The Highest Paying Major Has An Average 6-Figure Salary Right Out Of College

Let's be honest, attending college is more expensive than it ever has been before. According to the Education Data Initiative, the price of college tuition has increased 197.4% since 1963. That being the case, it's no wonder that many people are considering alternative career paths that don't require a formal education, seeing as the price of some colleges have gotten so outrageous in recent years that it seems to outweigh the benefits of the education.

At the same time, with many young people eager to escape the shackles of their home towns and embark on a journey into something new and exciting, it's understandable that they would choose attending college as their path to doing so. After all, college is widely viewed as a highly formative experience of your young adulthood, where you have the opportunity to make friends and connections that last a lifetime. That being said, if you are going to attend university, it's important to pick a major that leads to a profitable career so that you will be able to comfortably pay off your student loans upon graduation. Knowing this, studying to become a physician's assistant is a great way to earn a 6-figure salary right out of college.

College may still be worth it in 2025, as long as you pick one of the handful of degrees that are most likely to pay off in the long run. Although some have a greater passion for things like the arts, it's important to understand that you can still chase after your dreams on the side while pursuing a major that has better financial prospects.

For starters, certain majors that will land you in some sort of field of engineering have the greatest financial prospects as far as starting salaries go. For example, obtaining a degree in chemical engineering or aeronautical engineering (which focuses on the construction of air and spacecraft), have starting salaries in the mid to high $80,000 range. On the other hand, degrees in computer science (for important industries like AI & cybersecurity), nuclear engineering, and operations research (for those with a combined interest in math, business, and technology), all have starting salaries in the low $90,000 range. Outside of that, pursuing a major in pharmaceutical sciences or petroleum engineering (which involves developing new and unique ways to mine for oil and gas) have salaries that range in the mid to high $90,000 ballpark.

For those looking to really hit the books and take on a challenging but rewarding field of study in college, a hybrid major in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences is the way to go. This field is ideal for those who want to work on the hardware and software aspects of cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, and more, and has an average starting salary of around $105,000 right out of college. But if you're looking for a major that has the absolute highest paying salary straight out of college, choosing to pursue a degree in Physician Assistant Studies is going to give you the best bang for your buck. This is ideal for those looking for a patient facing role in the field of healthcare, and offers an average starting salary of around $109,600. The main reason for this salary being so high is largely due to the high demand for this specific field of work in healthcare.

If you elect to study to become a PA, however, be ready to spend six or seven years in school before you're certified to enter the workplace under that title. In addition to a traditional four-year degree, you'll need to spend two to three years in a specific Physician's Assistant curriculum and complete time in rotational shifts. If you only attend school part time, it will likely take even longer.