This graphic shows the average return on investment of a degree in the U.S., based on analysis from CollegeNPV of data from the U.S. Department of Education and Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The return on investment of a degree is the expected lifetime value of the degree (net of debt) compared to entering the workforce after high school.
STEM degrees are the most valuable in the U.S. when looking at expected lifetime income minus debt compared to working right after high school without a degree, with Harvard's computer science program offering over $4 million ROI.
In contrast, humanities degrees like visual and performing arts, theology, and English are among the least valuable degrees when looking at lifetime earnings. With a negative ROI of about $39,000, English language programs have also experienced the greatest decrease in graduates, with 32% fewer students completing these programs compared to 10 years prior.
The 10 most valuable degrees in the U.S. based on the average return on investment:
Field of Study — Average ROI
Engineering — $570,616
Computer and Information Sciences — $477,229
Mathematics — $340,875
Engineering Technicians — $311,141
Business — $205,191
Architecture — $196,711
Nursing and Health Professions — $194,756
Physics, Chemistry and Geology — $168,822
Social Sciences — $118,454
Interdisciplinary Studies — $69,656
The 10 least valuable degrees in the U.S. based on the average return on investment:
Field of Study — Average ROI
Visual and Performing Arts — -$104,015
Theology — -$91,749
English Language — -$39,057
Communications Technologies — -$28,911
Family and Human Sciences — -$24,540
Education — -$20,075
Psychology — -$15,644
Liberal Arts and General Studies — -$13,337
Fitness, Parks and Recreation — -$1,078
History — $4,938
Click the link to Visual Capitalist to see more ROI data of various degrees in the U.S.:
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/which-college-degrees-have-the-greatest-return-on-investment/
Where does your degree or current field of study fall on the list? Will you make any changes based on this data? Do you think the rise of AI will greatly affect these rankings in the future?