52 College Majors With Starting Pay Below the US Average

ETHReserveBank · 2026-03-10T20:30:41+00:00

Most college graduates earn more than non-degree holders, but some majors have low starting and mid-career wages. Pharmacy graduates initially earn less but can see significant wage growth after obtaining advanced degrees.

ETHReserveBank

2026-03-10 20:30:41

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Although most college majors start with lower wages than the national median, college graduates generally end up earning more than their counterparts without degrees.
Seven college majors see little wage growth, with mid-career salaries still below the overall median wage of $63,360.
Pharmacy majors start at a low salary of $40,000 but often pursue graduate degrees to land higher-paying roles.

Graduates who have a bachelor’s degree in these 52 majorsearn starting salaries below the median wage for all workers nationwide.

More high school graduates are questioning the value of a bachelor’s degree and opting to attend a trade school, earn a certificate or start working immediately after high school. Reports, however, still show that most college graduates earn more than their counterparts without degrees.

Why This Matters

A bachelor’s degree is an investment, and many students have to take on debt to pay for their education. Student loans can restrict borrowers’ budgets and lower their savings. Choosing a degree with a higher starting salary can make it easier to pay off debt and help avoid interest.

By the middle of their careers, the median wage for a worker with a bachelor’s degree in 2024 was about $87,000, according to the most recent report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. That is almost $24,000 more than the median wage of $63,360 for all full-time workers in 2024, according to the Census Bureau.

Some majors will eventually lead to higher wages. However, seven saw little wage growth over time, and by midcareer their median pay was still below the national median of $63,360.

College graduates with a pharmacy degree generally have the lowest starting salary of any major, at $40,000. By the middle of their careers, however, these workers’ wages rise, and the median pharmacy worker earns about $85,000.

Additionally, more than two-thirds of pharmacy majors go on to receive a graduate degree. Pharmacist positions that require a graduate degree are expected to rank among the top 10 for annual job openings among positions requiring a graduate degree.

Theology and religion majors rank second-lowest, and social services majors rank third-lowest, in starting salaries.

No engineering majors, and few tech majors, appear on the list of majors with starting wages below the national median.

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