Why not pick the major that leads to the highest salary after graduation and over time? Because not everyone wants to a petroleum engineer or an actuary. Aptitude and passion both count when it comes time to choose a major. For that reason, PayScale’s College Salary Report also lists the majors that provide the highest meaning for their graduates.
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As you can see, it’s not all about trading money for love. While some of the majors on this list lead to jobs that offer non-monetary rewards at the expense of compensation, others — like nursing — provide a nice mix of both. (Note that some majors were tied for the same place.)
High Meaning: 93 percent
Typical Job Title and Median Pay: Pastor, $44,727
2. Nursing
High Meaning: 83 percent
Typical Job Title and Median Pay: Registered Nurse, $55,745
2. Clinical Laboratory Science
High Meaning: 83 percent
Typical Job Title and Median Pay: Medical Technologist, $51,094
High Meaning: 80 percent
Typical Job Title and Median Pay: Preschool Teacher, $27,497
High Meaning: 78 percent
Typical Job Title and Median Pay: Athletic Trainer, $38,809
High Meaning: 78 percent
Typical Job Title and Median Pay: Child Care Center Director, $37,281
High Meaning: 78 percent
Typical Job Title and Median Pay: N/A (not enough responses for bachelor’s only to list)
High Meaning: 78 percent
Typical Job Title and Median Pay: Medical Technologist, $51,094
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