The Lowest Paid College Majors in America

Earning a college degree is typically a smart investment. However, not all degrees are created equal. While some majors lead to high-paying careers, others offer much lower salaries. 

We used information from the Federal Reserve to determine which college majors received the lowest average salary. You probably won’t be surprised that many of the lowest-paying majors are in education. We’ve organized this lit countdown-style, so the lowest-paying job is at the end!

Remember, salary isn’t everything – but it is an important factor. Let’s explore the majors that tend to land on the lower end of the pay scale.

10. Performing Arts

• Median Wage Early Career: $38,000
• Median Wage Mid-Career: $64,000

Arts majors face all sorts of difficulties. Successful performers can have a high earnings potential. However, the reality for most graduates is a competitive job market and long hours. The median starting salary is only $38,000, which jumps to $64,000 by mid-career. 

There are many diverse career paths, and graduates will have varying levels of success.

9. Family and Consumer Sciences

• Median Wage Early Career: $40,000
• Median Wage Mid-Career: $59,000

This field includes nutrition, child development, and family resource management. Typically, professionals tend to focus on increasing family well-being. Sadly, the salary is very low, starting at only $40,000 and only jumping slightly up to $59,000.

This low salary is a significant barrier for those looking for careers in financial literacy, food security, or similar areas. 

8. Special Education

• Median Wage Early Career: $43,000
• Median Wage Mid-Career: $57,000

Special education is the first of the educational degrees on this list. This very specific degree teaches future teachers how to support those with disabilities. Often, these students face unique challenges, so a special degree is required for anyone looking to teach them. 

Because of their specialized training, these teachers have a higher starting salary than others. Their salary also jumps quite a bit in their mid-career. 

7. Theology and Religion

• Median Wage Early Career: $38,000
• Median Wage Mid-Career: $56,000

Graduates with this degree typically pursue careers in religious ministry or religious education. The starting salary is very low, at only $38,000. However, the mid-career range can reach $56,000. It’s important to consider that many of these careers also have benefits (like housing) that can supplement income. 

6. Social Services

• Median Wage Early Career: $40,000
• Median Wage Mid-Career: $56,000

Social Services encompasses a huge range of careers. However, they’re all typically dedicated to helping vulnerable populations. Despite being very important, social service professionals have a median starting salary of only $40,000. Luckily, that does increase to $56,000 by the middle of their career. 

This lower payment can be a challenge for those passionate about social justice careers. 

5. Miscellaneous Education

• Median Wage Early Career: $43,000
• Median Wage Mid-Career: $56,000

“Miscellaneous Education” is a catch-all term for education that doesn’t fall into other categories. It includes things like adult education and curriculum development. They have a higher starting salary than most, but this salary often doesn’t increase all that much. There are tons of diverse career paths in this category.

It’s important to research specific career options in this category to understand your earning potential.

4. Secondary Education

• Median Wage Early Career: $41,000
• Median Wage Mid-Career: $55,000

Secondary education focuses on specific subjects, like science or math, for middle and high school students. The median salary is only $41,000, but it does increase to $55,000 by the middle of a career. 

Teachers may also be paid more or less for their specific subject matter. Those in higher demand often get paid more.

3. General Education

• Median Wage Early Career: $41,000
• Median Wage Mid-Career: $52,000

This generalized degree can lead to a wide range of different jobs. The salary is higher than that of those with some specialized degrees, though. However, the lack of specialization also prevents those with this degree from reaching higher potentials, like some of the other options on this list. 

2. Elementary Education

• Median Wage Early Career: $40,000
• Median Wage Mid-Career: $52,000

Elementary education is an essential field. However, it faces challenges due to its low starting salary. The average starting salary is only $40,000, and it only increases slightly to $52,000 by mid-career. Financial compensation is notoriously very low in this field despite its importance. 

Teacher shortages are very common, and they’re at least partially caused by these low wages. 

1. Early Childhood Education

• Median Wage Early Career: $40,000
• Median Wage Mid-Career: $48,000

Early childhood education has the lowest median wage, even after the middle of their career. The starting salary is also very low at only $40,000. Early childhood educators play a crucial role in shaping young minds during critical developmental years. However, despite its importance, the field faces the harsh reality of a very low salary. 

This low pay also leads to a high turnover rate, which can negatively impact the quality of early childhood education. 

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