
> Unemployment: 1.52%
> Avg. salary: $55,446
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 25.9%
> BA holders in labor force: 2,302,208
With more than 2.3 million degree holders in the U.S. labor force, nursing is one of the most common jobs in the country. Yet as baby boomers age and require more medical care, the country could still be on the verge of a nursing shortage in the near future. This could drive the unemployment rate for nurses even lower than its current 1.52% level. Though they are not as well compensated as doctors and other medical professionals, nursing degree holders still earn, on average, more than double the salary of the average college graduate.
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14. Animal Sciences
> Unemployment: 1.52%
> Avg. salary: $59,340
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 26.1%
> BA holders in labor force: 145,255
Animal sciences majors learn to help produce domestic livestock like cows, chickens, and pigs. Due to the large need for livestock there are over 145,000 people in the U.S. labor force with at least a bachelor’s degree in animal sciences. College graduates in this field rarely struggle to find a job, with just a 1.52% unemployment rate.
13. Architectural Engineering
> Unemployment: 1.49%
> Avg. salary: $71,955
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 35.0%
> BA holders in labor force: 20,484
As the U.S. population continues to grow, more homes and businesses will need to be constructed. Already, architectural engineering is one of just 13 majors with an unemployment rate below 1.5%. Like many other engineering professions, people with architectural engineering degrees tend to be well paid, with an average salary of nearly $72,000.
12. Soil Science
> Unemployment: 1.40%
> Avg. salary: $52,864
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 38.4%
> BA holders in labor force: 6,431
The key to growing crops, soil is one of the country’s most precious commodities. Soil scientists study the physical and chemical properties of the upper part of the Earth’s crust. Working for the government, colleges, and the private sector, soil science majors typically do not struggle to find employment. Bachelor’s degree holders in this field have just a 1.4% unemployment rate.
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11. Secondary Teacher Education
> Unemployment: 1.39%
> Avg. salary: $30,796
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 89.8%
> BA holders in labor force: 212,626
More than 212,000 people in the U.S. labor force graduated with a degree in secondary teacher education, which qualifies them to teach high school. Nearly 90% of these people also went on to earn a master’s degree. Typically, an increased level of education goes hand in hand with higher salaries, but not for education majors. Besides theology, each of the other majors on this list with a master’s degree attainment rate of at least 50% has an average salary above $65,000. Yet all types of education majors with similarly high master’s degree attainment rates have average salaries of less than $33,000.
10. Engineering And Industrial Management
> Unemployment: 1.36%
> Avg. salary: $66,820
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 42.3%
> BA holders in labor force: 43,947
Those who study engineering and industrial management are among the least likely bachelor’s degree holders to be unemployed. Though there are nearly 44,000 people in the U.S. labor force with this degree, and fewer than 600 of them are out of work. Of those who earn engineering and industrial management bachelor’s degrees, 42.3% earn a master’s degree as well — nearly exactly in line with the 42.1% rate among all bachelor’s degree holders.
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9. Miscellaneous Agriculture
> Unemployment: 1.35%
> Avg. salary: $44,998
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 34.1%
> BA holders in labor force: 16,386
There are over 1 million Americans working as farmers, ranchers, or other agricultural positions. Yet relatively few of them have college degrees as it is generally not a requirement for those positions. There are only 16,386 people in the U.S. labor force with a bachelor’s degree in miscellaneous agriculture. This job is of vital importance because there is always a need for the food those in the agriculture industry provide, so unemployment is very low.
8. Teacher Education: Multiple Levels
> Unemployment: 1.28%
> Avg. salary: $31,379
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 83.5%
> BA holders in labor force: 100,623
There are just over 100,000 people in the American labor force who graduated with a degree in teacher education that prepared them to teach at multiple levels. More than 99,000 of those people have a job. The versatility of the major likely explains why graduates with a major in teacher education: multiple levels have an unemployment rate of just 1.28% — the lowest rate of any type of education major.
7. Clinical Psychology
> Unemployment: 1.26%
> Avg. salary: $48,186
> BA holders with a master’s degree: N/A
> BA holders in labor force: 24,228
A clinical psychology degree typically prepares the holder to continue his or her education to become a psychologist. More than two-thirds of those with a bachelor’s degree in clinical psychology go on to earn their doctorate — generally a requirement for becoming a practicing clinical psychologist. Given this high level of education, clinical psychologists are not especially well paid compared with other jobs that require a doctorate. The average salary for those in this field is just over $48,000.
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6. Genetics
> Unemployment: 1.21%
> Avg. salary: $97,953
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 74.0%
> BA holders in labor force: 18,251
Genetics majors are on the cutting-edge of many research fields delving into the human genome. Genetics could provide the solutions to many medical issues, which could also be very lucrative. This likely explains why the average genetics degree holder earns nearly $98,000 per year.
5. Communication Disorders Sciences And Services
> Unemployment: 1.12%
> Avg. salary: $48,570
> BA holders with a master’s degree: N/A
> BA holders in labor force: 229,648
Communication disorders sciences and services majors study how to treat issues with speech, language, hearing, and cognitive communication problems. Though there are nearly 230,000 people in the U.S. labor force with this degree, few are unemployed. With an unemployment rate of 1.12%, only a handful of other majors have a lower share of degree-holders out of work.
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4. Physical Sciences
> Unemployment: 0.98%
> Avg. salary: $65,179
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 50.8%
> BA holders in labor force: 11,528
Physical sciences majors can apply their degree to a wide variety of disciplines, including astronomy, chemistry, geology, and more. This versatility may help explain the less than 1% unemployment rate for bachelor’s degree holders in this field — one of just four majors with less than 1% jobless rate. The low unemployment could also be due to the fact that most graduates in this field go on to earn a master’s degree, making them more desirable candidates for many scientific jobs.
3. Geosciences
> Unemployment: 0.96%
> Avg. salary: $79,851
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 82.7%
> BA holders in labor force: 20,837
Geosciences majors, who study to enter careers in earth science, energy extraction, and natural preservation, are among the least likely to be unemployed and some of the best-paid college graduates. The average geosciences degree holder earns $79,851 a year — more than triple the average salary of college graduates. Geoscientists have great future job prospects as there will likely be continued demand for improvements in energy technology.
2. Agricultural Economics
> Unemployment: 0.74%
> Avg. salary: $71,634
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 27.4%
> BA holders in labor force: 36,967
Agricultural economics majors prepare to work in fields like agricultural marketing, farm management, agricultural finance, and natural resource use and management. Of the 36,967 members of the U.S. labor force with this degree, fewer than 300 are unemployed. Unlike some other agriculture workers, agriculture economics majors have a relatively high average salary of $71,634 a year.
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1. Atmospheric Sciences And Meteorology
> Unemployment: 0.58%
> Avg. salary: $71,546
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 64.1%
> BA holders in labor force: 25,417
In order to plan out their day, everyone needs to know what the weather forecast holds. Perhaps for this reason atmospheric sciences and meteorology majors have the lowest unemployment rate of all college majors, at just 0.58%. This is just a fraction of the 5.4% unemployment rate among all college graduates. Of the 25,417 bachelor’s degree holders in the U.S. labor market, just 148 are unemployed. Like those in many other scientific fields, most atmospheric sciences and meteorology majors get their master’s degree.
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