Class of 2017’s top-paid Master’s degree major: Computer and Information Sciences

The Computer and Information Sciences majors were among the Class of 2017’s top-paid college graduates at the advanced degree levels according to results of a new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) released on September 13.  NACE’s Summer 2018 Salary Survey found that, at the master’s degree level, computer and information science majors earned an average starting salary of $93,415, which exceeded the salaries of engineering ($84,052) and mathematics and statistics ($79,985) majors. (See Figure 1.)

Engineering technologies majors ($78,235) and students with degrees in health professions ($74,384) were also among the top earners among Class of 2017 master’s graduates.

Meanwhile, at the doctoral level, although Class of 2017 computer and information sciences graduates earned an average starting salary of $112,772, business, management, and marketing majors surpassed them by earning starting salaries that averaged $138,468. (See Figure 2.)

Other top-paid majors among Class of 2017 doctoral graduates were engineering ($95,048), public administration and social service ($86,891), and social sciences ($84,889).

The Summer 2018 Salary Survey report provides actual starting salaries (not projections) for the college Class of 2017 and serves as the final salary report for the Class of 2017. Data were gathered from Class of 2017 graduates through December 31, 2017 and reported to NACE through May 25, 2018.

The salary data were reported to NACE through its national Class of 2017 First-Destination Survey by approximately 366 colleges and universities nationwide and represent data for slightly more than 695,000 graduates at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree levels. The analysis provided here focuses on the data provided for more than 81,800 bachelor’s degree graduates.

An executive summary of the Summer 2018 Salary Survey report is available at www.naceweb.org/research/reports/. A report on the Class of 2017 First-Destination Survey will be available in the fall.

(Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers)

~ Posted by: Richard Webster, Ace News Today   /   Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter