SlideShare una empresa de Scribd logo
1 de 16
Descargar para leer sin conexión
SELECT
FINDINGS
FROM
WHAT’SIT
WORTH?
VALUE
THE ECONOMIC

               Anthony P. Carnevale
                          Jeff Strohl
                   Michelle Melton

     OF

COLLEGE
MAJORS
These Selected Findings are part of a larger report:

         What’s It Worth?: The Economic Value of College Majors.

  In the full report, readers can find detailed information about earnings,

   broken down by 171 different undergraduate majors and a variety of

demographic factors. The study also analyzes the likelihood that students

in specific majors going on to graduate school, and which occupations and

  industries they can expect to work in. The report covers everyone with

    Bachelor’s degrees in the U.S. economy, not just recent graduates.

            [For the full report, please go to cew.georgetown.edu/whatsitworth]



                   The views expressed in this publication

                      are those of the authors and do not

                       necessarily represent those of the

                   Lumina Foundation for Education or the

                      Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,

                           their officers, or employees.
Selected Findings from What’s It Worth:
The Economic Value of College Majors

In the United States today, there is no more       What’s It Worth also details the relationship
certain investment than a college educa-           between undergraduate majors and gradu-
tion. On average, college graduates make 84        ate degree attainment — and analyzes the
percent more over a lifetime than their high       commensurate boost in earnings an advanced
school-educated counterparts. Until now,           degree can provide. The report shows, for
though, that overall number has been virtu-        instance, that 25 percent of Liberal Arts majors
ally the only information available on the         obtain graduate degrees, compared with 47
economic benefits of a college education. If       percent of Mathematics majors. However,
you wanted to know specifics about what, say,      Mathematics majors reap a 33 percent earn-
an English degree might mean in the labor          ings boost from a graduate degree, while
market, you were largely out of luck. But not      Liberal Arts majors gain 42 percent.
anymore. For the first time, the Georgetown
University Center on Education and the Work-       The full report also provides in-depth informa-
force has tackled that issue head on, with a       tion about where Bachelor’s degree holders                                        3
detailed analysis of earnings and employment       work by occupation and industry, telling read-
outcomes for different undergraduate majors.       ers whether people who have an Engineering
                                                   major actually work in Engineering — and
What’s It Worth demonstrates just how critical     what happens to Liberal Arts degree holders
                                                                                                      1
                                                                                                          All data is the authors’
                                                                                                          analysis of the 2009
the choice of undergraduate major is to a stu-     when they are in the labor market.
                                                                                                          American Community
dent’s potential earnings. While everyone who
                                                                                                          Survey.
attends college can expect a significant return    In the Selected Findings, we have aggregated
on their investment, different undergraduate       the 171 majors into 15 large groups and provided
majors lead to markedly different careers—         relevant data on earnings, graduate degree
and significantly different wages. In one of       attainment, and demographic characteristics.
the most extreme examples, for instance,           This data covers not just recent graduates, but
the report finds that Counseling Psychology        all workers with Bachelor’s degrees in the U.S.
majors make median earnings of $29,000 per         economy.1 Our findings make it clear that while
year, compared to $120,000 for Petroleum           getting a degree matters, there is significant
Engineering majors.                                variation depending on which major you pick.

The full report also looks at a host of other      We have categorized 171 undergraduate majors
factors, broken down by specific majors, that      into the following aggregate groups:
can affect potential earnings, including gender,
race and ethnicity. In some cases, the findings    l   Agriculture and Natural Resources
are stark. Gender inequality, as expressed in      l   Arts
pay differences, is rampant across virtually       l   Biology and Life Science
every major. For example, even in one of the
                                                   l   Business
highest-earning majors for women (Chemical
                                                   l   Communications and Journalism
                                                   l   Computers and Mathematics
Engineering), women still make $20,000 less        l   Education
per year than men. The report also highlights      l   Engineering
some glaring racial and ethnic earnings gaps.      l   Health
For instance, African-Americans who gradu-         l   Humanities and Liberal Arts
ate with a Finance major earn an average of        l   Industrial Arts and Consumer Services
$47,000 per year, which is less than Hispanics     l   Law and Public Policy
($56,000) and Asians ($56,000) — and much          l   Physical Sciences
less than Whites($70,000).                         l   Psychology and Social Work
                                                   l   Social Science
The most popular major group is Business,          The likelihood of obtaining a graduate degree
    with 25 percent of all students; the least popu-   varies significantly by major group. Students
    lar are Industrial Arts and Consumer Services      in the Biology and Life Science group are the
    and Agriculture and Natural Resources, with        most likely to obtain an advanced graduate
    1.6 percent each.                                  degree (54 percent do so), while those in the
                                                       Communications and Journalism and Indus-
    The highest median earnings are found in the       trial Arts and Consumer Services major groups
    Engineering major group ($75,000), while the       are the least likely (only 20 percent do so),
    lowest are the Education and Psychology and        followed closely by Business (21 percent).
    Social Work groups ($42,000). Women with
    an undergraduate major in the Social Science       However, returns to these graduate degrees
    group have the largest earnings differentials,     vary. Although we do not know which gradu-
    making $18,000 less than men with these            ate degree someone with a particular major
    majors (followed closely by Engineering and        earned, we do know how much more they
    Physical Sciences, where women earn $17,000        make with one. Biology and Life Science
    less than their male counterparts). There are      majors, for instance, make $35,000 more at
    racial/ethnic differences, too. For example, the   the median with a graduate degree, while the
    median earnings for Whites with an undergrad-      difference in median earnings for terminal
    uate major in Engineering ($80,000) are higher     Bachelor’s degree holders and graduate degree
    than those for Asians ($72,000), African-Amer-     holders with an undergraduate major in Arts is
    icans ($60,000), Other Races ($57,000), and        only $11,000.
4
    Hispanics ($56,000). However, in Health, Law
    and Public Policy, Psychology and Social Work,     In addition, different majors lead to different
    and Biology and Life Science, Asians make          industries. For example, while 43 percent of
    more than Whites.                                  Law and Public Policy majors end up in Public
                                                       Administration, only 13 percent of Social
    The major groups that have the greatest con-       Science majors do so—and a higher portion
    centrations of women are Health (85 percent),      of Social Science majors actually end up in
    Education (77 percent), and Psychology and         Finance (16 percent).
    Social work (74 percent), while the major
    groups with the highest concentrations of men      The tables and figures that follow provide
    are Engineering (84 percent) and Agriculture       detailed information on the popularity of each
    and Natural Resources (70 percent). The            major, the median earnings for those with a
    major group with the highest concentrations        terminal Bachelor’s degree, median earnings
    of Whites is Agriculture and Natural Resources     for those with a graduate degree, the percent
    (90 percent). The highest concentration of         of a particular major obtaining a graduate
    Asians can be found in Computers and               degree, median earnings by race/ethnicity and
    Mathematics (16 percent), while the highest        gender, the racial/ethnic and gender composi-
    concentration of African-Americans is in Law       tion of majors, and where majors end up
    and Public Policy (14 percent). Law and Public     by industry.
    Policy also has the highest concentration of
    Hispanics (10 percent).
MEDIAN EARNINGS BY MAJOR GROUP*

                                                                                                       75,000
                                                                                                                                        99,000
   Engineering

                                                                                                  70,000
                                                                                                                         89,000
   Computers and Mathematics

                                                                                   60,000
                                                                                                            80,000
   Business

                                                                                   60,000
                                                                                                            80,000
   Health

                                                                                  59,000
                                                                                                                          90,000
   Physical Sciences

                                                                           55,000
                                                                                                                   85,000
   Social Science

                                                                       50,000
                                                                                                                                                                          5
                                                                                                  70,000
   Agriculture and Natural Resources

                                                                       50,000
                                                                                         62,000
   Communications and Journalism

                                                                       50,000
                                                                                            65,000
   Industrial Arts and Consumer Services

                                                                       50,000
                                                                                                  70,000
   Law and Public Policy

                                                                       50,000
                                                                                                                   85,000
   Biology and Life Science

                                                                47,000
                                                                                            65,000
   Humanities and Liberal Arts

                                                              44,000
                                                                            55,000
   Arts

                                                             42,000
                                                                                57,000
   Education

                                                             42,000
                                                                                   60,000
   Psychology and Social Work


                                                                                                                Median Earnings for those with only a Bachelor’s Degree
* Full-time, full-year workers with a terminal Bachelor’s.
                                                                                                           II




                                                                                                                Median Earnings with Graduate Degree
nali ns
                                                                  rces
                                                               sou d




                                                                                                                                              atic d
                                                                                                                         Jour atio
                                                        ura e an




                                                                                                                                 sm


                                                                                                                                          them s an
                                                                                          Scie d




                                                                                                                                                  s
                                                                                                                      and munic
                                                                                     Life ogy an
                                                                                              nce
                                                    Nat icultur




                                                                                                                                        Ma puter
                                                           l Re




                                                                                                                                                               on
                                                                                                             s




                                                                                                                                                            cati
                                                                                                            ines



                                                                                                                       Com




                                                                                                                                         Com
                                                     A gr




                                                                                           l
                                                                                      B io
                                                                           Arts




                                                                                                                                                         Edu
    ALL




                                                                                                        Bus
        POPULARITY OF MAJORS†

        Total Bachelor’s                        530,888            1,539,384      1,197,003         8,446,263      1,986,030       1,728,959       3,568,392

        % of All Majors                             1.6                   4.6        3.5              25.0           5.9                 5.1            10.6

        PERCENT OBTAINING A GRADUATE DEGREE

        Obtain graduate degree (%)                  27                    23         54                21             20                 32             44

        MEDIAN EARNINGS WITH AND WITHOUT A GRADUATE DEGREEu

        Median earnings,
        Terminal Bachelor’s degree               50,000              44,000       50,000             60,000        50,000              70,000          42,000
6
        Median earnings,
        Graduate degree holder                   70,000              55,000       85,000             80,000        62,000              89,000          57,000

        Difference                               20,000              11,000       35,000             20,000         12,000             19,000          15,000


    †
      The ACS data are best used to discuss distributional characteristics of the underlying population. However, we also include the number of degree holders
      to provide the reader with an ‘order of magnitude’ sense of the number of people with this major.
    u
      We do not know what graduate degree people obtained.
                                                                                                                             nali ns
                                                                   rces
                                                                sou d




                                                                                                                                              atic d
                                                                                                                         Jour atio
                                                        ura e an




                                                                                                                                 sm


                                                                                                                                          them s an
                                                                                         Scie d




                                                                                                                                                  s
                                                                                                                      and munic
                                                                                     Life ogy an
                                                                                             nce
                                                     Nat icultur




                                                                                                                                        Ma puter
                                                           l Re




                                                                                                                                                               no
                                                                                                             s




                                                                                                                                                           cati
                                                                                                           ines



                                                                                                                       Com




                                                                                                                                         Com
                                                      Agr




                                                                                          l
                                                                                      Bio
                                                                           Arts




                                                                                                                                                         Edu
    GENDER
                                                                                                        Bus




        GENDER COMPOSITION OF MAJORS

        Percent Female                              30                    61         55                45             64                 31              77

        Percent Male                                70                    39         45                55             36                 69              23

        EARNINGS BY GENDER*

        Female Median Earnings                   40,000              40,000       45,000             50,000        44,000              60,000          40,000

        Male Median Earnings                     55,000              48,000        57,000            66,000         55,000             73,000          48,000

        Difference                               15,000               8,000        12,000            16,000         11,000             13,000          8,000

    * Full-time, full-year workers with a terminal Bachelor’s.
er S and
                                                                                         ces




                                                                                                                                 es
                                                               rts d




                                                                                                                                                  ork d
                                                          ral A s an




                                                                                                                             ienc
                                                                                    ervi
                                                                             sum Arts




                                                                                                                                             ial W y an




                                                                                                                                                                       e
                                                                                                                                                                    ienc
                                                                                                             y
                     ring




                                                                                                        olic
                                                      Libe anitie




                                                                                                                               c



                                                                                                                                          Soc cholog
                                                                         Con strial




                                                                                                                           al S
                                                                                                Pub and




                                                                                                                                                                        c
                                                                                                   lic P
                 inee




                                                                                                                                                                   ial S
                                       l th




                                                                                                                          s ic
                                                       Hum




                                                                                                 Law
                                                                          Indu




                                                                                                                                           Psy
                                    Hea




                                                                                                                      Phy
             Eng




                                                                                                                                                               Soc
    POPULARITY OF MAJORS†

        2,786,488             2,320,732           3,287,782            554,707             768,978                936,633              1,808,669          2,341,689

             8.2                   6.9                9.7                1.6                    2.3                 2.8                   5.4               6.9

    PERCENT OBTAINING A GRADUATE DEGREE

             37                    31                 41                 20                      24                 48                    45                 40

    MEDIAN EARNINGS WITH AND WITHOUT A GRADUATE DEGREEu


          75,000                60,000             47,000              50,000                  50,000             59,000                42,000             55,000
                                                                                                                                                                            7

          99,000                80,000             65,000              65,000                  70,000             90,000                60,000             85,000

          24,000                20,000             18,000              15,000                  20,000             31,000                18,000            30,000


†
  The ACS data are best used to discuss distributional characteristics of the underlying population. However, we also include the number of degree holders
  to provide the reader with an ‘order of magnitude’ sense of the number of people with this major.
u
  We do not know what graduate degree people obtained.
                                                                                er S and
                                                                                         ces




                                                                                                                                  s
                                                               rts d




                                                                                                                                 nce




                                                                                                                                                  ork d
                                                          ral A s an




                                                                                    ervi
                                                                             sum Arts




                                                                                                                                             ial W y an




                                                                                                                                                                      ce
                                                                                                                            Scie
                                                                                                              y
                   ring




                                                                                                                                                                    cien
                                                                                                         olic
                                                      Libe anitie




                                                                                                                                          Soc cholog
                                                                         Con strial




                                                                                                Pub and




                                                                                                                          ical
                                                                                                   lic P
                 inee




                                                                                                                                                                  ial S
                                        lth




                                                       Hum




                                                                                                 Law
                                                                          Indu




                                                                                                                          s



                                                                                                                                           Psy
                                    Hea




                                                                                                                      Phy
             Eng




                                                                                                                                                               Soc


    GENDER COMPOSITION OF MAJORS

            16                     85                 58                 35                      41                 42                    74                 47

            84                     15                 42                 65                      59                 58                    26                 53

    EARNINGS BY GENDER*

         62,000                 60,000             43,000              40,000                  42,000             48,000                40,000             46,000

         79,000                 70,000             50,000              55,000                  58,000             65,000                52,000             64,000

         17,000                 10,000              7,000              15,000                  16,000             17,000                12,000             18,000

* Full-time, full-year workers with a terminal Bachelor’s.
nali ns
                                                                   rces
                                                                sou d




                                                                                                                                        atic d
                                                                                                                  Jour atio
                                                        ura e an




                                                                                                                          sm


                                                                                                                                    them s an
                                                                                      Scie d




                                                                                                                                            s
                                                                                                               and munic
                                                                                  Life ogy an
                                                                                          nce
                                                     Nat icultur




                                                                                                                                  Ma puter
                                                           l Re




                                                                                                                                                        on
                                                                                                       s




                                                                                                                                                      cati
                                                                                                      ines
    RACE AND




                                                                                                                Com




                                                                                                                                   Com
                                                      Agr




                                                                                       l
                                                                                   Bio
                                                                          Arts




                                                                                                                                                   Edu
                                                                                                  Bus
    ETHNICITY
     RACIAL AND ETHNIC COMPOSITION OF MAJORS∆

     % White                                        90                    81       76             76           81                 67               82

     % African-American                               2                   5        7              8            8                  9                7

     % Hispanic                                      4                    7        6              7            6                  7                7

8    % Asian                                          3                   7        11             8            4                  16               3

     % Other Races and
     Ethnicities                                    <0.5                  1        1              1             1                  1               1

     MEDIAN EARNINGS BY RACE*

     White Median Earnings                        50,000             45,000      51,000         63,000       50,000             73,000           42,000

     African-American Median Earnings             36,000             38,000      45,000         47,000       41,000             59,000           42,000

     Hispanic Median Earnings                     40,000             40,000      40,000         48,000       43,000             55,000           40,000

     Asian Median Earnings                        43,000             44,000      53,000         51,000       45,000             71,000           37,000

     Other Races and
     Ethnicities Median Earnings                      l                   l        l            48,000         l                50,000           36,000

    * Full-time, full-year workers with a terminal Bachelor’s.
    l Sample size was too small to be statistically valid.

    ∆ Due to rounding, these may not add to 100 percent.
er S and
                                                                                         ces




                                                                                                                             es
                                                               rts d




                                                                                                                                           ork d
                                                          ral A s an




                                                                                                                         ienc
                                                                                    ervi
                                                                             sum Arts




                                                                                                                                      ial W y an




                                                                                                                                                              e
                                                                                                                                                            ienc
                                                                                                            y
                   ring




                                                                                                       olic
                                                      Libe anitie




                                                                                                                           c



                                                                                                                                   Soc cholog
                                                                         Con strial




                                                                                                                       al S
                                                                                               Pub and




                                                                                                                                                               c
                                                                                                  lic P
                  inee




                                                                                                                                                          ial S
                                       l th




                                                                                                                       sic
                                                       Hum




                                                                                                Law
                                                                          Indu




                                                                                                                                    Psy
                                    Hea




                                                                                                                   Phy
             Eng




                                                                                                                                                      Soc
 RACIAL AND ETHNIC COMPOSITION OF MAJORS∆

             71                    73                80                 83                     72                 74                76               75

             5                      9                 6                  7                     14                 8                 11               9

             9                      5                 6                  6                     10                 6                 8                7

             14                    13                 7                  3                     3                  11                5                8             9



             1                      1                  1                 1                     1                  1                 1                1

 MEDIAN EARNINGS BY RACE*

         80,000                 60,000            48,000               50,000              52,000               60,000            44,000           60,000

         60,000                 55,000            44,000               40,000             42,000                47,000            40,000           44,000

         56,000                 52,000             42,000              42,000             50,000                44,000            40,000           48,000

         72,000                 70,000            44,000               45,000              55,000               52,000            48,000           50,000


         57,000                60,000              42,000                l                     l                  l               42,000           45,000

* Full-time, full-year workers with a terminal Bachelor’s.
l Sample size was too small to be statistically valid.

∆ Due to rounding, these may not add to 100 percent.
10




                                     27
                                                                                 Agr                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Agr




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   75,000
                                                                                Nat iculture                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Nat iculture
                                                                                   ural      a                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ural     a
                                                                                        Res nd                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Res nd




                                     23
                                                                                           ourc                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ourc
                                                                                                es                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    es




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          65,000
                                                                                Arts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  A rt s




                                     54
                                                                                 Biol                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Biol




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  75,000




                                                                                                                                                                                                               35,000 30,000 35,000
                                                                                Life ogy and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Life ogy and
                                                                                     Scie                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Scie
                                                                                          nce                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  nce




                                     21
                                                                                Bus




                                                                                                                                                                                                                          40,000
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       90,000
                                                                                    ines                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Bus
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          ines
                                                                                         s                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    s




                                     20
                                                                                 Com                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Com


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   75,000




                                                                                                                                                                                                                  34,000
                                                                                and munic                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             and munic
                                                                                     Jour ation                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Jour ation




                                                                                                                                             * Full-time, full-year workers with a terminal Bachelor’s.
                                                                                          nali                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 nali
                                                                                               sm s                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 sm s




                                     32
                                                                                 Com                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Com




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      48,000
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            100,000


                                                                                Mat puters                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Mat puters
                                                                                    hem and




                                          PERCENT OBTAINING A GRADUATE DEGREE
                                                                                          atic                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             hem and
                                                                                               s                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               atic
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   s




                                     44
                                                                                                                                                                                                                32,000
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 55,000
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          EARNINGS AT THE 25TH AND 75TH PERCENTILE*




                                                                                Edu                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Ed u
                                                                                    cati                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  cati
                                                                                         on                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   on




                                     37
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        53,000
                                                                                Eng                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Eng
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                102,000




                                                                                      inee                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               inee
                                                                                            ring                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             ring




                                     31
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  45,000
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        80,000




                                                                                Hea                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Hea
                                                                                      lth                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 lth




                                     41
                                                                                 Hum                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Hum
                                                                                Libe anitie                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Libe anitie
                                                                                    ral A s and                                   II                                                                                                                                                                                                                      ral A s and
                                                                                           rts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   rt s




                                     20
                                                                                 Indu                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Indu
                                                                                                                                                                                                                32,000 33,000




                                                                                Con strial A                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Con   stria
                                                                                    sum          r                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        sum l Arts a
                                                                                          er S ts and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           er S




                                     24
                                                                                                          Degree Holders



                                                                                               ervi                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ervi nd
                                                                                 Law                ces                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                La w               ces
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            70,000 75,000 74,000




                                                                                Pub and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Pub and
                                                                                    lic P                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 lic P
                                                                                          olic                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  olic
                                                                                               y                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      y




                                     48
                                                                                Phy
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   87,000




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Phy
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        36,000 38,000




                                                                                                          Earnings at the 75th Percentile
                                                                                                          Earnings at the 25th Percentile




                                                                                    sica                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  sica
                                                                                         l Sci                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 l Sci
                                                                                               ence                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ence
                                                                                                     s                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     s




                                     45
                                                                                  Psyc                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Psyc
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     62,000




                                                                                                                                                                                                               30,000




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             holo
                                                                                                          Median Earnings for All Terminal Bachelor’s




                                                                                Soc hology                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Soc




Obtain graduate degree (%)
                                                                                    ial W an                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ial W gy an
                                                                                           ork d                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ork d




                                     40




Did not obtain graduate degree (%)
                                                                                Soc
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   87,000




                                                                                                                                                                                                                             38,000




                                                                                    ial S                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Soc
                                                                                            cien                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ial S
                                                                                                ce                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                cien
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ce
Agr                                                                                                                                                                                         Agr
                                                                                                                                                             Nat iculture                                                                                                                                                                                Nat iculture
                                                                                                                                                                ural      a                                                                                                                                                                                  ural     a
                                                                                                                                                                     Res nd                                                                                                                                                                                       Res nd
                                                                                                                                                                        ourc                                                                                                                                                                                         ourc
                                                                                                                                                                             es                                                                                                                                                                                          es




                                                                                       36,000 38,000
                                                                                                                                                             Arts                                                                                                                                                                                        A rt s

                                                                                                                                                              Biol                                                                                                                                                                                        Biol




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     50,000 45,000 51,000
                                                                                                                                                             Life ogy and                                                                                                                                                                                Life ogy and
                                                                                                                                                                  Scie                                                                                                                                                                                        Scie
                                                                                                                                                                       nce                                                                                                                                                                                        nce




                                                                                                 45,000 47,000
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              63,000
                                                                                                                                                             Bus                                                                                                                                                                                         Bus
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                WHITE MEDIAN EARNINGS*
                                                                                                                                                                 ines                                                                                                                                                                                        ines
                                                                                                                                                                      s                                                                                                                                                                                          s
                                                                                                                                                              Com                                                                                                                                                                                         Com




                                                                                         41,000
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           50,000
                                                                                                                                                             and munic                                                                                                                                                                                   and munic
                                                                                                                                                                  Jour ation                                                                                                                                                                                  Jour ation
                                                                                                                                                                       nali                                                                                                                                                                                       nali




                         * Full-time, full-year workers with a terminal Bachelor’s.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                * Full-time, full-year workers with a terminal Bachelor’s.
                                                                                                                                                                            sm s                                                                                                                                                                                       sm s
                                                                                                                                                              Com                                                                                                                                                                                         Com




                                                                                                           59,000
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   73,000




                                                                                                                         AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEDIAN EARNINGS*
                                                                                                                                                             Mat puters                                                                                                                                                                                  Mat puters
                                                                                                                                                                 hem and                                                                                                                                                                                      hem and
                                                                                                                                                                       atic                                                                                                                                                                                       atic
                                                                                                                                                                            s                                                                                                     42,000                                                                              s




                                                                                           42,000
                                                                                                                                                             Edu                                                                                                                                                                                         Ed u
                                                                                                                                                                 cati                                                                                                                                                                                        cati
                                                                                                                                                                      on                                                                                                                                                                                         on

                                                                                                                                                             Eng                                                                                                                                                                                         Eng
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       80,000




                                                                                                                                                                   inee                                                                                                                                                                                     inee
                                                                                                                                                                         ring                                                                                                                                                                                   ring




                                                                                                         60,000 55,000
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   60,000




                                                                                                                                                             Hea                                                                                                                                                                                         Hea
                                                                                                                                                                   lth                                                                                                                                                                                       lth

                                                                                                                                                              Hum                                                                                                                                                                                         Hum




                                                                                              44,000
                                                                                                                                                             Libe anitie                                                                                                                                                                                 Libe anitie
                                                   I                                                                                                             ral A s and                                                              I                                                                                                                  ral A s and
                                                                                                                                                                        rts                                                                                                                                                                                         rt s
                                                                                                                                                              Indu                                                                                                                                                                                        Indu




                                                                                      40,000
                                                                                                                                                             Con strial A                                                                                                                                                                                Con strial A
                                                                                                                                                                 sum          r                                                                                                                                                                              sum           r
                                                                                                                                                                       er S ts and                                                                                                                                                                                 er S ts and




Degree Holders
                                                                                                                                                                                       Degree Holders




                                                                                                                                                                            ervi                                                                                                                                                                                         ervi
                                                                                                                                                              Law                ces                                                                                                                                                                      La w               ces




                                                                                          42,000
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       48,000 50,000 52,000




                                                                                                                                                             Pub and                                                                                                                                                                                     Pub and
                                                                                                                                                                 lic P                                                                                                                                                                                       lic P
                                                                                                                                                                                       White Median Earnings




                                                                                                                                                                       olic                                                                                                                                                                                        olic
                                                                                                                                                                            y                                                                                                                                                                                            y




                                                                                                       47,000
                                                                                                                                                             Phy                                                                                                                                                                                         Phy
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    60,000




                                                                                                                                                                 sica                                                                                                                                                                                        sica
                                                                                                                                                                      l Sci                                                                                                                                                                                       l Sci




African-American Median Earnings
                                                                                                                                                                            ence                                                                                                                                                                                         ence
                                                                                                                                                                                  s                                                                                                                                                                                           s
                                                                                                                                                               Psyc                                                                                                                                                                                        Psyc
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  44,000




                                                                                      40,000




Median Earnings for All Terminal Bachelor’s
                                                                                                                                                                                       Median Earnings for All Terminal Bachelor’s




                                                                                                                                                             Soc hology                                                                                                                                                                                  Soc hology
                                                                                                                                                                 ial W an                                                                                                                                                                                    ial W an
                                                                                                                                                                        ork d                                                                                                                                                                                       ork d




                                                                                              44,000
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    60,000




                                                                                                                                                             Soc                                                                                                                                                                                         Soc
                                                                                                                                                                 ial S                                                                                                                                                                                         ial S
                                                                                                                                                                         cien                                                                                                                                                                                        cien
                                                                                                                                                                             ce                                                                                                                                                                                           ce
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             11
Georgetown Ethnic Salary Report
Georgetown Ethnic Salary Report
Georgetown Ethnic Salary Report
Georgetown Ethnic Salary Report
Georgetown Ethnic Salary Report

Más contenido relacionado

Destacado

Uml Usecase 080701
Uml Usecase 080701Uml Usecase 080701
Uml Usecase 080701weizhen
 
Bullyinga
BullyingaBullyinga
Bullyingapgf55
 
Branding in the New Era of Healthcare
Branding in the New Era of HealthcareBranding in the New Era of Healthcare
Branding in the New Era of HealthcareJon Headlee
 
A B C All Have Sinned. 2003
A B C All Have Sinned. 2003A B C All Have Sinned. 2003
A B C All Have Sinned. 2003guest8a4282
 
Having Faith 2003
Having Faith 2003Having Faith 2003
Having Faith 2003guest8a4282
 
Marketo - Definitive guide to marketing metrics marketing analytics
Marketo - Definitive guide to marketing metrics marketing analyticsMarketo - Definitive guide to marketing metrics marketing analytics
Marketo - Definitive guide to marketing metrics marketing analyticsKun Le
 
20100227 U Xcamp Seoul
20100227 U Xcamp Seoul20100227 U Xcamp Seoul
20100227 U Xcamp Seoulweizhen
 
Mexico documentary shoot/Yucatan
Mexico documentary shoot/YucatanMexico documentary shoot/Yucatan
Mexico documentary shoot/Yucatanrlakin
 

Destacado (13)

Gmail
GmailGmail
Gmail
 
FolletOOoo
FolletOOooFolletOOoo
FolletOOoo
 
donne fantasy
donne fantasydonne fantasy
donne fantasy
 
This Room
This RoomThis Room
This Room
 
Uml Usecase 080701
Uml Usecase 080701Uml Usecase 080701
Uml Usecase 080701
 
Bullyinga
BullyingaBullyinga
Bullyinga
 
Branding in the New Era of Healthcare
Branding in the New Era of HealthcareBranding in the New Era of Healthcare
Branding in the New Era of Healthcare
 
A B C All Have Sinned. 2003
A B C All Have Sinned. 2003A B C All Have Sinned. 2003
A B C All Have Sinned. 2003
 
Having Faith 2003
Having Faith 2003Having Faith 2003
Having Faith 2003
 
Marketo - Definitive guide to marketing metrics marketing analytics
Marketo - Definitive guide to marketing metrics marketing analyticsMarketo - Definitive guide to marketing metrics marketing analytics
Marketo - Definitive guide to marketing metrics marketing analytics
 
20100227 U Xcamp Seoul
20100227 U Xcamp Seoul20100227 U Xcamp Seoul
20100227 U Xcamp Seoul
 
Mexico documentary shoot/Yucatan
Mexico documentary shoot/YucatanMexico documentary shoot/Yucatan
Mexico documentary shoot/Yucatan
 
Introduction à Django
Introduction à DjangoIntroduction à Django
Introduction à Django
 

Similar a Georgetown Ethnic Salary Report

A university degree whats it worth
A university degree whats it worthA university degree whats it worth
A university degree whats it wortholusegun ogolo
 
The Economic Value of College Majors
The Economic Value of College MajorsThe Economic Value of College Majors
The Economic Value of College MajorsCEW Georgetown
 
Sooner or later, the question is going to come up- i.e. Wh.docx
 Sooner or later, the question is going to come up- i.e. Wh.docx Sooner or later, the question is going to come up- i.e. Wh.docx
Sooner or later, the question is going to come up- i.e. Wh.docxaryan532920
 
the-college_payoff_2021.pdf
the-college_payoff_2021.pdfthe-college_payoff_2021.pdf
the-college_payoff_2021.pdfRafael Villas B
 
collegepayoff-complete
collegepayoff-completecollegepayoff-complete
collegepayoff-completeLOUISKB
 
collegepayoff-complete
collegepayoff-completecollegepayoff-complete
collegepayoff-completeLOUISKB
 
collegepayoff-complete
collegepayoff-completecollegepayoff-complete
collegepayoff-completeLOUISKB
 
Trending Career Options in the United States.docx
Trending Career Options in the United States.docxTrending Career Options in the United States.docx
Trending Career Options in the United States.docxIndrayani Acharya
 
World is flat coras 030607 (4)
World is flat coras 030607 (4)World is flat coras 030607 (4)
World is flat coras 030607 (4)donwashburn
 
Is the return to education the same for everyone
Is the return to education the same for everyoneIs the return to education the same for everyone
Is the return to education the same for everyoneIZA World of Labor
 
Kocg9598 byou beyond the lab 26 feb14
Kocg9598 byou beyond the lab 26 feb14Kocg9598 byou beyond the lab 26 feb14
Kocg9598 byou beyond the lab 26 feb14Kelly Services
 
Economic Benefits Of Postsecondary Education for Hispanics/Latinos.
Economic Benefits Of Postsecondary Education for Hispanics/Latinos.Economic Benefits Of Postsecondary Education for Hispanics/Latinos.
Economic Benefits Of Postsecondary Education for Hispanics/Latinos.CEW Georgetown
 
ConnectingTalentandOpportunity2010
ConnectingTalentandOpportunity2010ConnectingTalentandOpportunity2010
ConnectingTalentandOpportunity2010Phillip Jarvis
 
Climate Change Essay Topics. 005 Essay Example Climate Change Thatsnotus
Climate Change Essay Topics. 005 Essay Example Climate Change  ThatsnotusClimate Change Essay Topics. 005 Essay Example Climate Change  Thatsnotus
Climate Change Essay Topics. 005 Essay Example Climate Change ThatsnotusOlga Valentin
 
Need for Change
Need for ChangeNeed for Change
Need for Changelauraahles
 
Need For Change
Need For ChangeNeed For Change
Need For Changelauraahles
 
African Americans: College Majors and Earnings
African Americans: College Majors and Earnings African Americans: College Majors and Earnings
African Americans: College Majors and Earnings CEW Georgetown
 
McKinsey & Company - Voice of the Graduate
McKinsey & Company - Voice of the GraduateMcKinsey & Company - Voice of the Graduate
McKinsey & Company - Voice of the GraduateVocatio
 

Similar a Georgetown Ethnic Salary Report (20)

A university degree whats it worth
A university degree whats it worthA university degree whats it worth
A university degree whats it worth
 
The Economic Value of College Majors
The Economic Value of College MajorsThe Economic Value of College Majors
The Economic Value of College Majors
 
Sooner or later, the question is going to come up- i.e. Wh.docx
 Sooner or later, the question is going to come up- i.e. Wh.docx Sooner or later, the question is going to come up- i.e. Wh.docx
Sooner or later, the question is going to come up- i.e. Wh.docx
 
the-college_payoff_2021.pdf
the-college_payoff_2021.pdfthe-college_payoff_2021.pdf
the-college_payoff_2021.pdf
 
collegepayoff-complete
collegepayoff-completecollegepayoff-complete
collegepayoff-complete
 
collegepayoff-complete
collegepayoff-completecollegepayoff-complete
collegepayoff-complete
 
collegepayoff-complete
collegepayoff-completecollegepayoff-complete
collegepayoff-complete
 
Trending Career Options in the United States.docx
Trending Career Options in the United States.docxTrending Career Options in the United States.docx
Trending Career Options in the United States.docx
 
World is flat coras 030607 (4)
World is flat coras 030607 (4)World is flat coras 030607 (4)
World is flat coras 030607 (4)
 
Beyond the Lab
Beyond the LabBeyond the Lab
Beyond the Lab
 
Is the return to education the same for everyone
Is the return to education the same for everyoneIs the return to education the same for everyone
Is the return to education the same for everyone
 
Kocg9598 byou beyond the lab 26 feb14
Kocg9598 byou beyond the lab 26 feb14Kocg9598 byou beyond the lab 26 feb14
Kocg9598 byou beyond the lab 26 feb14
 
Economic Benefits Of Postsecondary Education for Hispanics/Latinos.
Economic Benefits Of Postsecondary Education for Hispanics/Latinos.Economic Benefits Of Postsecondary Education for Hispanics/Latinos.
Economic Benefits Of Postsecondary Education for Hispanics/Latinos.
 
ConnectingTalentandOpportunity2010
ConnectingTalentandOpportunity2010ConnectingTalentandOpportunity2010
ConnectingTalentandOpportunity2010
 
Climate Change Essay Topics. 005 Essay Example Climate Change Thatsnotus
Climate Change Essay Topics. 005 Essay Example Climate Change  ThatsnotusClimate Change Essay Topics. 005 Essay Example Climate Change  Thatsnotus
Climate Change Essay Topics. 005 Essay Example Climate Change Thatsnotus
 
Need for Change
Need for ChangeNeed for Change
Need for Change
 
Need For Change
Need For ChangeNeed For Change
Need For Change
 
Lema comprehensive
Lema  comprehensiveLema  comprehensive
Lema comprehensive
 
African Americans: College Majors and Earnings
African Americans: College Majors and Earnings African Americans: College Majors and Earnings
African Americans: College Majors and Earnings
 
McKinsey & Company - Voice of the Graduate
McKinsey & Company - Voice of the GraduateMcKinsey & Company - Voice of the Graduate
McKinsey & Company - Voice of the Graduate
 

Georgetown Ethnic Salary Report

  • 1. SELECT FINDINGS FROM WHAT’SIT WORTH? VALUE THE ECONOMIC Anthony P. Carnevale Jeff Strohl Michelle Melton OF COLLEGE MAJORS
  • 2. These Selected Findings are part of a larger report: What’s It Worth?: The Economic Value of College Majors. In the full report, readers can find detailed information about earnings, broken down by 171 different undergraduate majors and a variety of demographic factors. The study also analyzes the likelihood that students in specific majors going on to graduate school, and which occupations and industries they can expect to work in. The report covers everyone with Bachelor’s degrees in the U.S. economy, not just recent graduates. [For the full report, please go to cew.georgetown.edu/whatsitworth] The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Lumina Foundation for Education or the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, their officers, or employees.
  • 3. Selected Findings from What’s It Worth: The Economic Value of College Majors In the United States today, there is no more What’s It Worth also details the relationship certain investment than a college educa- between undergraduate majors and gradu- tion. On average, college graduates make 84 ate degree attainment — and analyzes the percent more over a lifetime than their high commensurate boost in earnings an advanced school-educated counterparts. Until now, degree can provide. The report shows, for though, that overall number has been virtu- instance, that 25 percent of Liberal Arts majors ally the only information available on the obtain graduate degrees, compared with 47 economic benefits of a college education. If percent of Mathematics majors. However, you wanted to know specifics about what, say, Mathematics majors reap a 33 percent earn- an English degree might mean in the labor ings boost from a graduate degree, while market, you were largely out of luck. But not Liberal Arts majors gain 42 percent. anymore. For the first time, the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Work- The full report also provides in-depth informa- force has tackled that issue head on, with a tion about where Bachelor’s degree holders 3 detailed analysis of earnings and employment work by occupation and industry, telling read- outcomes for different undergraduate majors. ers whether people who have an Engineering major actually work in Engineering — and What’s It Worth demonstrates just how critical what happens to Liberal Arts degree holders 1 All data is the authors’ analysis of the 2009 the choice of undergraduate major is to a stu- when they are in the labor market. American Community dent’s potential earnings. While everyone who Survey. attends college can expect a significant return In the Selected Findings, we have aggregated on their investment, different undergraduate the 171 majors into 15 large groups and provided majors lead to markedly different careers— relevant data on earnings, graduate degree and significantly different wages. In one of attainment, and demographic characteristics. the most extreme examples, for instance, This data covers not just recent graduates, but the report finds that Counseling Psychology all workers with Bachelor’s degrees in the U.S. majors make median earnings of $29,000 per economy.1 Our findings make it clear that while year, compared to $120,000 for Petroleum getting a degree matters, there is significant Engineering majors. variation depending on which major you pick. The full report also looks at a host of other We have categorized 171 undergraduate majors factors, broken down by specific majors, that into the following aggregate groups: can affect potential earnings, including gender, race and ethnicity. In some cases, the findings l Agriculture and Natural Resources are stark. Gender inequality, as expressed in l Arts pay differences, is rampant across virtually l Biology and Life Science every major. For example, even in one of the l Business highest-earning majors for women (Chemical l Communications and Journalism l Computers and Mathematics Engineering), women still make $20,000 less l Education per year than men. The report also highlights l Engineering some glaring racial and ethnic earnings gaps. l Health For instance, African-Americans who gradu- l Humanities and Liberal Arts ate with a Finance major earn an average of l Industrial Arts and Consumer Services $47,000 per year, which is less than Hispanics l Law and Public Policy ($56,000) and Asians ($56,000) — and much l Physical Sciences less than Whites($70,000). l Psychology and Social Work l Social Science
  • 4. The most popular major group is Business, The likelihood of obtaining a graduate degree with 25 percent of all students; the least popu- varies significantly by major group. Students lar are Industrial Arts and Consumer Services in the Biology and Life Science group are the and Agriculture and Natural Resources, with most likely to obtain an advanced graduate 1.6 percent each. degree (54 percent do so), while those in the Communications and Journalism and Indus- The highest median earnings are found in the trial Arts and Consumer Services major groups Engineering major group ($75,000), while the are the least likely (only 20 percent do so), lowest are the Education and Psychology and followed closely by Business (21 percent). Social Work groups ($42,000). Women with an undergraduate major in the Social Science However, returns to these graduate degrees group have the largest earnings differentials, vary. Although we do not know which gradu- making $18,000 less than men with these ate degree someone with a particular major majors (followed closely by Engineering and earned, we do know how much more they Physical Sciences, where women earn $17,000 make with one. Biology and Life Science less than their male counterparts). There are majors, for instance, make $35,000 more at racial/ethnic differences, too. For example, the the median with a graduate degree, while the median earnings for Whites with an undergrad- difference in median earnings for terminal uate major in Engineering ($80,000) are higher Bachelor’s degree holders and graduate degree than those for Asians ($72,000), African-Amer- holders with an undergraduate major in Arts is icans ($60,000), Other Races ($57,000), and only $11,000. 4 Hispanics ($56,000). However, in Health, Law and Public Policy, Psychology and Social Work, In addition, different majors lead to different and Biology and Life Science, Asians make industries. For example, while 43 percent of more than Whites. Law and Public Policy majors end up in Public Administration, only 13 percent of Social The major groups that have the greatest con- Science majors do so—and a higher portion centrations of women are Health (85 percent), of Social Science majors actually end up in Education (77 percent), and Psychology and Finance (16 percent). Social work (74 percent), while the major groups with the highest concentrations of men The tables and figures that follow provide are Engineering (84 percent) and Agriculture detailed information on the popularity of each and Natural Resources (70 percent). The major, the median earnings for those with a major group with the highest concentrations terminal Bachelor’s degree, median earnings of Whites is Agriculture and Natural Resources for those with a graduate degree, the percent (90 percent). The highest concentration of of a particular major obtaining a graduate Asians can be found in Computers and degree, median earnings by race/ethnicity and Mathematics (16 percent), while the highest gender, the racial/ethnic and gender composi- concentration of African-Americans is in Law tion of majors, and where majors end up and Public Policy (14 percent). Law and Public by industry. Policy also has the highest concentration of Hispanics (10 percent).
  • 5. MEDIAN EARNINGS BY MAJOR GROUP* 75,000 99,000 Engineering 70,000 89,000 Computers and Mathematics 60,000 80,000 Business 60,000 80,000 Health 59,000 90,000 Physical Sciences 55,000 85,000 Social Science 50,000 5 70,000 Agriculture and Natural Resources 50,000 62,000 Communications and Journalism 50,000 65,000 Industrial Arts and Consumer Services 50,000 70,000 Law and Public Policy 50,000 85,000 Biology and Life Science 47,000 65,000 Humanities and Liberal Arts 44,000 55,000 Arts 42,000 57,000 Education 42,000 60,000 Psychology and Social Work Median Earnings for those with only a Bachelor’s Degree * Full-time, full-year workers with a terminal Bachelor’s. II Median Earnings with Graduate Degree
  • 6. nali ns rces sou d atic d Jour atio ura e an sm them s an Scie d s and munic Life ogy an nce Nat icultur Ma puter l Re on s cati ines Com Com A gr l B io Arts Edu ALL Bus POPULARITY OF MAJORS† Total Bachelor’s 530,888 1,539,384 1,197,003 8,446,263 1,986,030 1,728,959 3,568,392 % of All Majors 1.6 4.6 3.5 25.0 5.9 5.1 10.6 PERCENT OBTAINING A GRADUATE DEGREE Obtain graduate degree (%) 27 23 54 21 20 32 44 MEDIAN EARNINGS WITH AND WITHOUT A GRADUATE DEGREEu Median earnings, Terminal Bachelor’s degree 50,000 44,000 50,000 60,000 50,000 70,000 42,000 6 Median earnings, Graduate degree holder 70,000 55,000 85,000 80,000 62,000 89,000 57,000 Difference 20,000 11,000 35,000 20,000 12,000 19,000 15,000 † The ACS data are best used to discuss distributional characteristics of the underlying population. However, we also include the number of degree holders to provide the reader with an ‘order of magnitude’ sense of the number of people with this major. u We do not know what graduate degree people obtained. nali ns rces sou d atic d Jour atio ura e an sm them s an Scie d s and munic Life ogy an nce Nat icultur Ma puter l Re no s cati ines Com Com Agr l Bio Arts Edu GENDER Bus GENDER COMPOSITION OF MAJORS Percent Female 30 61 55 45 64 31 77 Percent Male 70 39 45 55 36 69 23 EARNINGS BY GENDER* Female Median Earnings 40,000 40,000 45,000 50,000 44,000 60,000 40,000 Male Median Earnings 55,000 48,000 57,000 66,000 55,000 73,000 48,000 Difference 15,000 8,000 12,000 16,000 11,000 13,000 8,000 * Full-time, full-year workers with a terminal Bachelor’s.
  • 7. er S and ces es rts d ork d ral A s an ienc ervi sum Arts ial W y an e ienc y ring olic Libe anitie c Soc cholog Con strial al S Pub and c lic P inee ial S l th s ic Hum Law Indu Psy Hea Phy Eng Soc POPULARITY OF MAJORS† 2,786,488 2,320,732 3,287,782 554,707 768,978 936,633 1,808,669 2,341,689 8.2 6.9 9.7 1.6 2.3 2.8 5.4 6.9 PERCENT OBTAINING A GRADUATE DEGREE 37 31 41 20 24 48 45 40 MEDIAN EARNINGS WITH AND WITHOUT A GRADUATE DEGREEu 75,000 60,000 47,000 50,000 50,000 59,000 42,000 55,000 7 99,000 80,000 65,000 65,000 70,000 90,000 60,000 85,000 24,000 20,000 18,000 15,000 20,000 31,000 18,000 30,000 † The ACS data are best used to discuss distributional characteristics of the underlying population. However, we also include the number of degree holders to provide the reader with an ‘order of magnitude’ sense of the number of people with this major. u We do not know what graduate degree people obtained. er S and ces s rts d nce ork d ral A s an ervi sum Arts ial W y an ce Scie y ring cien olic Libe anitie Soc cholog Con strial Pub and ical lic P inee ial S lth Hum Law Indu s Psy Hea Phy Eng Soc GENDER COMPOSITION OF MAJORS 16 85 58 35 41 42 74 47 84 15 42 65 59 58 26 53 EARNINGS BY GENDER* 62,000 60,000 43,000 40,000 42,000 48,000 40,000 46,000 79,000 70,000 50,000 55,000 58,000 65,000 52,000 64,000 17,000 10,000 7,000 15,000 16,000 17,000 12,000 18,000 * Full-time, full-year workers with a terminal Bachelor’s.
  • 8. nali ns rces sou d atic d Jour atio ura e an sm them s an Scie d s and munic Life ogy an nce Nat icultur Ma puter l Re on s cati ines RACE AND Com Com Agr l Bio Arts Edu Bus ETHNICITY RACIAL AND ETHNIC COMPOSITION OF MAJORS∆ % White 90 81 76 76 81 67 82 % African-American 2 5 7 8 8 9 7 % Hispanic 4 7 6 7 6 7 7 8 % Asian 3 7 11 8 4 16 3 % Other Races and Ethnicities <0.5 1 1 1 1 1 1 MEDIAN EARNINGS BY RACE* White Median Earnings 50,000 45,000 51,000 63,000 50,000 73,000 42,000 African-American Median Earnings 36,000 38,000 45,000 47,000 41,000 59,000 42,000 Hispanic Median Earnings 40,000 40,000 40,000 48,000 43,000 55,000 40,000 Asian Median Earnings 43,000 44,000 53,000 51,000 45,000 71,000 37,000 Other Races and Ethnicities Median Earnings l l l 48,000 l 50,000 36,000 * Full-time, full-year workers with a terminal Bachelor’s. l Sample size was too small to be statistically valid. ∆ Due to rounding, these may not add to 100 percent.
  • 9. er S and ces es rts d ork d ral A s an ienc ervi sum Arts ial W y an e ienc y ring olic Libe anitie c Soc cholog Con strial al S Pub and c lic P inee ial S l th sic Hum Law Indu Psy Hea Phy Eng Soc RACIAL AND ETHNIC COMPOSITION OF MAJORS∆ 71 73 80 83 72 74 76 75 5 9 6 7 14 8 11 9 9 5 6 6 10 6 8 7 14 13 7 3 3 11 5 8 9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 MEDIAN EARNINGS BY RACE* 80,000 60,000 48,000 50,000 52,000 60,000 44,000 60,000 60,000 55,000 44,000 40,000 42,000 47,000 40,000 44,000 56,000 52,000 42,000 42,000 50,000 44,000 40,000 48,000 72,000 70,000 44,000 45,000 55,000 52,000 48,000 50,000 57,000 60,000 42,000 l l l 42,000 45,000 * Full-time, full-year workers with a terminal Bachelor’s. l Sample size was too small to be statistically valid. ∆ Due to rounding, these may not add to 100 percent.
  • 10. 10 27 Agr Agr 75,000 Nat iculture Nat iculture ural a ural a Res nd Res nd 23 ourc ourc es es 65,000 Arts A rt s 54 Biol Biol 75,000 35,000 30,000 35,000 Life ogy and Life ogy and Scie Scie nce nce 21 Bus 40,000 90,000 ines Bus ines s s 20 Com Com 75,000 34,000 and munic and munic Jour ation Jour ation * Full-time, full-year workers with a terminal Bachelor’s. nali nali sm s sm s 32 Com Com 48,000 100,000 Mat puters Mat puters hem and PERCENT OBTAINING A GRADUATE DEGREE atic hem and s atic s 44 32,000 55,000 EARNINGS AT THE 25TH AND 75TH PERCENTILE* Edu Ed u cati cati on on 37 53,000 Eng Eng 102,000 inee inee ring ring 31 45,000 80,000 Hea Hea lth lth 41 Hum Hum Libe anitie Libe anitie ral A s and II ral A s and rts rt s 20 Indu Indu 32,000 33,000 Con strial A Con stria sum r sum l Arts a er S ts and er S 24 Degree Holders ervi ervi nd Law ces La w ces 70,000 75,000 74,000 Pub and Pub and lic P lic P olic olic y y 48 Phy 87,000 Phy 36,000 38,000 Earnings at the 75th Percentile Earnings at the 25th Percentile sica sica l Sci l Sci ence ence s s 45 Psyc Psyc 62,000 30,000 holo Median Earnings for All Terminal Bachelor’s Soc hology Soc Obtain graduate degree (%) ial W an ial W gy an ork d ork d 40 Did not obtain graduate degree (%) Soc 87,000 38,000 ial S Soc cien ial S ce cien ce
  • 11. Agr Agr Nat iculture Nat iculture ural a ural a Res nd Res nd ourc ourc es es 36,000 38,000 Arts A rt s Biol Biol 50,000 45,000 51,000 Life ogy and Life ogy and Scie Scie nce nce 45,000 47,000 63,000 Bus Bus WHITE MEDIAN EARNINGS* ines ines s s Com Com 41,000 50,000 and munic and munic Jour ation Jour ation nali nali * Full-time, full-year workers with a terminal Bachelor’s. * Full-time, full-year workers with a terminal Bachelor’s. sm s sm s Com Com 59,000 73,000 AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEDIAN EARNINGS* Mat puters Mat puters hem and hem and atic atic s 42,000 s 42,000 Edu Ed u cati cati on on Eng Eng 80,000 inee inee ring ring 60,000 55,000 60,000 Hea Hea lth lth Hum Hum 44,000 Libe anitie Libe anitie I ral A s and I ral A s and rts rt s Indu Indu 40,000 Con strial A Con strial A sum r sum r er S ts and er S ts and Degree Holders Degree Holders ervi ervi Law ces La w ces 42,000 48,000 50,000 52,000 Pub and Pub and lic P lic P White Median Earnings olic olic y y 47,000 Phy Phy 60,000 sica sica l Sci l Sci African-American Median Earnings ence ence s s Psyc Psyc 44,000 40,000 Median Earnings for All Terminal Bachelor’s Median Earnings for All Terminal Bachelor’s Soc hology Soc hology ial W an ial W an ork d ork d 44,000 60,000 Soc Soc ial S ial S cien cien ce ce 11