According to PayScale's massive compensation database and job growth projections through 2020 from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, these 15 college majors are the most valuable in terms of salary and career prospects. They are ranked by median starting pay, median mid-career pay (at least 10 years experience), percentage growth in pay and projected growth of job opportunities.
No. 1: Biomedical Engineering
Starting Median Pay: $53,800
Mid-Career Median Pay: $97,800
Growth In Pay: 82&per;
Projected Job Growth: 61.7&per;
No. 2: Biochemistry
Starting Median Pay: $41,700
Mid-Career Median Pay: $84,700
Growth In Pay: 103&per;
Projected Job Growth: 30.8&per;
No. 3: Computer Science
Starting Median Pay: $56,600
Mid-Career Median Pay: $97,900
Growth In Pay: 73&per;
Projected Job Growth: 24.6&per;
No. 4: Software Engineering
Starting Median Pay: $54,900
Mid-Career Median Pay: $87,800
Growth In Pay: 60&per;
Projected Job Growth: 24.6&per;
No. 5: Environmental Engineering
Starting Median Pay: $51,700
Mid-Career Median Pay: $88,600
Growth In Pay: 71&per;
Projected Job Growth: 21.9&per;
No. 6: Civil Engineering
Starting Median Pay: $53,100
Mid-Career Median Pay: $90,200
Growth In Pay: 70&per;
Projected Job Growth: 19.4&per;
No. 7: Geology
Starting Median Pay: $45,300
Mid-Career Median Pay: $83,300
Growth In Pay: 84&per;
Projected Job Growth: 19.3&per;
No. 8: Management Information Systems
Starting Median Pay: $51,000
Mid-Career Median Pay: $88,200
Growth In Pay: 73&per;
Projected Job Growth: 18.1&per;
No. 9: Petroleum Engineering
Starting Median Pay: $97,900
Mid-Career Median Pay: $155,000
Growth In Pay: 58&per;
Projected Job Growth: 17&per;
No. 10: Applied Mathematics
Starting Median Pay: $52,600
Mid-Career Median Pay: $98,600
Growth In Pay: 88&per;
Projected Job Growth: 16.7&per;
No. 11: Mathematics
Starting Median Pay: $47,000
Mid-Career Median Pay: $89,900
Growth In Pay: 91&per;
Projected Job Growth: 16.7&per;
No. 12: Construction Management
Starting Median Pay: $50,200
Mid-Career Median Pay: $85,200
Growth In Pay: 70&per;
Projected Job Growth: 16.6&per;
No. 13: Finance
Starting Median Pay: $46,500
Mid-Career Median Pay: $87,300
Growth In Pay: 88&per;
Projected Job Growth: 16&per;
No. 14: Physics
Starting Median Pay: $49,800
Mid-Career Median Pay: $101,000
Growth In Pay: 103&per;
Projected Job Growth: 14.2&per;
No. 15: Statistics
Starting Median Pay: $49,000
Mid-Career Median Pay: $93,800
Growth In Pay: 91&per;
Projected Job Growth: 14.1&per;
