Engineering, Finance and Computer Science amongst top highest paying college majors

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Monday, September 29, 2014
Highest paying college majors by cumulative lifetime earnings: 20. Mathematics and Statistics
19. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
18. Engineering Technologies
17. Production and Transportation Technologies
16. Biomedical and Environmental Engineering
15. Finance
14. Economics
13. Physics
12. Construction Services
11. Operations and Logistics
10. Computer Science
9. General Engineering
8. Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
7. Civil Engineering
6. Mechanical Engineering
5. Electrical Engineering
4. Computer Engineering
3. Energy and Extraction Engineering
2. Aerospace Engineering
1. Chemical Engineering
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Engineering, Finance and Computer Science amongst top highest paying college majorsHighest paying college majors by cumulative lifetime earnings: 20. Mathematics and Statistics
Peter Robsjerg / Flickr

Piece of advice: if you want to make a lot of money after college, become an engineer.

Recent research published by The Hamilton Project, a Washington D.C. based organization focused on economic policy, showed that the top nine highest paying college majors were all in the fields of engineering, with chemical engineering grabbing the top spot at slightly over $2 million lifetime earnings. The research incorporated census data to determine the highest paying college majors both annually and cumulative lifetime earnings.

The Hamilton Project

Image Credit: The Hamilton Project

Asides from engineering, fields like finance, computer science and construction services cracked the top 20 highest paying majors. The lowest paying major was found to be early childhood education, with workers in that field earning around $550,000 cumulatively throughout their lives.

The research noted that a college degree is important for advancing earning potential. The Hamilton Project also includes an interactive feature where you can compare different college majors and their earning potential.

Take a look through the gallery above to see the highest paying college majors in the nation.