Main image of article Top Wage Earners Hold Computer-Related Degrees
Eight computer-related degrees rank among the top 30 majors for salary potential, according to a recently released report from salary researcher PayScale. Engineering degrees of all stripes lead the way, with computer engineering ranking No. 6 and computer science No. 8. Here's how the IT-related degrees fared:
  • No. 6. Computer engineering: Starting salary -$65,300; Mid-career salary - $106,000.
  • No. 8. Computer science: Starting salary - $59,800; Mid-career salary - $102,000.
  • No. 12. Software engineering: Starting salary - $60,500; Mid-career salary - $99,300.
  • No. 18. Management information systems: Starting salary - $53,800; Mid-career salary - $92,200.
  • No. 24. Electrical engineering technology: Starting salary - $57,900; Mid-career salary - $87,600.
  • No. 25. Computer information systems: Starting salary - $50,800; Mid-career salary - $87,400.
  • No. 26. Information systems: Starting salary - $51,900; Mid-career salary - $87,200.
  • No. 30. Information technology: Starting salary - $49,900; Mid-career salary - $84,100.
Statistics, a field growing in importance as Big Data takes hold, ranked No.10, with a starting salary of $49,300 and mid-career salary of $99,500. PayScale’s numbers refer to folks with bachelor’s degrees, but not people with advanced IT degrees. The starting salaries reflect pay for those with two years of experience and the mid-career point is 15 years of experience. The survey reinforces previous findings by the U.S Census Bureau that there’s a steep gap in lifetime earnings between technical majors and those in the arts, humanities and education. It estimates that over a 40-year career, those with engineering degrees will earn about $3.5 million, while a liberal arts major will earn about $2.1 million and an education major $1.8 million. Similarly, research from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce found that those who major in engineering, computer science or business will earn in their lifetime as much as 50 percent more than those who major in the humanities, the arts, education and psychology. And they start out making more, too. Previously, Dice News has noted that Google, Amazon and Microsoft top the list of tech companies paying hefty salaries for interns.