Top 10 Money-Making Majors are All Science-Related

The data-driven minds at PayScale just released their annual summation of the best colleges and majors in the United States.

Of the top 15 highest paying bachelor degrees, all of them are in the STEM (science, technology, engineering  and mathematics) fields.

[Image Courtesy of Chem Eng Blog]

The highest non-STEM position ranks 24th under Government. Physicians Assistants and other medical fields don't rank until much farther down on the list.

Here are the top 10 STEM Bachelor's degrees that pay you back.

1.Petroleum Engineering

Early Career Pay -  $96,700

Mid-Career Pay - $172,000

3 (tie). Systems Engineering

Early Career Pay - $66,400

Mid-Career Pay - $121,000

3 (tie). Actuarial Science

Early Career Pay - $60,800

Mid-Career Pay - $119,000

5 (tie). Chemical Engineering

Early Career Pay - $69,800

Mid-Career Pay - $119,000

5 (tie). Computer Science & Engineering

Early Career Pay - $71,200

Mid-Career Pay - $116,000

5 (tie). Nuclear Engineering

Early Career Pay - $68,500

Mid-Career Pay - $116,000

7. Electronics & Communications Engineering

Early Career Pay - $68,000

Mid-Career Pay - $115,000

8. Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE)

Early Career Pay - $68,100

Mid-Career Pay - $114,000

9 (tie). Aeronautical Engineering

Early Career Pay - $63,000

Mid-Career Pay - $113,000

9 (tie). Computer Engineering (CE)

Early Career Pay - $69,600

Mid-Career Pay - $113,000

Other notable mentions:

11 (tie). Computer Science & Mathematics

Early Career Pay - $63,500

Mid-Career Pay - $111,000

11 (tie). Physics & Mathematics

Early Career Pay - $56,200

Mid-Career Pay - $111,000

13 (tie). Applied Mathematics

Early Career Pay - $56,100

Mid-Career Pay - $110,000

13 (tie). Electrical Engineering (EE)

Early Career Pay - $67,000

Mid-Career Pay - $110,000

Please note that the ranking isn't determined by initial earning. PayScale uses mid-career pay figures to rank jobs.

While money shouldn't be the sole driving force in picking one's major, it's clear that certain fields definitely have the upper hand in making money post-college.

Engineers often tell students they get paid far less than what studies like PayScale's report. And that is often the reality for a lot of engineers. Graduates might be among the highest earners but that doesn't necessarily mean that they are.

Like any other major, not all engineering grads go on to work for a company whose primary directive is engineering. Any number of engineering students could go into higher earning sectors but in non-engineering roles at engineering firms. Some could privately contract as an engineer with a non-engineering company.

However, engineering and other STEM students still enter into a high-demand job market with an average starting salary nearly 70 percent over the national average. Given the higher starting rates, STEM graduates have one of the easiest times repaying student loans. They can also apply for housing easier and pay for things like health insurance.

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