EDsmart compiled median income data by college major in Virginia using data from the Department of Education.
The most and least lucrative college majors in Virginia
Over a dozen medical schools and 40 law schools have elected to withdraw from the U.S. News & World Report annual college rankings as of February 2023. Critics argue that the well-known college ranking system is based on metrics that neglect to consider many qualities that influence student success, such as postgraduate placement rates and course credit transfer applicability.
The ongoing exodus has left prospective graduate students with one less all-inclusive tool to navigate the application process. And while no undergraduate institutions have withdrawn yet, the trend has revealed the need for more reliable and independent bases of comparison among colleges and academic programs.
One such measure, the median earnings of college graduates by field of study, can significantly impact career prospects. On a national level, those who study nuclear engineering technologies or become technicians in that field have the highest median earnings three years after graduation at $107,804, followed by the fields of biomathematics, bioinformatics, and computational biology ($98,074), operations research ($96,452), marine transportation ($94,032), and petroleum engineering ($93,515).
Yet, while it remains true that college graduates have higher lifetime earnings than noncollege graduates, some of the lowest-earning majors still earn less than a living wage, and earnings vary considerably by state, owing to differences in local economies and industry location.Â
EDsmart used data for the 2020-21 school year from the Department of Education to rank degree majors in Virginia by median earnings three years after graduation for those with bachelor's degrees. Some degree programs listed are only offered at one college in the state. When a major is offered at multiple colleges, the analysis lists the median earnings between them.
Most lucrative college majors in Virginia:
#1. Systems Engineering ($91,516)
#2. Computer Engineering ($83,852)
#3. Industrial Engineering ($79,396)
#4. Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering ($78,719)
#5. Chemical Engineering ($78,114)
Least lucrative college majors in Virginia:
#1. Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other ($19,094)
#2. Dance ($25,004)
#3. Apparel and Textiles ($25,704)
#4. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($25,711)
#5. Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry ($26,126)
Most Virginia colleges are considering a tuition hike to combat high inflation. This could end a four-year period of low price increases at state colleges.Â
The school plans to consolidate much of its programming in the region in Falls Church.
The school plans to consolidate much of its programming in the region in Falls Church.
Had the mandate been enacted, students would have had to take one course on race from a list of 12 as part of their general education requirements.Â
Liberty University and Jerry Falwell Jr. have settled two litigation disputes after nearly four years of back-and-forth court filings, the university said.
