What Major Hits Your Target Starting Salary

To reach an $80,000 starting salary with a bachelor's degree, the illustrative medians point to Data Science (~$78k), Computer Science (~$75k), and Engineering (~$72k) as the closest matches, with Nursing and Finance also strong. No single major guarantees a specific paycheck; these are widely cited illustrative medians used as planning assumptions, not promises. A master's degree lifts most fields by roughly 20-25% in this model. Pick a major for fit and graduation likelihood as much as for pay, because finishing the degree is what unlocks the earnings. Use the chart to compare fields side by side.