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Full dataset is here: https://www.scribd.com/document/388081338/BANKRATE-Most-Valuable-College-Majors-Ranked https://www.scribd.com/document/388081338/BANKRATE-

by rm999 8y ago

Full dataset is here: https://www.scribd.com/document/388081338/BANKRATE-Most-Valuable-College-Majors-Ranked https://www.scribd.com/document/388081338/BANKRATE-Most-Valu... For those of you who are wondering, Computer Engineering is 14th, "Mathematics and Computer Science" is 23rd and Computer Science is 30th. If I had to guess, CS has a wider income distribution than many of the higher ranking degrees, which are dominated by engineering degrees (many of which have lower unemployment rates too). The non-STEM degrees that beat out CS (assuming we don't count social sciences) are Finance, Public Policy, Economics, and Agricultural Economics. Cool dataset!

madeuptempacct 8y ago
I can't imagine finding a decent job in Finance without connections, I say this as a CFA.
- ThrustVectoring 8y ago
  People overestimate how useful the degree is in general. Like, a lot of it is likely folks with connections choosing to get a Finance degree to leverage them. Or for the CS degree, some of the increased income is explained by average IQ (rather than the choice to get into computer programming vs other activities)
vostok 8y ago
I'm very surprised that economics and finance are higher than computer science. I would have expected that corporate finance jobs would have brought the average below that of CS.
- analog31 8y ago
  It's possible that the ability to get a programming job without a CS degree depresses the earning power of that degree simply by increasing the size of the applicant pool. Also, someone who can short circuit the higher education route by getting a job without a degree might be willing to work for a lower starting salary, and still come out ahead.
- intended 8y ago
  Finance people in IB/PE would be pulling it up. It’s impressive that programming is that high.
  - vostok 8y ago
    Having worked in trading (not IB, but the recruiting process is similar) - it's useful to know that relatively few people get into IB and fewer stay in IB or go on to MF PE. Corporate jobs pay significantly less and make up a much greater portion of the jobs. IB is a low headcount industry.
    - intended 8y ago
      Having seen that industry as well, the numbers there are very high, and can skew true ever loving crap out of any average.
- TangoTrotFox 8y ago
  The value of any degree is always going to be measured against supply and demand. There has been a huge push to get more people into computer science, thus increasing the supply beyond the rate of demand. Declining wages would be the logical conclusion (and motivation) for this.
  - vostok 8y ago
    Do you have a source saying that they're declining?
    - TangoTrotFox 8y ago
      My comment was referencing the fact that computer science is ranked 30th by their metric of 'value', which does indeed seem to be much lower than one would have expected not that long ago. In terms of specific numbers, I'm also very curious but it's surprisingly difficult to find precise numbers. So what I did was grabbed an archive of the Burea of Labor services page on software developers. Here it is: https://web.archive.org/web/20130305174000/https://www.bls.gov/ooh/Computer-and-Information-Technology/Software-developers.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20130305174000/https://www.bls.g... Unfortunately that only provides 3 data points. The first number is the nominal value, the second is the inflation adjusted to 2016. 2010 = $90,530 = $99,643 2012 = $93,350 = $97,584 2016 = $102,280 = $102,280 Not sure what can be taken away from the numbers as there's only 3 points and with mixed directionality. But probably better than nothing. Do let me know if you find more indicative figures.
- mywittyname 8y ago
  They are using "weighted" salary data without specifying how the data is weighted. I suspect this is what is skewing the data. Like, do most zoologists really make >$110k/yr? I'm guessing Bankrate is taking people graduate degrees and applying salary information to bachelors degrees. The zoologist with high salaries probably have Ph.Ds in veterinary sciences. Same with Health&Medical Prep; the high salary is likely the result of most people pursuing an MD.
rayalez 8y ago
Most of them seem to make sense, but why is Zoology #2?

by rm999 8y ago

madeuptempacct 8y ago

I can't imagine finding a decent job in Finance without connections, I say this as a CFA.

ThrustVectoring 8y ago
People overestimate how useful the degree is in general. Like, a lot of it is likely folks with connections choosing to get a Finance degree to leverage them. Or for the CS degree, some of the increased income is explained by average IQ (rather than the choice to get into computer programming vs other activities)

vostok 8y ago

I'm very surprised that economics and finance are higher than computer science. I would have expected that corporate finance jobs would have brought the average below that of CS.

analog31 8y ago
It's possible that the ability to get a programming job without a CS degree depresses the earning power of that degree simply by increasing the size of the applicant pool. Also, someone who can short circuit the higher education route by getting a job without a degree might be willing to work for a lower starting salary, and still come out ahead.
intended 8y ago
Finance people in IB/PE would be pulling it up. It’s impressive that programming is that high.
- vostok 8y ago
  Having worked in trading (not IB, but the recruiting process is similar) - it's useful to know that relatively few people get into IB and fewer stay in IB or go on to MF PE. Corporate jobs pay significantly less and make up a much greater portion of the jobs. IB is a low headcount industry.
  - intended 8y ago
    Having seen that industry as well, the numbers there are very high, and can skew true ever loving crap out of any average.
TangoTrotFox 8y ago
The value of any degree is always going to be measured against supply and demand. There has been a huge push to get more people into computer science, thus increasing the supply beyond the rate of demand. Declining wages would be the logical conclusion (and motivation) for this.
- vostok 8y ago
  Do you have a source saying that they're declining?
  - TangoTrotFox 8y ago
    My comment was referencing the fact that computer science is ranked 30th by their metric of 'value', which does indeed seem to be much lower than one would have expected not that long ago. In terms of specific numbers, I'm also very curious but it's surprisingly difficult to find precise numbers. So what I did was grabbed an archive of the Burea of Labor services page on software developers. Here it is: https://web.archive.org/web/20130305174000/https://www.bls.gov/ooh/Computer-and-Information-Technology/Software-developers.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20130305174000/https://www.bls.g... Unfortunately that only provides 3 data points. The first number is the nominal value, the second is the inflation adjusted to 2016. 2010 = $90,530 = $99,643 2012 = $93,350 = $97,584 2016 = $102,280 = $102,280 Not sure what can be taken away from the numbers as there's only 3 points and with mixed directionality. But probably better than nothing. Do let me know if you find more indicative figures.
mywittyname 8y ago
They are using "weighted" salary data without specifying how the data is weighted. I suspect this is what is skewing the data. Like, do most zoologists really make >$110k/yr? I'm guessing Bankrate is taking people graduate degrees and applying salary information to bachelors degrees. The zoologist with high salaries probably have Ph.Ds in veterinary sciences. Same with Health&Medical Prep; the high salary is likely the result of most people pursuing an MD.

rayalez 8y ago

Most of them seem to make sense, but why is Zoology #2?