Where to go to study: 15 specialties that will bring a stable high income and career growth

Getting a higher education is expensive. Students can get a lot from studying at the university, and hope that one of the cost compensation is a decent job with a good salary, reports Money Talks.

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The chosen specialty is largely related to the desire to get a well-paid job. Of course, everyone should choose the course of study that suits them, but it can be helpful to find out about the best majors for 2022. And by the best we mean specialties that lead to better salaries.

Here are the top 15 degrees that create a sustainable career. Calculations are based on average starting salary, average salary after five years in the field, demand for the specialty, projected job growth rates, and whether a bachelor's degree or postgraduate programs are needed.

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It is also important to know what is the unemployment rate in these areas and what is the average cost of studying at the university.

What the cost of studying?

The cost varies greatly from state to state and from private to public schools. The average tuition fee ranges from $10 to $000, not including room and board, which can cost up to $40.

Some degrees, such as engineering, cost more per credit hour. Business, education, and fine arts also cost the most, while math and sociology cost the least. According to a study by Education Next in 2022, "most social sciences and philosophies are relatively cheaper, while science, technology, and pre-professional programs like nursing are more expensive."

According to College Data, the average tuition and fees for the 2021-22 academic year were:

• $38 in private colleges;
• $10 at public colleges (state residents);
• $27 in public colleges (out-of-state residents).

They also report that room and board costs:

• $13 in private colleges;
• $11 at public colleges.

Nearly 84% of students receive some form of financial aid. Federal grants, averaging just over $5000, are received by 42% of college students. Federal loans, averaging $8, are received by 285% of college students. In 37, the average amount of student aid for undergraduate students was $2021. Graduate students received an average of $14 in financial aid.

For many degrees, you can take basic courses at a community college and transfer to another college or university in your field of study.

STEM versus the liberal arts

STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) are most often cited as good college degrees for higher paying career options than the humanities. Labor statistics consistently show steady or increasing projected job growth in STEM fields. While the visual and performing arts can feed the soul, STEM careers often have significantly higher starting salaries than those in the liberal arts.

What is the best bachelor's degree for you?

It is important that you study something interesting for yourself and in line with your natural abilities. Make sure you study something that suits who you are, instead of changing yourself for the sake of a major. You can choose a college major in your freshman year and then change it the following year. This is fine.

Good communication skills are important in any profession. Critical thinking works whether you're in project management or petroleum engineering. When choosing a major in college, pay attention to what keeps you in the subject and what repels you. These are important signals for success on your career path.

Be aware that when looking at the salaries listed for each major, there are large differences between states, regions, and urban and rural centers.

Also, for a useful comparison, average job growth in the United States is 8%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Employment Outlook Index. Here are some really valuable degrees - let's figure out what's best for you.

Engineering

There are many career paths in engineering. The beginning of these paths is very similar, but then you can choose. There are electrical engineering, industrial engineering, civil engineering, architectural engineering, marine engineering, nuclear engineering, petroleum engineering and chemical engineering.

Every type of engineering pays well, and while job growth isn't particularly high, unemployment is very low. Engineering is one of the safest degrees for the job market. College students have several career options in these majors.

Most engineering fields require at least a bachelor's degree to get started. For example, environmental engineers can get jobs with a bachelor's degree, but nuclear engineers usually need at least a master's or Ph.D. degree to get started. Here is the salary breakdown for various engineering positions at Michigan Institute of Technology.

Starting salary: $ 64 000.
Average salary: $ 86 000.
Growth rates 2020-2030: 9%.
Degree Required: no, but people with a master's degree earn almost 20% more than people with a bachelor's degree.

Информатика

For this degree, you study the design, development, theory and application of computer systems and software development. This may include careers such as computer systems analyst and information systems manager. It is one of the best college majors because it can be applied to almost any field. Software developers will always find work. Unemployment hovers around 2%.

Starting salary: $ 45 375.
Average salary: $ 97 430.
Growth rates 2020-2030: 13%.
Degree Required: about a third of people working in the field of computer technology have a degree.

Computer engineering

Computer engineers are also involved in development, design, and software, but focus more on computer architecture such as hardware design, artificial intelligence, and operating systems. Among the graduates of these colleges, the unemployment rate is low. Careers include Application Developers, IT Professionals and Firmware Engineers.

Starting salary: $ 64 274.
Average salary: $ 128 170.
Growth rates 2020-2030: 2%.
Degree Required: about 40% of people working in this field have advanced degrees.

Health informatics

This relatively new area has one of the highest job growth projections of any area at 32% (average 8%). This field combines knowledge in healthcare and computer systems to create digital systems for all areas of medicine.

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Health informatics specialists develop systems for data analysis and processing, as well as digital communication between medical institutions and data security. Health privacy laws are partly contributing to the rapid growth of this area.

Starting salary: $ 58 593.
Average salary: $ 101 340.
Growth rates 2020-2030: 32%.
Degree Required: 57% of workers in this field reported having a postgraduate degree.

Nursing

Nursing as a college major combines STEM majors with people skills, making it a popular course of study. Nursing professionals can branch out in several directions when they have a nursing degree. The highest paying nursing jobs are nurse anesthetist ($189), emergency room nurse ($000), and neonatal nurse ($116).

It has become more common for nurses to undertake further training to become nurse practitioners. Nurse practitioners take on responsibilities similar to physicians. Nurse practitioners return to school to earn a master's or doctorate degree and must pass a national board certified exam. This field is growing very quickly at 45% and the average salary is $123.

Starting salary: $ 65 775.
Average salary: $ 77 600.
Growth rates 2020-2030: 9%.
Degree Required: 28% of nurses have an advanced degree. You don't need a bachelor's degree to be a registered nurse.

Finance

Business and accounting professionals can find many opportunities. You can work in business administration, financial analysis and financial planning, or many other areas of business. Finance professionals also often work in the real estate industry, and we can all see that the housing market can be profitable. Business administration is one of the most popular majors in colleges. Unemployment in finance is less than 3%.

Starting salary: $ 57 250.
Average salary: $ 94 170.
Growth rates 2020-2030: 6%.
Degree Required: just under a third of people working in finance have a degree.

cyber security

Cybersecurity is one of the best college majors for the current job market and job growth. Not all colleges offer this degree, so you may be looking for information technology as a college major or the other computer majors mentioned earlier. A doctorate or master's degree really pays off in this field. A CIO can earn over $475 a year.

Starting salary: $ 72 606.
Average salary: $ 102 600.
Growth rates 2020-2030: 33% (the fastest growing on our list).
Degree Required: about 25% of cybersecurity jobs require a master's degree.

Public administration

College graduates pursuing a degree in political science or public administration can work for government, non-profit, and academic organizations. These may be city managers, directors of nonprofit organizations, human resources officers, or public health managers.

Degrees in public administration are good for people interested in going to law school. You can combine the desire to make the world a better place with a well-paid career. This profession has an extremely low unemployment rate.

Starting salary: $ 44 697.
Average salary: $ 122 510.
Growth rates 2020-2030: 9%.
Degree Required: Maybe. Almost half of these employees have higher education.

Economy

Economics is different from finance because it is one of the social sciences and not a business degree. College graduates with this degree can become an economist, financial analyst, management consultant, data scientist, and more. This is a high-paying field that pays best to people with advanced degrees.

Starting salary: $ 65 100.
Average salary: $ 105 630.
Growth rate 2020-2030: 13% (slightly above average).
Degree Required: almost half of the people working in this field have completed graduate studies.

Construction management

Construction management is an excellent degree for those who have an interest in buildings, have good communication skills and can understand both cost analysis and project materials science. This is one of the best career options for bachelor's degree holders who do not want to pursue a master's degree.

Starting salary: $ 53 300.
Average salary: $ 98 890.
Growth rates 2020-2030: 11%.
Degree Required: most jobs require a bachelor's degree, not a graduate degree.

Logistics

Logistics is a college major where job growth begins with an associate's degree, which has a vocational emphasis. The bachelor's degree emphasizes transportation management, systems engineering, accounting and statistics, and supply chain management with a human resources component.

Logistics is another fast growing area. The pandemic has brought logistics into the news, with shortages and other issues making headlines.

Starting salary: $ 42 000.
Average salary: $ 77 030.
Growth rates 2020-2030: 30%.
Degree Required: less than a quarter of employees in this field have graduate degrees.

Physics

A physics major gives college students plenty of job opportunities if they are ready to pursue graduate programs. Astronomy, meteorology, photonics (the science of using light, such as in barcodes and lasers), climatology, education, robotics, games, and so on.

Physics is the study of how everything functions, including space, time, and energy. As a field, it has tremendous flexibility, allowing you to work in academic, research, business, and scientific settings.

Starting salary: $ 57 637.
Average salary: $ 147 450.
Growth rates 2020-2030: 8%.
Degree Required: yes, at least 67% of people who study physics have a degree.

Marketing is

Careers in marketing, advertising, and public relations are non-STEM majors that provide good salaries, relatively low unemployment, and do not require advanced degrees. Marketing promotes and advertises products and services.

Individuals can start working in this field with a high school diploma, although a bachelor's degree is required to advance.

Starting salary: $ 44 294.
Average salary: $ 133 380.
Growth rates 2020-2030: 10%.
Degree Required: only 18% of workers in this area have it.

Game design

Game design is a relatively new college major and is not offered everywhere. Other college majors in game design are software development and graphic design. Game design can be used in various fields of activity.

For example, journalism and education are increasingly using the principles of game design in reporting and education.

The gaming market is growing steadily after the big jump associated with the pandemic. This is a strong international market with even faster job growth in the Middle East and Africa markets.

Starting salary: $ 53 568.
Average salary: $ 79 890.
Growth rates 2020-2030: 12%.
Degree Required: no.

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Bachelor's degrees in pharmaceutical sciences offer many jobs, although a degree is required to become a pharmacist. One of the most lucrative jobs for someone with this bachelor's degree is selling pharmaceuticals, averaging $70 a year.

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Working as a pharmacist requires a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, also called a "Pharm.D". Pharmacists work in hospitals, medical research, retail outlets, and academic institutions.

Starting salary: $ 98 000.
Average salary: $ 128 570.
Growth rates 2020-2030: 4% is not a growing area, but the BLS predicts 11 jobs will open annually through 300.
Degree Required: Yes.

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