Special Report

Worst Paying Jobs for College Graduates

MangoStar_Studio / Getty Images

In light of the growing student-loan crisis, Americans appear more likely to think twice about going into debt to pay for a college education. College enrollment declined by nearly 300,000 in 2019, the eighth consecutive year enrollment dropped. 

Still, for many of the Americans who attend college and graduate, education remains a sound investment. The typical American adult with a bachelor’s degree earns about 65% more than the typical adult with just a high school diploma. 

A bachelor’s degree, however, is no guarantee of a high paying career. There are many jobs today that typically require a four-year college education yet pay lower or only slightly above the average annual wage across all occupations of $38,640. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2018 median annual wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to identify the lowest paying jobs for college graduates. 

Compensation is one of a number of considerations to take into account when choosing a job, and for many who go into the kinds of careers on this list, high pay is not likely a priority. These include service occupations, like social work and counseling, as well as creative fields, like sculpting or music composition. 

For those who attend college with the goal of having a high-paying career, certain fields of study are more likely to pay off than others. The average annual earnings for some college majors is over four times higher than the average earnings of others. These are the highest and lowest-paying college majors in America

While many high-paying jobs are only available to those with a bachelor’s degree or higher, well-paying careers are by no means exclusively limited to those with a four-year college education. There are dozens of jobs that require no more in the way of formal education than a high school diploma where the median wage is more than double some of the jobs on this list. These are the highest paying jobs you can get without a college degree.

Click here to see the worst paying jobs for college grads
Click here to read our methodology

AndreyPopov / Getty Images

41. Appraisers and assessors of real estate
> Median annual wage: $54,980
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 80,800
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +14.4%

[in-text-ad]

guruXOOX / Getty Images

40. Camera operators, television, video, and motion picture
> Median annual wage: $54,570
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 25,100
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +7.0%

seb_ra / Getty Images

39. Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents
> Median annual wage: $54,440
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 62,100
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +0.6%

karen_roe / Flickr

38. Set and exhibit designers
> Median annual wage: $54,270
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 14,600
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +10.3%

[in-text-ad-2]

microgen / Getty Images

37. Health educators
> Median annual wage: $54,220
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 61,000
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +14.5%

PeopleImages / Getty Images

36. Curators
> Median annual wage: $53,780
> Typical entry-level education: Master’s degree
> Total employment: 12,400
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +14.0%

[in-text-ad]

FatCamera / Getty Images

35. Adult basic and secondary education and literacy teachers and instructors
> Median annual wage: $53,630
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 68,200
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +5.1%

IuriiSokolov / Getty Images

34. Judicial law clerks
> Median annual wage: $53,540
> Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree
> Total employment: 14,000
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +5.5%

Orbon Alija / Getty Images

33. Interior designers
> Median annual wage: $53,370
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 66,500
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +4.4%

[in-text-ad-2]

industryview / Getty Images

32. Vocational education teachers, postsecondary
> Median annual wage: $53,120
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 128,000
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +1.4%

http://www.policehow.com/how-to-become-a-probation-officer.php

31. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists
> Median annual wage: $53,020
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 91,300
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +5.7%

[in-text-ad]

cyano66 / Getty Images

30. Archivists
> Median annual wage: $52,240
> Typical entry-level education: Master’s degree
> Total employment: 6,800
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +14.3%

scyther5 / Getty Images

29. Graphic designers
> Median annual wage: $50,370
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 266,300
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +4.2%

jacoblund / Getty Images

28. Marriage and family therapists
> Median annual wage: $50,090
> Typical entry-level education: Master’s degree
> Total employment: 41,500
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +23.4%

[in-text-ad-2]

fstop123 / Getty Images

27. Interpreters and translators
> Median annual wage: $49,930
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 68,200
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +17.7%

Chattrawutt / Getty Images

26. Farm and home management advisors
> Median annual wage: $49,840
> Typical entry-level education: Master’s degree
> Total employment: 10,400
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +7.5%

[in-text-ad]

EmirMemedovski / Getty Images

25. Music directors and composers
> Median annual wage: $49,630
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 74,800
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +5.7%

sculpies / iStock

24. Audio-visual and multimedia collections specialists
> Median annual wage: $49,600
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 11,300
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +8.9%

seksan mongkhonkhamsao / Getty Images

23. Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators
> Median annual wage: $49,380
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 28,000
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +6.6%

[in-text-ad-2]

omgimages / iStock

22. Meeting, convention, and event planners
> Median annual wage: $49,370
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 116,700
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +10.9%

Tinpixels / Getty Images

21. Exercise physiologists
> Median annual wage: $49,270
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 15,100
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +13.1%

[in-text-ad]

foundin_a_attic / Flickr

20. Clergy
> Median annual wage: $48,990
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 243,900
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +8.2%

Pixfly / Getty Images

19. Statistical assistants
> Median annual wage: $48,330
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 11,800
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +9.2%

asiseeit / Getty Images

18. Education administrators, preschool and childcare center/program
> Median annual wage: $47,940
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 61,800
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +10.8%

[in-text-ad-2]

FatCamera / Getty Images

17. Recreational therapists
> Median annual wage: $47,860
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 19,200
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +6.5%

LuckyBusiness / Getty Images

16. Athletic trainers
> Median annual wage: $47,510
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 27,800
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +22.8%

[in-text-ad]

SDI Productions / Getty Images

15. Social science research assistants
> Median annual wage: $46,640
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 34,000
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +4.3%

sturti / Getty Images

14. Child, family, and school social workers
> Median annual wage: $46,270
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 317,600
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +14.2%

SDI Productions / Getty Images

13. Credit counselors
> Median annual wage: $45,180
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 38,300
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +13.8%

[in-text-ad-2]

Daisy-Daisy / Getty Images

12. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
> Median annual wage: $44,840
> Typical entry-level education: Master’s degree
> Total employment: 123,900
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +19.3%

poba / Getty Images

11. Biological technicians
> Median annual wage: $44,500
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 82,100
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +10.2%

[in-text-ad]

Ales-A / Getty Images

10. Agricultural inspectors
> Median annual wage: $44,140
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 15,600
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +4.6%

Lilya Olhova / Getty Images

9. Museum technicians and conservators
> Median annual wage: $43,020
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 11,800
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +12.4%

Helios8 / Getty Images

8. Reporters and correspondents
> Median annual wage: $41,260
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 44,700
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +10.0%

[in-text-ad-2]

FatCamera / Getty Images

7. Directors, religious activities and education
> Median annual wage: $40,810
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 147,100
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +7.1%

Maica / Getty Images

6. Proofreaders and copy markers
> Median annual wage: $39,140
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 14,200
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +1.7%

[in-text-ad]

KatarzynaBialasiewicz / Getty Images

5. Rehabilitation counselors
> Median annual wage: $35,630
> Typical entry-level education: Master’s degree
> Total employment: 119,300
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +12.7%

South_agency / Getty Images

4. Coaches and scouts
> Median annual wage: $33,780
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 276,100
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +12.9%

M_a_y_a / Getty Images

3. Graduate teaching assistants
> Median annual wage: $33,700
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 168,300
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +7.7%

[in-text-ad-2]

zhudifeng / Getty Images

2. Radio and television announcers
> Median annual wage: $33,220
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 41,300
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +11.6%

utah778 / Getty Images

1. Legislators
> Median annual wage: $24,670
> Typical entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 55,500
> Projected employment change (2016-2026): +7.1%

Methodology

To identify the lowest paying jobs that typically require a college degree, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2018 median annual wage for detailed occupations that require an entry level education of a bachelor’s degree or higher, with data from the 2016-2026 Employment Projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Data on educational attainment by detailed occupation came from the Employment Projections program’s detailed data tables. We excluded all non-specific occupation classifications used by the BLS from consideration, specifically those jobs labeled as “all other,” a catch-all designation.

Get Ready To Retire (Sponsored)

Start by taking a quick retirement quiz from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes, or less.

Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests.

Here’s how it works:
1. Answer SmartAsset advisor match quiz
2. Review your pre-screened matches at your leisure. Check out the advisors’ profiles.
3. Speak with advisors at no cost to you. Have an introductory call on the phone or introduction in person and choose whom to work with in the future

Get started right here.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.