For many an undergraduate, the end goal of a college education is getting a good paying job that may or may not be rewarding in other ways as well. However, some undergraduate degrees will translate to higher salaries, better benefits, and better overall quality than other degrees. Selecting a route to take with your education can have important ramifications for the whole of your life, so it can help to know a few of the options the most often lead to decent jobs. Here is a list of five undergraduate degrees that frequently prove to be pretty great choices:
Nursing
Graduates of nursing programs are among the most frequently hired students who have recently completed their degrees. According to recent reports, there is a critical shortage of nurses, and those with a nursing degree will often have their choice of jobs. Nurses also get paid well, and usually have excellent benefits as well.
Pharmacy
An undergraduate degree in pharmacy could net you a nice salary right after graduation. In fact, new graduates can expect to earn anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000 in salary and bonuses as a new hire in the pharmacy business. In addition to a great salary, pharmacists often can experience great job security, and have a selection of posts to choose from as those with the degree are in high demand.
Engineering
For some time, people who have earned an engineering degree have been able to get great jobs directly following, or even before graduation. There are many types of engineering concentrations such as petroleum engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, and aerospace engineering. The number of jobs in this field is growing at a respectable rate, and a mechanical engineer’s median pay, for example, is $78,160 per year. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.)
Education
Although teachers do not command as high a salary as some others, graduates with an education degree can expect to find a good and secure job after graduation in most circumstances. Not only can teachers obtain jobs at brick and mortar schools, but there is a high demand for online teachers to teach at charter schools, as well. While teachers may not earn a lot right away, they do get summers off and they also frequently are able to receive tuition assistance packages for furthering their education, and increasing their take home pay.
Information Technology
An IT degree can lead to extremely lucrative jobs after graduation. In fact, people with information technology jobs often are earning six figure salaries only a few years following their college graduation. This field can be quite stressful and demanding at times, but employees are usually very well compensated with a nice salary and benefit package. In some cases, people with IT degrees may even be able to work out of a home office and have a good deal of autonomy in their work.
These are just a few of the areas of study that can lead to higher quality jobs after completing a four-year degree. Before selecting any major, consult those who work in the field, school counselors, and others who can give you a first hand understanding of what you should expect.