What Do Emergency Management Professionals Do?

In the aftermath of natural disasters, large-scale acts of violence and other emergencies, professionals working in a broad area of occupations are needed to plan disaster response strategies and implement these plans. For some careers, though, managing emergency situations isn’t an out-of-the-ordinary event but rather the main focus of their occupation. Careers that revolve around planning and implementing responses to crises are considered emergency management job roles.

There are numerous job titles that fall under the domain of emergency management careers. Your exact responsibilities as an emergency management specialist depend on your job title and work environment. Emergency management professionals may be expected to assess the consequences of disasters, plan disaster response strategies, proactively evaluate the utility and feasibility of existing emergency plans, oversee the logistics of implementing disaster response plans, train emergency personnel and lead relief efforts in accordance with legal and ethical obligations.

Some emergency management professionals delegate responsibilities for hands-on disaster recovery work to lower-level emergency management specialists while they focus on the high-level work of planning and overseeing emergency management programs, while others spend their time on the front lines of disaster recovery interventions. 

Where Do Emergency Management Professionals Work?

Emergencies can happen to anyone, and that means that the need for trained professionals in the field of emergency management is constant. Different disaster relief agencies hire professionals with emergency management degrees. Employment opportunities in the emergency management field exist in government entities at the federal, state and local levels, as well as nonprofit and community groups and organizations and private industry.

As an emergency management specialist, both your job title and your employment setting will affect your responsibilities and what your workdays look like. In general, though, an emergency management professional can expect to spend their time in some way putting together emergency response programs and plans and coordinating efforts to implement these plans. 

RELATED: The Best Job Prospects with an Emergency Management Degree

Jobs in a Federal Emergency Management Agency

Many emergency management degree holders are government officials of some kind. Some emergency management specialists are local officials, while others work at the federal level. 

Federal agencies commonly assist in emergencies and disasters. For example, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the agency responsible for national preparedness and for responding to severe storms, wildfires and other natural disasters that occur across the United States.

Other federal agencies respond to different types of emergencies. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) handles national security threats as well as assisting with natural disasters. A Secret Service agent may also be considered part of the emergency management profession if their job includes planning for emergencies like attempted violence against leaders like the U.S. President. A Border Patrol agent working for Customs and Border Protection may also be considered an emergency management professional, especially when they are responsible for planning for or responding to emergencies that occur at the United States borders.

Not all government jobs that may involve emergency management responsibilities revolve around emergency preparedness and response, specifically. For example, housing agencies like the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) may offer disaster assistance and resources for people affected by disasters, even though handling large-scale disasters isn’t the primary focus of housing agencies, generally speaking.

Working in State and Local Government Agencies

Local and state governments respond to emergencies, too, so they also need trained professionals who can plan for and deal with all kinds of crises. Emergency management professionals can also find work with state, county and municipal agencies and entities that are responsible for preparing for and responding to a variety of types of emergencies. Examples of opportunities for emergency management degree holders with local and state governments include jobs in a state office of emergency management or in local emergency management centers. Aside from these local officials, emergency management jobs with local and state governments may also include roles with a municipal law enforcement agency, fire department or emergency medical service.

Emergency Management Careers in Nonprofit Organizations

Nonprofit organizations often step up to help when disaster strikes. Nonprofit disaster response and relief agencies include international humanitarian organizations like the Red Cross and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), as well as community outreach charities and faith-based and religious-affiliated organizations.

Private Industry Emergency Manager Jobs

While large-scale natural disasters objectively count as emergencies, some crises are more subjective, especially in private industry. A scandal, a policy or legislative change, a volatile economic market, a labor or supply shortage and any number of other issues may constitute an emergency for individual private companies. If these companies are going to survive the crises they face, they need the guidance of skilled emergency managers and an actionable plan to mitigate risks and negative consequences. 

The principles of emergency and disaster management may be very different when it comes to a company’s public relations crisis as opposed to a natural disaster or an act of terrorism that literally puts people’s lives at risk. The hands-on work of salvaging the reputations of companies in the private sectors is very different from that of digging through the wreckage to rescue survivors. However, managing any type of emergency requires some common skills in administration.

In any emergency management situation, personnel must be able to quickly and comprehensively assess the situation and identify and implement plans that best address the consequences of the crisis. Handling emergencies in private industry is a responsibility that sometimes falls on operations managers, but companies may also call in specialists like emergency management consultants to help them handle the situation. A business recovery planner or business continuity manager may be responsible for helping companies to keep operating during times of crisis and to minimize financial losses and other negative consequences.

Consulting Roles in Emergency Management

While some agencies and companies exist to address emergencies, that’s not the case for most companies, nonprofit organizations and government agencies with other areas of focus. As such, many organizations don’t need full-time, in-house experts in emergency management.

Instead, they may hire trained emergency management professionals temporarily and as needed – often with little prior notice – on a consulting basis. An emergency management consultant may work for themselves or be employed by a consulting firm that specializes in comprehensive emergency management services, including planning, training, assessment and implementation. Examples of consulting roles in emergency management include emergency management consultant, information technology (IT) incident response consultant and sustainability consultant.

The 10 Best Emergency Management Degree Jobs

Emergency management degree holders have plenty of options for employment. Whether you want to serve as boots on the ground or to develop the big-picture strategies for disaster relief – whether you prefer to focus on disaster preparedness to prevent or minimize emergencies in the first place or to step in during an ongoing crisis – there’s a role for you.

1. Homeland Security Officer

Among emergency management roles in the federal government, Homeland Security officer is perhaps the most well-known and widely popular career aspiration. The role of Homeland Security officer may include anyone working in an officer or agent role in the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Customs and Border Protection. Whether your work has you identifying and working to neutralize national security threats in a law enforcement capacity or traveling directly to disaster sites to implement recovery and relief plans, you’re sure to make a difference working as a Homeland Security officer.

In 2022, PayScale.com reported an average salary of $78,000 per year for employees of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Most Homeland Security officers are paid according to the General Schedule (GS) federal pay schedule. In 2022, a federal employee at the highest grade and step level of the General Schedule could make as much as $146,757 per year.

2. Health and Safety Specialist

The financial aspects of a crisis aside, most emergencies pose some sort of a risk to one or more person’s health or safety. It makes sense, then, that matters of health and safety – including public health, occupational health and safety and environmental health – fit into the category of emergency management careers. Health and safety specialists and officers serve more of a preventive role than disaster response professionals do. By educating communities and organizations and examining natural and workplace environments, health and safety specialists reduce the likelihood of accidents, environmental health or public safety threats and other emergencies occurring in the first place.

The median salary the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported for health and safety specialists in 2021 was $77,560. Health and safety technicians, who are less highly educated and who have less extensive job responsibilities, made considerably less: $51,120.

3. Disaster Recovery Manager

When disaster strikes, a disaster recovery manager has to act fast and make the right decisions to minimize the harm that results. Like emergency management directors and specialists, disaster managers plan interventions, assess emergencies and implement strategies to help with a crisis. However, disaster management typically refers to a critical, time-sensitive event that is larger in scale than “just” an emergency.

In proportion to the bigger scale of the event, disaster response strategies may be more complex, with more logistics to coordinate, more moving parts to organize and more disaster relief agencies to split up efforts between. Disaster recovery managers may also develop strategies for disaster prevention – to hopefully avoid a large and serious crisis in the first place – but even the most meticulous planners can’t always predict every possibility for things to go disastrously wrong.

The average salary reported for disaster relief and recovery managers for 2022 was $77,099 per year, according to the job search website Zippia.com.

4. Emergency Management Director

Emergency management director is a job role that may encompass any high-level leadership position in the field of emergency management. Some examples of job titles that may fall under the category of the emergency management director occupation include emergency management coordinator, emergency services director, public safety director, emergency preparedness coordinator and emergency management system director.

What all of the various director of emergency services roles have in common is that they are leadership positions that involve some emergency planning or high-level supervisory aspect. Beyond this common focus, job duties for these roles may differ significantly. A public safety director will likely craft policies that support public safety and put in place contingency plans in the event of different types of public health threats, while an emergency management coordinator may be primarily responsible for training responders and emergency personnel.

How much can you earn for the job of developing and overseeing an emergency preparedness plan? Among emergency management directors, the median salary in 2021 was $76,730, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Two industries pay emergency management directors particularly well. The professional, scientific and technical services industry, which employed 3% of the occupation in 2020, paid a median salary of $125,930. Hospitals, which employed 8% of the occupation, paid a median salary of $94,310, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.

5. Business Recovery Planner

For any business to survive and thrive over time, it must offer consistency. Unexpected closures or shutdowns, the inability to perform work due to a dearth of labor or supplies and other breaks in consistency and continuity can lead to both short-term and long-term losses.

Customers and clients may start giving their business to competitors or simply change their routines or purchasing habits if they can’t get the products or services they need from the company that used to provide them, especially if the issue recurs over time or continues for a prolonged time period. That’s why Ready.gov, a national public service campaign from the Department of Homeland Security, considers a business continuity plan to be “essential” in any industry.

A business recovery planner or business continuity manager is a person who specializes in preparing and implementing these plans. The strategies, policies and procedures they create help businesses in the private sector maintain operations to the best of their ability, minimize their losses during the disruption and restore regular operations as quickly as possible.

For business continuity planners, O*NET reported a median annual salary of $74,670.

6. Hospital Emergency Preparedness Administrator

In times of emergency – whether a natural disaster, an act of terrorism or a large-scale accident – people flock to hospitals for life-saving and life-sustaining care. Unfortunately, an emergency that causes mass harm can exhaust the resources of any given hospital, limiting the facility’s ability to save lives and help the injured. That’s why hospitals need an emergency preparedness plan so that they are ready to deal with whatever comes and a hospital emergency preparedness administrator to create that plan and put it into action when necessary.

Hospital emergency preparedness administrators are generally responsible for developing emergency response programs and training staff – including emergency room doctors, trauma surgeons, registered nurses, nurse assistants and other healthcare personnel – on what to do in an emergency situation. Unfortunately, even the best training exercises may not be enough to fully prepare a hospital and its staff for a real-life emergency situation. When a crisis happens, a hospital emergency preparedness administrator heads the response efforts, clarifying what work needs to be done when and by whom.

According to Zippia.com, the average salary for hospital emergency preparedness administrators in 2022 was $71,329.

7. Emergency Management Specialist

Emergency management specialist is a general job title that suggests a non-leadership role in the emergency management field. An emergency management specialist may work for any type of employer – a federal or local government entity, a medical facility, a nonprofit organization, an emergency management consulting agency or a business of any kind that is likely to require such assistance.

Emergency management specialists perform tasks like planning procedures for responding to different kinds of emergencies, coordinating emergency management training exercises and coordinating the activities needed to respond to a disaster or crisis. While this role may sound similar to that of an emergency and disaster management director, specialist positions are typically not as high-level as director positions.

For workers with the job title of emergency management specialist, PayScale.com reported an average salary of $64,183 in 2022.

8. Public Information Officer

After any type of emergency, getting accurate information out to the public in a prompt, accessible way is critical for fending off other complications that could exacerbate the situation. Poor communication surrounding any kind of emergency can contribute to panic responses from the public that only make things worse or to the spread of misinformation that, once believed, can be difficult to replace with more accurate information.

A public information officer is an emergency management professional who is responsible for the communications that pertain to the emergency. This person communicates with the public and the media, as well as with other collaborators involved in the emergency response plan.

For public information officers, PayScale.com reported an average annual salary of $59,020 as of 2022.

9. Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), or Paramedic

If your drive to make a difference in the face of disasters is even stronger, you might consider training for emergency medical personnel roles. As an emergency medical technician (EMT), a paramedic or flight paramedic or another Emergency Medical Services (EMS) worker, you can save lives and help the seriously injured on a daily basis.

An emergency management degree certainly won’t hurt your prospects of becoming an EMT or paramedic, but you need particular training – often from a non-degree program – to get certified in this emergency services role. EMT programs are some of the fastest ways to prepare for a career that involves providing medical intervention to patients. Although you won’t perform all the same complex work as, say, an emergency room physician, you can often complete an EMT program in under a year, compared to the four years of medical school and three to four years of residency training that an aspiring physician would require.

EMTs and paramedics aren’t the only types of emergency responders and first responders who can benefit from completing coursework in an emergency management degree program. Having this background can also help aspiring firefighters and law enforcement officers. Like EMTs and paramedics, firefighters and police officers need additional training beyond an emergency management degree. Firefighters typically complete months of training at a fire academy, while law enforcement officers train at a police academy.

RELATED: The 10 Best Online Fire Science Degree Bachelor’s Programs

For EMTs and paramedics, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median salary of only $36,930, and just one in 10 EMTs and paramedics reported earnings above $60,000. Being an EMT isn’t going to make you rich, at least not in a financial sense, but many workers in these rewarding careers feel a true calling to help people in need.

10. IT Incident Manager

Not all emergencies take place in the real, physical world. Digital emergencies like cybercrime and major system malfunctions can lead to real-world consequences.

Several jobs in the field of emergency preparedness and management pertain to the field of information technology (IT). Addressing IT emergencies may require a different set of technical skills than intervening in natural disasters or large-scale acts of violence, but in many ways, the focus of this career path is the same as in other areas of emergency management: plan for crisis situations, assess the emergency and implement strategies to minimize the consequences. At lower levels, individuals in this field may work as incident analysts or incident response analysts, while workers in more advanced roles may hold titles like incident manager or incident response manager.

RELATED: What Degree Do I Need to Be an Information Technology Specialist?

Although we have saved IT incident management jobs for last on our list, the reason isn’t lackluster earning potential. In fact, PayScale.com reported the average annual salary for incident managers as $90,624, making it the most lucrative job title on our list.

However, just because this role boasts the highest salary doesn’t mean it’s what many aspiring emergency management professionals think of when they envision working in this field. The job is important and involves less risk to the worker’s physical safety, but if you want to get involved in providing hands-on disaster relief, you’re likely to find it less fulfilling. Additionally, IT-focused emergency management roles will typically require more extensive studies in IT or computer science than you can expect to complete in the average emergency management degree program.

How to Become an Emergency Management Professional

For any emergency management job, some amount of training will be required. Relevant training opportunities may involve college coursework and a formal emergency management degree program, a formal training program or informal on-the-job training – or some combination of these methods of career preparation. For any of these top careers in the field, pursuing a degree in emergency management will only improve your employment prospects.

Degrees in Emergency Management

What degree level is needed to work in an emergency management career? An associate’s degree in emergency management may be sufficient for entry-level jobs and junior-level roles in the field, such as technician roles and emergency services associate positions. Additionally, you might opt to earn an emergency management degree at this level of study in preparation for applying to law enforcement jobs or while completing the non-degree training required to get certified as an EMT.

If you want to do more in the field of emergency management, you may need to pursue a higher degree level. A bachelor’s degree in emergency management is a solid choice for most of the career path possibilities in this field. Having a bachelor’s degree in emergency management will qualify you for a wide variety of emergency manager job titles, and O*NET reported a bachelor’s degree as the most widely required level of education needed for the occupation. A bachelor’s degree in emergency management not only covers the foundations of the field in greater depth but may also allow students to pursue advanced studies in areas of specialization, such as disaster relief, public safety, homeland security, fire science, law enforcement and child protection.

RELATED: What Are Some of the Degree Choices in Emergency Management?

Students interested in high-level roles – with job titles like “manager” and “director” instead of “officer” – may benefit from pursuing a higher degree level, like a master’s degree in emergency management. Graduate-level emergency management degrees aren’t uncommon, and O*NET reported that 20% of respondents questioned listed a master’s degree in emergency management as the level of education required to work as an emergency management director. Even if it isn’t strictly required for the career in emergency management you’re seeking, pursuing a master’s degree in emergency management or another relevant advanced degree may give you a competitive edge. 

In addition to your coursework in the classroom, the curriculum of an emergency management degree at the bachelor’s or master’s degree level may include field experience, clinical or practicum training and internships. It’s also possible to earn an emergency management degree online.

Getting Certification From Professional Organizations in Emergency Management

Academic programs like bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in emergency management programs aren’t the only considerations for maximizing your employment opportunities in this field. Joining and seeking certification from a professional organization in the field of emergency management can also help you advance your career. Professional organizations often offer educational and networking events that can help you increase your knowledge and skills and get more involved in the emergency management community.

Having this additional knowledge and developing these skills and connections can be valuable in a real emergency situation when you may need to collaborate with different disaster relief agencies or call in experts in related areas, such as a hazard analysis coordinator experienced in hazardous material management, a hurricane program specialist or a geographer.

If you want your involvement in a professional organization to help you qualify for new emergency management positions in a more substantive way, you should pursue formal credentials and designations. For example, the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) offers the Associate Emergency Manager (AEM) and Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) credentials, while the Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRI) offers certifications in cyber resilience, risk management and continuity in specific areas like healthcare and the public sector.

Education and Training Beyond an Emergency Management Degree

A degree in emergency management may make sense for any of the occupations listed above, but for some careers related to handling emergency situations, you need other training or specialized education. For example, majoring in emergency management isn’t enough to prepare you to work as an emergency room physician, although you could choose this undergraduate major – complete with sufficient science coursework – in preparation for applying to medical school.

RELATED: What Should You Know Before You Interview for a Job With a Degree in Emergency Management?

Engineering is another example of emergency management-related careers that require a different education. As professional problem-solvers, engineers often play a role in handling emergencies, such as by designing and developing solutions to the problems posed by emergencies such as natural disasters. To work in any kind of engineering role, you need to study the foundations of engineering design and the principles of science and mathematics that inform engineering practice. An engineer may benefit from double-majoring or minoring in emergency management but should also pursue an ABET-accredited engineering degree.

Choosing an Emergency Management Program

Emergency management, disaster preparedness and public safety degree programs train emergency personnel to work in these and related fields of study. Many schools now offer emergency management programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Choosing a school for an emergency management degree program isn’t easy. Prospective students should undertake a comprehensive school search that includes researching school rankings, curriculum requirements, concentration and elective course options, learning formats (in-person or online), completion time and cost and financial aid, just to name a few factors.

Related Resources: 

What Are the 5 Best Careers in Environmental Science?

Best Paying Jobs With a Geography Degree

The post Top 10 Jobs with a Degree in Emergency Management appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

What to Know About Online Degree Programs

The first thing you should know about pursuing a college degree online is that, while convenient, online courses aren’t “easy.” Students of legitimate, accredited online colleges need to meet the same sorts of admission and graduation requirements as students attending classes on campus.

For example, you need a high school diploma or a GED to be accepted into most online programs. In the best online degree programs, you will take the same rigorous coursework as on-campus students take. The only difference is that you complete your coursework in an online format, often on your own schedule and from anywhere in the world.

Another fact students should be aware of is that online learning isn’t always cheaper than studying on campus. Tuition for online degree programs certainly can be cheaper, especially if you are looking at institutions where you will be charged a higher out-of-state tuition rate. However, that’s not always the case. For many online students, the biggest source of savings isn’t the direct cost of tuition and fees but rather not having to live on campus or commute to school.

Finally, prospective online students need to be particularly vigilant about choosing accredited schools and programs to avoid investing their time and money in a degree that turns out to be worthless. Students should look for colleges and universities that are accredited by one of the seven regional accrediting organizations recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA):

1. The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) Western Association of Schools and Colleges

2. The Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

3. The New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)

4. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

5. The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

6. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

7. The WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)

Aside from the regional accreditation status of the school as a whole, students should consider programmatic accreditation, or accreditation of individual degree programs. Programmatic accreditation is particularly important for degrees in certain subjects.

For example, students pursuing a degree in any branch of engineering should ideally choose a program accredited by ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Earning an engineering degree from a program that isn’t ABET-accredited may prevent you from getting licensed later in your career. On the other hand, programmatic accreditation in degree programs that typically don’t lead to licensure is nice to have – because it demonstrates that the program meets high standards set by external organizations – but is less critical.

How Much Money Can Graduates of Online Programs Earn?

It’s true that virtually all of the highest-paying occupations in America, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), require more than a typical, fully online education. That’s because the vast majority of the most lucrative jobs in America are medical doctors in different areas of specialty or jobs – like nurse anesthetist or airline pilot – that otherwise require extensive clinical or hands-on training.

There are currently no fully online medical (MD or DO) degree programs that lead to licensure in the United States. While there are online degree programs in nurse anesthesia and aviation, these programs include a great deal of hands-on experience – clinical hours and flight hours – that you must complete in person.

RELATED: What Is the Difference Between an Anesthesiologist vs Nurse Anesthetist?

Still, online degree programs can put students on the path to a diverse array of lucrative jobs, many of which are in high demand. Some graduates of online degree programs even go on to eventually make upwards of six figures, and many earn salaries equal to or above the median annual salary for all occupations across the United States.

If you want to maximize your earning potential with an online education, you need to think carefully about your choice of college major. Certain programs of study are both closely connected to high-paying jobs and easily transferrable to online learning practices. These programs are the best online degrees to consider when it comes to salary potential.

What Are the 20 Highest-Paying Online Degrees?

Generally speaking, the highest-paying online degree programs tend to fit into either the field of business or STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects that don’t require a great deal of clinical experience. Management positions offer particularly high earning potential.

While most of the highest-paid positions you can get with online degrees require at least a bachelor’s degree, if not a master’s degree, some online programs at the associate’s degree level can also offer exceptional earning potential.

Below are 20 of the online programs with the highest earning potential.

1. Management Science

The more responsibility you hold in an organization, the higher your earning potential. As such, management skills are particularly valuable if you want to boost your salary. A degree in management science will prepare you for a breadth of different management positions.

These leadership-focused degrees can help you move up in the world of business administration or build upon your skills in another technical or specialized area so that you can take on a management role within your field. Coursework in master’s degree programs in management science commonly includes:

• organizational leadership in business operations and operations management
• methods of business analytics and data analysis

Some master’s degree programs in management science are more STEM-oriented, while others focus on business leadership skills more generally.

A master’s degree in management science can help you move into management positions of all kinds. Management roles in different occupations each have their own sets of distinct job duties and corresponding earning potential. In general, though, management occupations as a whole had the highest median annual salary of all occupational groups in 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The median salary for all management roles amounted to $102,450.

The more senior or more specialized your role in management, the greater your earning potential. One less specialized – yet lucrative – group of management roles to look at is top executive, which according to the BLS encompasses both chief executives and operations managers.

In an operations or general manager position, you will typically focus more on the routine leadership and administration tasks that keep your organization running productively. Chief executive roles tend to involve more focus on strategic planning and determining the larger direction of the organization.

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Operations managers, general managers, chief executives, STEM managers and top executives

Median Earning Potential: $97,970 (for general and operations managers) to $179,520 (for chief executives)

2. Computer Science

If you’ve got strong computer skills or an interest in computer technology, you’re in luck. Several of the most lucrative jobs available to online college graduates are roles in the computer science or information technology field.

Computer science is a broad field related to computer technology that encompasses the theory, design and development of computers and computer programs. Online students of computer science focus more on computational theory than their peers in related areas like computer engineering and more on the design of networks, operating systems and software programs than their peers in the computer information technology or computer information systems fields.

Online degrees in computer science and related fields of study exist at both the bachelor’s degree and master’s degree levels. Among the areas you might study when pursuing online degrees in computer science are:

• algorithms
• computer programming languages
• artificial intelligence
• software development
• computer systems and networks
• cybersecurity
• databases
• numerical data analysis

RELATED: What Is the Benefit of a Degree in Cybersecurity vs. Network Security?

The median annual salary the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported for jobs in the computer and information technology field as of 2022 was $85,000.

Computer science management positions are some of the highest-paying roles you can get with this online degree. For computer and information systems managers, the BLS reported a median annual salary of $159,010 as of 2021.

It isn’t only management roles in computer science that pay well. Jobs that require strong analytical skills, too, tend to be lucrative. For example, the median salary the BLS reported for the computer systems analyst occupation as of 2021 was just barely shy of the six-figure range.

A computer systems analyst typically performs more analytical and technical work than professionals in computer and information systems management roles, whose work more commonly emphasizes managing computer-related projects and overseeing an organization’s computer technology workforce.

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Computer systems analysts, chief technology officers and other computer and information systems managers

Median Earning Potential: $99,270 (for computer systems analysts) to $159,010 (for computer and information systems managers)

3. Computer Information Technology

If you’re more interested in the practical applications of computer technology than the theoretical underpinnings of computer science, information technology (IT) may be a better fit for you.

Work in the field of information technology tends to emphasize the selection, installation and troubleshooting of existing computer technologies for practical purposes. As a computer information technology professional, you’re likely to be involved in setting up and configuring computer networks and systems to meet an organization’s technological needs rather than designing new hardware components or software programs yourself.

RELATED: What Degree Do I Need to Be a Computer Technician?

If you want to focus your online education more narrowly, you might consider majoring in computer information systems rather than information technology. Computer information systems emphasizes the use of computer technology for business purposes. Online degree programs in computer information systems management typically include more business coursework along with coursework in computers and information systems.

This background, like a degree in computer science, can prepare students to eventually advance to high-level management roles with lucrative median salaries. Earning potential for non-management roles in this field is still high, although perhaps not as high as roles that fit under the domain of computer science. For the job of computer systems administrator, for example, the BLS reported a median salary in the $80,000 range.

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Computer systems administrators, IT directors, chief information officers, and other types of computer and information systems managers

Median Earning Potential: $80,600 (for network and computer systems administrators) to $159,010 for IT directors, chief information officers and other types of computer and information systems managers

4. Computer Engineering

Another field with a great deal of overlap with computer science is computer engineering, which is essentially the application of engineering design principles to computer systems. Computer engineers design and develop computer hardware (physical components) and software (programs). Although their designs are informed by the principles and practices of math and science, computer engineers focus less on theory and more on practical design applications.

In a computer engineering online bachelor’s degree program, students will typically complete core coursework in general engineering as well as classes more specific to their major. Computer engineering is a subfield within electrical and electronics engineering.

Many online degree programs in computer engineering introduce students to the principles and practices of both computer hardware engineering and software engineering. Students interested in computer hardware engineering would pursue more coursework in areas like:

• computer hardware
• computer architecture
• microprocessor systems
• circuit boards and other components

For students interested in software engineering, courses in common computer programming languages and writing computer algorithms, including the programming of artificial intelligence software, are more relevant.

Both hardware engineering and software development are lucrative fields, although skilled hardware engineers report a slightly higher median annual salary than software engineering professionals, according to data from the BLS.

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Computer software developer, software engineer and computer hardware engineer

Median Earning Potential: $120,730 (for computer software engineers and developers) to $128,170 (for computer hardware engineers)

5. Electrical and Electronics Engineering

Computers are far from the only aspects of electrical and electronics engineering that you can pursue through an online program. The field of electrical engineering encompasses computers and much more, from electric motors and power generation equipment to communications equipment and navigation equipment.

In electrical and electronics engineering degree programs, students complete courses in information and signals, the foundations and applications of electric and electronic circuits and digital logic design. Often, students pursuing an online bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering have the opportunity to focus on a specific area of application, such as:

• energy, optics and photonics
• electronic devices
• security
• privacy
• circuits and systems

Electrical and electronics engineering is a lucrative branch of engineering, with a median salary at or above the $100,000 mark for engineers who hold at least a bachelor’s degree. Even at the associate’s degree level, an online degree program in electrical engineering can offer considerable earning potential.

RELATED: Top 10 Paying Jobs With an Associate’s Degree

An associate’s degree in electrical engineering technology can qualify you to work as an electrical and electronic engineering technologist or technician. The median annual salary for electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians in 2021 was $63,640, the BLS reported. That’s a considerable increase over the $963 per week, or $50,076 per year, that the BLS reported as the median earnings for American workers with only an associate’s degree.

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Electrical engineering technicians or technologists, electrical engineers and electronics engineers

Median Earning Potential: $63,640 (for electrical engineering technician or technologist) to $100,420 (for electrical engineers) and $104,820 (for electronics engineers)

6. Petroleum Engineering

A non-management median salary of over $130 with only a bachelor’s degree? It may sound too good to be true, but that’s what you can expect when you leverage your online college education to become a petroleum engineer.

As the name suggests, petroleum engineers apply science-based principles of engineering design to the petroleum industry, and particularly to safely and efficiently extracting oil and gas deposits from the Earth. Some of the common jobs in petroleum engineering, according to the BLS, include:

• drilling engineers
• completions engineers
• production engineers
• reservoir engineers

In an online program in petroleum engineering, students learn about the properties of reservoir rock and petroleum fluid and the practices of logging, testing and completing the construction of wells. Lecture and laboratory work, which may be done online using simulators, allow students to grasp the principles and practices of drilling engineering, production engineering and reservoir engineering.

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Petroleum engineers

Median Earning Potential: $130,850 (for petroleum engineers) to $165,480 (for petroleum engineers working in management)

7. Aerospace Engineering

Online programs in aerospace engineering, the application of engineering design principles to aircraft and spacecraft, are more popular at the master’s degree level than the bachelor’s degree level. Depending on which aspect of the field a student chooses to pursue after they complete their undergraduate degree, they may become aeronautical engineers, who design aircraft and related components, or astronautical engineers, who design spacecraft.

Students pursuing a master’s degree in aerospace engineering take courses in flight dynamics, rocket propulsion, orbital mechanics, space systems and airfoil and wing theory. They also build on their existing knowledge of mechanics and dynamics acquired during their undergraduate studies with intermediate to advanced coursework in fluid mechanics, dynamics and quantum mechanics.

With a median annual salary above $120,000, according to the BLS, aerospace engineering is among the highest-paying engineering fields. If your goal is to take online courses that allow you to make six figures even without advancing to a management role, aerospace engineering could be the degree for you.

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Aerospace engineer

Median Earning Potential: $122,270 (for aerospace engineers overall) to $128,020 (for aerospace engineers working in scientific research and development)

8. Chemical Engineering

Another engineering discipline with a median annual salary in the six-figure range, according to the BLS, is chemical engineering. Chemical engineers apply engineering principles to solutions and innovations that pertain to chemicals – materials, processes, manufacturing equipment, safe operations procedures for facilities and more.

Many online programs for chemical engineers are offered at the graduate level as an opportunity for working professionals in the field to develop advanced skills. Online students pursuing a master’s degree in chemical engineering will commonly take classes in areas like:

• chemical engineering analysis
• biochemical engineering
• advanced transport phenomena
• advanced thermodynamics
• chemical reaction engineering
• chemical engineering process modeling
• bioseparations
• polymer science
• materials processing

A few colleges and universities offer online undergraduate degrees in chemical engineering. In an online bachelor’s degree program in chemical engineering, students can expect to complete core engineering studies, general education coursework and major-specific classes in this discipline of engineering. Major coursework for aspiring chemical engineers may include:

• fundamentals of chemical engineering
• chemical product design
• chemical engineering thermodynamics
• chemical engineering reactor design
• transport phenomena
• process dynamics and control
• experimental design

Students should be aware that some online bachelor’s degree programs in chemical engineering require on-campus laboratory work – typically condensed into a short residency period of one to two weeks during the summer – even if the rest of the coursework is conducted online. For example, three major-specific laboratory courses in the University of North Dakota‘s online Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering program must be completed in person, while other laboratory coursework may be completed online.

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Chemical engineers

Median Earning Potential: $105,550 (for chemical engineers overall) to $152,430 (for chemical engineers working in the engineering services industry)

9. Biomedical Engineering

Taking online classes in biomedical engineering can prepare you to make a difference and a near-six-figure median salary. Biomedical engineers apply engineering principles – including the principles of all major engineering disciplines, from chemical and electrical to mechanical – to the development of healthcare solutions and innovations.

RELATED: Highest Paying Jobs With a Biology Degree – Degrees in Biology – Majors & Careers

As you might expect, skilled biomedical engineers – and their life-changing and often life-saving breakthroughs – are in high demand. The BLS predicts that job opportunities for bioengineers and biomedical engineers will grow by a faster than average rate of 10% between 2021 and 2031.

Online bachelor’s degree programs in biomedical engineering are interdisciplinary programs that bring together foundational coursework in areas like:

• electrical engineering
• mechanical engineering
• chemical engineering

Also, specialized coursework in:

• biomedical engineering problems
• biomedical instrumentation
• biochemical engineering
• biomaterials processing
• biomedical imaging

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Biomedical engineer

Median Earning Potential: $97,410 (for chemical engineers overall) to $108,690 (for chemical engineers working in the electromedical instruments manufacturing industry)

10. Engineering Management

Engineering roles as a whole are lucrative, but the highest-paying engineering careers are in the field of engineering management. Engineering managers earned a median annual salary above $150,000 as of 2021, according to the BLS. Engineering managers work in all disciplines of engineering, performing job duties such as project management and planning, hiring and supervising engineers and taking projects from concept to completion.

Online degrees in engineering management are most commonly found at the graduate level. Although you can become an engineering manager with only a bachelor’s degree, you also need considerable work experience as an established engineer. Becoming an engineer in the first place requires a bachelor’s degree in some discipline of engineering, so online students in an engineering management program typically already have a bachelor’s degree.

In online master’s degree programs in engineering management, students take classes in:

• engineering decision-making
• engineering economics
• strategic risk management
• project management
• facilities management
• systems in engineering management
• skills for managing engineering teams
• engineering law and ethics

Notably, unlike a Master of Science (MS) degree in any branch of engineering, the focus of a Master of Engineering Management (MEM) degree is less on developing technical skills and more on cultivating the skills and knowledge needed to successfully manage people and projects in the technical area of engineering design.

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Engineering manager, engineering program manager, project engineering manager, engineering director

Median Earning Potential: $152,350 (for architectural and engineering managers overall) to $187,240 (for engineering managers working in the scientific research and development services industry)

11. Construction Management

Related to the role of engineering manager is construction manager. A construction manager’s job is to plan and supervise a construction project – such as building a residential home, a development of residential homes, an industrial complex or a bridge – from start to finish. Although you may not think of construction as being a high-paying field, the median annual salary for construction management roles amounted to nearly six figures in 2021, according to the BLS.

In online bachelor’s degree programs in construction management, students typically begin their major coursework by studying the fundamentals of the construction industry. More specialized coursework includes construction project management and administration, planning and scheduling for construction projects, construction cost accounting and finance, building construction systems and codes, project building systems, building energy systems for construction managers and construction safety.

RELATED: Architect vs Engineer: What Is the Benefit of an Engineering Degree Over an Architecture Degree?

In addition to their major coursework in construction management, students pursuing this online bachelor’s degree should expect to complete general education courses in a variety of subjects.

An online education in construction management is a particularly good choice for experienced carpenters, masonry contractors and other construction workers who don’t yet have a bachelor’s degree. A bachelor’s degree is considered the minimum entry-level education for most construction manager roles, according to the BLS. By choosing an online education program to pursue their bachelor’s degree, experienced contractors can better balance work and their studies so that they can eventually advance to a management role.

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: construction managers, general contractors, construction project managers

Median Earning Potential: $98,890 (for construction managers overall) to $100,260 (for construction managers working in nonresidential building construction) and $100,310 (for construction managers working in heavy and civil engineering construction)

12. Business Administration

Online degree programs in business administration are popular at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Business administration is one of the best online degrees for its versatility. Generally, a degree program in business administration – whether offered at the bachelor’s degree or master’s degree level – encompasses core business studies across disciplines within the field of business as well as focused coursework in an area of concentration.

Two common online education programs in the field of business administration are the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and the Master of Business Administration (MBA).

A bachelor’s degree in business administration can prepare you for entry-level positions in the field of business. Through your bachelor’s degree curriculum in business administration, you will learn the basics of business practices and build knowledge of business operations and the foundations of accounting, finance and financial management, marketing and business communications.

Elective courses in a business administration bachelor’s degree program might include international business and project management. Like other bachelor’s degree programs, BBA online programs typically take four years to complete.

In a Master of Business Administration program, students complete more advanced coursework in these areas. Core coursework in an online MBA program might include graduate-level studies in:

• quantitative business analysis
• managerial accounting
• information management
• international business economics
• management of teams and human capital
• marketing management
• supply chain management

Most full-time online MBA programs can be completed in two years. However, some master’s degree programs in business are accelerated, allowing for completion in as little as one year, while others are structured on a part-time basis that takes longer to complete.

One aspect that makes business administration ones of the best online degrees is the program’s ability to prepare students for a variety of high-paying roles. In the business field, some of the potential jobs you could find with this online education include:

• accountant
• management analyst
• financial manager
• marketing manager
• human resources manager
• chief executive

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Accountants, Management analysts, financial managers and chief executives

Median Earning Potential: $77,250 (for accountants) and $93,000 (for management analysts) to $131,710 (for financial managers) and $179,520 (for chief executives)

13. Finance

Business administration is the broad field of business study, but majoring in one of the subfields within business can be just as lucrative, if not more so. One of the most lucrative subfields of business you can study is finance, the area of business concerned with the management and growth of wealth.

Even non-management roles in finance, including in areas like financial analysis and personal financial management, have median salaries that approach the six-figure range, according to the BLS. The best-paying positions fit into the financial manager occupation.

Financial manager roles encompass jobs like controller, finance officer and treasurer, the BLS reported, and the median salary for these roles was more than $130,000 in 2021. A financial manager doesn’t necessarily need an advanced degree but typically does need at least five years of relevant work experience, the BLS reported.

In an online bachelor’s degree program in finance, students typically take courses in:

• financial analysis
• corporate finance
• international finance
• the foundations of financial management
• intermediate financial management
• financial markets and investment
• portfolio analysis

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Personal financial advisors, financial analysts, Financial managers, controllers, treasurers, finance officers, credit managers and cash managers

Median Earning Potential:
$94,170 (for personal financial advisers) and $95,570 (for financial analysts) to $131,710 (for financial managers overall) and $158,820 (for financial managers employed in the management of companies and enterprise industry)

14. Human Resource Management

Human resources isn’t one of the more lucrative areas of business, particularly at the non-management level, but skilled workers in this area are in high demand. Human resources manager roles are the most lucrative, with a median salary – $126,230 – that more than doubles the $62,290 median annual salary the BLS reported for HR specialists in 2021.

RELATED: What Salary Can I Expect With a Human Resources Management Degree?

The field of HR is concerned with building and maintaining an organization’s workforce. Human resources specialists are involved in recruiting, hiring, and training workers, as well as resolving interpersonal conflicts among workers or between workers and management and overseeing efforts to retain employees. In some organizations, particularly smaller companies, human resources personnel are also involved in payroll and benefits administration.

Human resource management roles still prioritize the building and maintenance of the company’s workforce, but human resources managers focus more on overseeing an organization’s HR department and its efforts. HR managers supervise the work of human resources specialists and generalists while also working closely with senior management.

“Several” years of human resources work experience, along with a bachelor’s degree (and, for some roles, a master’s degree), are required for most HR manager jobs, the BLS reported.

In an online HR management program of study, students take classes in:

• the introductory concepts of human resources management
• employment law
• staffing and recruitment
• training and development
• compensation and benefits
• organizational development
• global HR management

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Human resources specialist, human resources generalist, human resources manager, human resources director

Median Earning Potential: $62,290 (for human resources specialists overall) and $76,920 (for human resources specialists in the professional, scientific and technical services) to $126,230 (for human resources managers)

15. Supply Chain Management

An online bachelor’s degree program in supply chain management prepares students for work in planning and coordinating the logistics of procuring, manufacturing and transporting materials for an organization.

Not all jobs in supply chain management are actually management roles. Rather, recent graduates of supply chain management programs often start out as logisticians, who focus on the flow of movement of the materials an organization needs and on the storage of those materials. Supply chain managers, on the other hand, oversee the supply chain more broadly, including but not limited to the logistics that a logistician coordinates.

Students in an online bachelor’s degree program in supply chain management typically study:

• logistics management
• supply chain strategy
• global supply operations and management
• business decision models
• planning and control systems for supply chain management
• lean and quality management
• research and negotiation

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Logisticians, supply chain managers and supply chain directors

Median Earning Potential: $77,030 (for logisticians overall) and $88,710 (for logisticians employed by the federal government) to $98,230 (for supply chain managers)

16. Marketing

Marketing is the area of business that refers to promoting a company or product. There are many aspects of work in business marketing, from the quantitative market research side to the creative side of crafting marketing messages and advertising campaigns.

The most lucrative roles in marketing are marketing management positions. A marketing manager oversees marketing efforts and personnel in the marketing department. Marketing managers may be involved in everything from identifying products and services to develop or expand and estimating the market and demand for these offerings to the development and implementation of marketing campaigns for these offerings. For marketing managers as a whole, the BLS reported a median salary above $135,000.

Among non-management roles in marketing, market research analyst is among the best-paying career paths. Market research analysts are concerned with the statistical analysis of data pertaining to business markets. By researching consumer needs, purchasing habits and attitudes, as well as competitors’ offerings and methods, market research analysts can provide insight on how (and whether) to develop, price and promote a company’s goods and services.

The median salary for a market research analyst is less than half of that of a marketing manager, the BLS reported.

Online students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in marketing will likely take courses in:

• marketing principles
• marketing strategy
• marketing research and consumer behavior
• business strategy
• business writing
• management concepts

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Market research analysts and marketing managers

Median Earning Potential: $63,920 (for market research analysts overall) and $79,640 (for market research analysts employed in management) to $135,030 (for marketing managers overall) and $155,470 (for marketing managers in the Professional, scientific and technical services industry)

17. Healthcare Administration

Many of the most lucrative careers in America are in the medical and healthcare industry, but roles like physician, physician assistant and nurse practitioner require a great deal of in-person clinical work. One of the best online degrees for working in healthcare facilities is healthcare administration.

This bachelor’s degree or master’s degree program emphasizes the development of both general and specialized knowledge to apply business administration principles and practices to the unique environment of healthcare facilities, the BLS reported.

Students in a healthcare administration program take classes like:

• health care policy and economics
• finance for health care
• information systems for health care
• strategic planning for health care
• organization and management for health care
• operational analysis
• quality improvement in health care
• health care leadership and ethics

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Healthcare administrators and healthcare executives

Median Earning Potential: $101,340 (for medical and health services managers overall) to $119,450 (for health administrators employed by hospitals)

18. Actuarial Science

Our list of the best online degrees has included numerous programs in science, technology and engineering, but there’s still the “M” in STEM: mathematics. Actuarial science is a field at the intersection of mathematics and business that focuses on the statistical and mathematical calculation of risk.

Actuary is a high-paid career with a six-figure median salary, and for a good reason. Becoming an actuary isn’t easy. Not only do actuaries perform complex mathematical calculations, but they also must pass a sequence of difficult professional certification exams over the course of their career, the BLS reported. A less challenging (although also less lucrative) career path you could pursue with a background in actuarial science is insurance underwriter, for which the BLS reported a median salary in the mid-$70,000 range.

In an online actuarial science program, students should be prepared to take a great deal of math coursework, including a sequence of calculus courses and studies in linear algebra and differential equations. Major coursework for actuarial science students blends math and business studies, with classes in:

• financial mathematics
• probability
• financial statistics
• business finance
• financial and managerial accounting

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Insurance underwriters and actuaries

Median Earning Potential: $76,390 (for insurance underwriters) to $105,900 (for actuaries overall) and $110,590 (for actuaries employed by the government)

19. Mathematics or Statistics

Actuarial science isn’t the only practical application of a mathematics education. If you’re interested in math, you can earn a surprisingly lucrative salary with an online mathematics or statistics degree. Mathematicians earn a median salary in the six-figure range, and statisticians earn almost six figures, the BLS reported.

If you major in mathematics or statistics as an online student, your major coursework will, obviously, be very math heavy.

Mathematics majors take a series of calculus courses along with classes in linear and modern algebra, abstract mathematics, mathematical models and real analysis. They are encouraged to take elective courses in areas such as:

• differential equations
• statistical techniques
• geometry
• number theory and topology
• computational methods
• finance

Statistics majors focus less on areas like calculus and algebra in their major coursework and more on methods of statistical analysis and their underlying concepts. An online statistics degree program might cover introductory coursework in mathematical statistics, probability theory, regression methods, experimental design and variance analysis and methods of statistical consulting. Popular electives among statistics majors include:

• statistical analysis system programming using languages like R and Python
• applications of statistical methods to data management, epidemiological research, clinical trials and genomics

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Statisticians and mathematicians

Median Earning Potential: $95,570 (for statisticians overall) and $108,100 (for mathematicians overall) to $114,770 (for statisticians employed in the scientific research and development industry) and $129,800 (for mathematicians employed in the professional, scientific and technical services industry)

20. Environmental Science

Rounding out our list of 20 high-paying online programs is an interdisciplinary STEM subject that allows graduates to make a difference in the world around them. Environmental science encompasses all aspects of the scientific study of the environment and the development of scientific solutions to environmental problems, including pollution and climate change.

RELATED: What Are the 5 Best Careers in Environmental Science?

Most online environmental science programs require students to build a background in the foundations of biology, chemistry, physics, math and statistics. Major coursework builds upon this basic science background in areas like:

• natural environmental systems
• ecology
• soil science and geology
• hydrology
• environmental policy
• environmental management
• environmental ethics

RELATED: Top 10 Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Environmental Science

High-Paying Jobs With This Online Degree: Environmental scientists, climate change analysts, industrial ecologists and environmental chemists

Median Earning Potential: $76,530 (for environmental scientists overall) to $103,530 (for environmental scientists working for the federal government)

Where Can You Work With an Online Education?

As you can see from our list of the best online degrees, online education prepares students for a variety of different fields and levels of seniority. New graduates without extensive work experience can use their online degrees to land their first entry-level positions in a field that requires a college education. As they gain experience, these professionals can advance to roles where they have more responsibility and, in turn, a higher earning potential.

For established professionals, online degrees can allow for career advancement without having to leave the workforce. This may be the case for workers who have experience in a technical area but no formal college degree or only a minimal level of study, such as an associate’s degree. Taking online classes offers working professionals in fields like engineering, construction, computer technology and business an opportunity to develop skills in leadership and project management while continuing to thrive where they are. That’s why many of the best online degrees are master’s degree programs.

Because graduates of online degree programs work in different fields and at different levels of seniority, the industries and environments where they may find work are almost limitless. Many graduates of online programs work for for-profit businesses in a variety of industries, including engineering services, the finance and insurance industry, construction and manufacturing. Some graduates of online education programs work for government agencies or nonprofit organizations. Your job opportunities with an online education are plentiful, and where you take your career depends on what you want to do.

For Further Reading:

What Degree Do I Need to Be a Policy Analyst?

What Degree Do I Need to Be an Intelligence Analyst?

The post Top 20 Highest-Paying Online Degrees appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

What Is a Degree in Environmental Science?

Environmental science is an interdisciplinary area of work and study that applies the principles and practices of sciences like biology, physics and geography to the natural environment. Environmental problems and the search for effective, often innovative solutions are critical parts of the field of environmental science.

Degrees in environmental science are college-level programs of study with curricula that are dedicated to the field of environmental science. Naturally, an online environmental science bachelor’s degree will include plenty of environmental science courses that cover topics ranging from environmental theory to practices of environmental sustainability and renewable energy generation. Environmental science degrees exist at every level, from associate’s through doctoral degree programs.

RELATED: The 20 Easiest Online Bachelor’s Degrees

Not all degree programs related to environmental studies are environmental science degree programs. Our list of the best online environmental science bachelor’s degree programs includes traditional environmental science degrees as well as degrees in environmental sustainability, environmental policy, environmental geosciences, environmental management and environmental studies.

RELATED: What Is a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies?

Although our list doesn’t include any programs in the field of environmental engineering, which is a subfield of the civil engineering discipline, this design-focused major, too, is worth considering for prospective students who want to develop practical solutions to environmental issues.

Any program related to environmental science will include some science coursework. However, programs with slightly different titles may allow students to focus on distinct areas of interest, such as public policy or sustainable resource management.

What Can You Do With a Degree From an Environmental Science Program?

Because the curriculum of bachelor’s in environmental science degrees tends to be interdisciplinary in nature, environmental science graduates can work in any area that pertains to studying, preserving, protecting or restoring the environment. Land management, renewable energy sources and environmental hazards are among the more popular fields an environmental scientist might pursue.

Some areas of environmental studies may require a more advanced degree beyond the bachelor’s. For example, if you are interested in environmental law, you might major in environmental science as an undergraduate before going to law school to qualify as an environmental lawyer.

RELATED: How Advanced a Degree Do I Need for a Career in Environmental Science?

An environmental scientist or specialist might work in nature centers, nonprofit agencies, environmental consulting firms, research laboratories, government agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the health and safety field.

RELATED: What Are the 5 Best Careers in Environmental Science?

Which School Offers the Best Online Environmental Science Degree?

Today, online environmental science degrees, as well as degree programs in similar fields of study, are common at four-year colleges and universities. Environmental issues like climate change, finite natural resources and the need for effective pollution management efforts have brought attention to the need for knowledgeable environmental scientists, planners, conservationists, managers and policymakers.

Online environmental science bachelor’s degrees offer students of environmental science convenience and flexibility. Studying online is a particularly good option for working students, adult students going back to school and students juggling family and other obligations.

What to Look for in Online Environmental Science Degree Programs

With so many excellent environmental science degree programs available in online formats, how do you determine which ones are the best? To compile our list of the best online environmental science programs, we looked primarily at four criteria.

The Quality of the Curriculum

Most importantly, we evaluated the curriculum of each environmental science program. What specialized environmental science courses can students expect to take, and how do those courses prepare students for the breadth of jobs available for environmental scientists and specialists?

Most environmental science bachelor’s degree programs include coursework in areas like natural sciences, environmental issues like global warming, renewable energy, applied ecology and the scientific and digital tools, like geospatial technologies, that environmental science professionals utilize in their work.

In particular, we looked at the ways students could customize their online degree –through both formal concentrations and informal elective coursework – so they can build areas of expertise in the aspects of environmental science that most interest them.

Affordability

Another factor we consider in ranking the best online environmental science bachelor’s degree programs is affordability.

Environmental science is a noble pursuit, and environmental scientists and specialists earned a median salary ($76,530 in 2021) that is well above the median wage for all occupations ($45,760), according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Still, environmental scientists and specialists earned a median salary that is several thousand dollars less than that reported for physical scientists as a whole.

RELATED: What Is the Wage Potential with a Degree in Environmental Science?

Many prospective students understandably don’t want to get deep into debt to start their careers as environmental scientists, even if their future earning potential is strong.

We assessed the tuition costs reported for schools that offer a degree in environmental science online. Keep in mind, though, that these tuition rates don’t explain exactly how much you will pay for your degree. Any financial aid you receive will reduce how much you pay now to enroll in an online program, if not the total cost you pay to earn an environmental science bachelor’s degree.

Financial aid for environmental science students may come from many sources, including the institution you attend, the government and external scholarships awarded by third parties like businesses and nonprofit organizations. Loans are a kind of financial aid that must be repaid later – typically with interest – while grants and scholarships are free money toward your online degree.

In assessing affordability, look at the full tuition rates and fees for the online schools you are considering, but take the time to also explore financial aid opportunities. Financial aid packages could potentially make even a school with a high sticker price surprisingly affordable.

Institutional Accreditation

When you’re pursuing an online degree, in particular, you want to know that the college or university you enroll in is legitimate and has a good reputation. Every school on our list of the best online bachelor’s degrees in environmental science is accredited by a regional accrediting organization that is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

The Student Online Learning Experience

The best online environmental science programs provide students with educational experiences akin to what you would expect from a traditional, in-person program but with the convenience of online learning.

We looked especially for online environmental science bachelor’s degree programs that include innovative options for completing laboratory coursework in the physical and natural sciences, experiential learning activities, project-based learning and internship and fieldwork opportunities.

1. The Online Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science at American Public University

American Public University in Charles Town, WV, is part of the American Public University system, along with American Military University.

The private, for-profit, online university system offers an online degree that can prepare students to work as environmental scientists in several different areas of concentration.

Core courses in the environmental science degree program at American Public University include biology and chemistry, as well as water science and soil science. Students also take environmental studies courses that focus on policy, regulation, law, ethics and management. With the 46 general elective hours built into the curriculum, students may build expertise in an area of personal or professional interest and pursue a formal minor or certificate. A senior seminar serves as the final program requirement.

Students in American Public University’s program must choose a concentration. A general concentration is an option for students interested in forging their own paths by selecting courses of their choosing from all concentration areas.

Coursework in a Sustainability concentration focuses on resource and energy sustainability. A concentration in Regional and Community Environmental Planning equips students with the skills to assess and solve land use issues. Specializing in Fish and Wildlife Management allows students to focus on resource management and possibly prepare to become fish and wildlife managers. Students who choose the Environmental Technology and Management specialization learn about methods of environmental hazard mitigation and pollution management.

RELATED: What is a Bachelor’s Degree in Sustainability?

Under the current tuition rates, students at American Public University paid a tuition cost of $285 per credit. Active-duty servicemembers and their spouses and dependents, along with National Guard members and Reservists, receive a military grant that reduces the cost per credit hour to $250. Students pursuing an undergraduate degree also receive a university book grant that allows them to access the textbooks and eBooks they need for the program at no cost.

American Public University and the American Public University system as a whole are regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

View program details.

2. The Online Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management at Columbia Southern University

Columbia Southern University‘s College of Safety & Emergency Services offers an online bachelor’s degree in environmental management. A curriculum that includes 12 semester hours of program electives and 42 semester hours of free electives, in addition to the 30 hours of general education courses and 36 hours of required major coursework, gives students plenty of control over their studies.

The program is formulated to provide both depth and breadth of knowledge in environmental science and management and to equip students with knowledge of theory as well as practical and technical skills.

Core coursework for the major includes classes like Environmental Law, Environmental Assessment and Environmental Issues. Other major coursework encompasses introductory studies in workplace safety, the fundamentals of occupational safety and health, waste management, hazardous waste management, interactions between hazardous materials, air quality, pollution prevention and toxicology.

The program electives students can choose from include classes in environmental strategies, environmental technology, risk management, accident investigation, training and development and the legal aspects of safety and health.

Despite being a private, for-profit online institution, Columbia Southern University is one of the more affordable options on our list. The current tuition rate for the online BS in Environmental Management program amounted to $245 per credit hour, and the school promotes itself as charging “less than half the cost of our competitors” in tuition costs. Additionally, all eTextbooks are included in the cost of tuition, which saves environmental science students even more money.

Columbia Southern University is located in Orange Beach, Alabama, and is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

View program details.

3. The Online Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Geosciences at Fort Hays State University

The BA in Environmental Geosciences program at Fort Hays University in Hays, Kansas, is a little different from other online environmental science degree options, with a stronger focus on geology and geography.

One thing we love about the program – aside from it being one of the most affordable colleges out there for online students – is that students can customize their curriculum to their interests and career goals. Depending on the courses you choose to take, you can use this environmental science degree as a launching point for all kinds of careers, ranging from Environmentalist to Park Ranger and from Earth Scientist to Environmental Lawyer.

Offered out of the Department of Geosciences, the environmental geosciences program requires core coursework such as Introduction to Geology, Elements of Physical Geography, Cultural Geography and Environmental Geology. Students learn technical skills in using geographic information systems through classes like Introduction to GIS, Intermediate GIS and Remote Sensing. Coursework in writing for the sciences and in some form of statistics, like geostatistics or biostatistics, rounds out the core curriculum.

When it comes to upper-division courses, aspiring environmental scientists take classes in the areas of their choice among topics like U.S. Geography, Geologic Hazards, Urban Geography, Kansas Geography, Climatology, Hydrology and Water Resources, Climate Change, Aerial Photographs and Remote Sensing and Field Studies in Geography. Students have the opportunity to complete an internship in geosciences.

The program also includes 19 hours of required cognates in areas like world geography, physical science and global environmental issues.

Between their general education courses and the coursework required for their major, students of environmental science develop competencies in areas like written and oral communication, information literacy, computing literacy, quantitative literacy and critical thinking, as well as technical skills using GIS technology.

The environmental studies degree at Fort Hays University is one of the most affordable options out there. Under the school’s 2022-2023 tuition and fee schedule, online undergraduate students pay $226.88 per credit hour, not counting fees. This tuition rate is, as the institution noted, “ranked among the lowest in the U.S.”

Fort Hays University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. U.S. News & World Report has ranked the institution as tied for 98th place on its list of the Best Regional Universities in the Midwest.

View program details.

4. The Online Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences at Oregon State University

With its distance-learning Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences program, Oregon State University in State Corvallis, OR, takes an interdisciplinary approach to environmental education.

The curriculum prepares students well for graduate study (leading to a master’s or doctoral degree) or for careers in research labs or government agencies such as the United States Forest Service or Fish and Wildlife Service.

RELATED: The 20 Best Online Masters in Environmental Studies

Oregon State University offers seven specializations within its online environmental science bachelor’s program:

• Applied ecology
• Aquatic biology
• Conservation
• Resources and sustainability
• Earth systems
• Environmental agriculture
• Environmental policy and economics
• Environmental water resources.

The Environmental Sciences and Humanities Core includes an Environmental Sciences Orientation and an Environmental Assessment capstone course. Students choose their courses to satisfy required coursework in the areas of Humans and the Environment, Environmental Economics and Policy, Environmental Ethics, Human Environment and Environmental Management.

Environmental science majors also take at least one course in each type of natural environmental system: atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere and hydrosphere.

Every student completes some form of experiential learning, which may include an environmental science internship, a thesis or research and scholarship activities. Students have 27 credits built into the curriculum to use to complete a specialization, an approved minor in education or a certificate in either Geographic Information Science or Scientific, Technical and Professional Communication.

Major coursework for the program builds upon the general education core coursework, which the school breaks down into categories. For example, the Skills coursework includes studies in writing and mathematics, and Perspectives coursework includes science lab courses and classes pertaining to cultural diversity, literature and the arts and social processes and institutions.

Students take one course in Difference, Power & Discrimination and two Synthesis courses – Contemporary Global Issues and Science, Technology and Society – as well as a major-specific writing-intensive course like Environmental Writing.

Undergraduate students seeking an online bachelor’s in environmental science degree from this higher education institution will pay tuition costs of $346 per credit under the school’s 2022 through 2023 academic year tuition rates.

Oregon State University is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. U.S. News & World Report has ranked the school as tied for 8th place on its list of the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs.

View program details.

5. The Online Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science at Southern New Hampshire University

In the online environmental science bachelor’s degree program at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, NH, students study the natural and physical sciences and so much more.

The curriculum focuses on building a variety of skills, including skills in oral and written communication, quantitative analysis, applied statistics, the application of ecological principles and field methods and research methods.

Among their major courses, students in the bachelor’s degree in environmental science program at Southern New Hampshire University have a lot of options to customize their curriculum. All students take science courses like General Biology I, the Principles of Physics, Geology and the foundations of environmental science. They also choose between studies in either Hydrology and Watershed Management or Global Climate Change.

Other required courses include Introduction to Geographic Information Systems, Environmental Science Research Methods, Ecological Principles and Field Methods, Field Methods and Technologies and a Senior Seminar.

To meet their chemistry course requirement, students may choose to take either General Chemistry or Fundamentals of Chemistry. They also choose between studies in either Hydrology and Watershed Management or Global Climate Change.

Students in Southern New Hampshire University’s environmental science program may choose from two concentration areas.

In the Data Analytics in Science concentration, students learn how to use statistics to help the environment through courses in Applied Statistics II for STEM, Gathering Requirements and Collecting Data and Introduction to Structured Database Environments.

In the Natural Resources and Conservation concentration, coursework focuses more on the relationship between humans and nature, with courses in Conservation Biology, Global Climate Change and Energy and Society.

RELATED: The Top 10 “Green” Careers for Nature-Lovers  

Studying environmental science online at SNHU is convenient. The online classrooms are available 24/7, and there are no set class times for the online program. Experiential learning methods adapted to the distance learning model ensure that students don’t miss out on important aspects of their education just because they happen to be studying remotely.

Experiential learning is utilized in SNHU’s online bachelor’s degree in environmental science program across six topics: field experience, citizen science, research experiences in science, certifications and licenses, animal behavior, and grant writing in science.

An environmental science program does, of course, require considerable science coursework, including lab science classes. Students living in the 48 continental states can complete their laboratory course requirements using lab kits that can be shipped to them, along with the resources, materials and interactions available in their online classrooms.

However, due to shipping restrictions that apply to the lab kits, students who live outside of the continental United States will have to take laboratory courses at a local college and transfer those credits to SNHU.

Undergraduate students in SNHU’s online environmental science bachelor’s degree programs paid $320 per credit, or $960 per course, in tuition under current tuition rates. The school doesn’t charge an application fee at this time, and the graduation fee is just $150. All told, students can expect to spend around $9,600 per year in tuition, bringing the total cost for the entire four-year to less than $40,000.

Southern New Hampshire University is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which was formerly known as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC). The school earned a spot on U.S. News & World Report‘s list of the 2022-2023 Best Regional Universities North and was ranked second in the nation on the publication’s Most Innovative Schools in the North list.

View program details.

6. The Online Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability and the Environment at Florida International University

The online BA in Sustainability and the Environment degree program from Florida International University in Miami, FL, emphasizes skills and knowledge for sustainable management of natural resources.

Another aspect of Florida International University’s online bachelor’s degree program that we love is that every student is paired up with a personal success coach who provides one-on-one guidance to help students make the most of their online education.

The Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability and the Environment online degree is a multidisciplinary program offered out of the School of Environment, Arts and Society. The curriculum includes required upper-division courses such as Applied Field Ecology, Ecology of South Florida and Energy Flow in Natural and Man-made Systems.

Other coursework found in the program includes Earth Resources, Environmental Resources and Pollution, Earth Ethics, Population & Environment Issues, Human Organization & Ecosystems Management, Introduction to Geographical Information Systems and Sustainable Resource Development.

The 120-credit program includes 23 credits to be put toward elective courses of the student’s choice, although 9 of these credits must be in areas like business, communication, journalism or public administration. The curriculum also includes 6 credits of coursework in the area of sustainability and the environment.

High-performing students should consider applying to the Honors College. The Honors College offers honors courses for online students during both the fall and spring semesters. Participation in the Honors College offers benefits like exclusive opportunities for internships and research experiences and makes the student a more competitive candidate for financial aid like scholarships.

Transfer students are welcomed into the program, although to have the best chance of success, they should have already completed an introductory statistics course, a microeconomics course and two semesters of study in a foreign language.

In-state students at Florida International University paid a tuition rate of $228.51 per credit hour, not counting fees, under current tuition rates. For out-of-state students, the tuition rate is $345.87 per credit hour.

Florida International University is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The school has appeared on numerous U.S. News & World Report rankings listed, including tying for 21st place among the Best Global Universities for Environment/Ecology in the United States and ranking #1 on the publication’s list of the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs.

View program details.

7. The Online Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management at the University of Maryland Global Campus

The University of Maryland in Adelphi, MD, offers an online environmental management bachelor’s degree program that consists of 120 credits of college coursework.

Required courses for the environmental management major include Environment and Ecosystems Principles, Human Health and Disease, Environmental Health, and Global Environmental Management Issues. Either as part of their general education coursework or as electives, students must take classes in introductory statistics, pre-calculus and environmental chemistry.

The curriculum allows students to pursue one of two areas of focus. In the Toxicology and Hazard Control focus, students complete courses in Risk Assessments in Environmental Health and Safety, Hazard Management in Emergency Response Operations and Air Quality Management. The Sustainability focus includes courses like Pollution Prevention Strategies, Introduction to Urban Watersheds and Stewardship and Global Environmental Challenges.

All courses in the University of Maryland’s online environmental science bachelor’s degree program are available fully online, but for students who live locally and want some in-person exposure, some hybrid courses are available in the major.

Both online and on-campus students at the University of Maryland are invited to join the school’s Environmental Awareness Club. Although some club activities, like local cleanup efforts and field trips, are best suited to students who live locally, even students who live far from campus can benefit from the opportunities to virtually meet and learn from alumni and established environmental management professionals.

Under the current tuition rates, in-state students pay $312 per credit, and out-of-state students pay $499 per credit. A military tuition rate discounts the cost to $250 per credit for active-duty servicemembers and their spouses and dependent children.

The University of Maryland is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. U.S. News & World Report named the University of Maryland on its 2022-2023 Best Regional Universities North Rankings list and ranked it as tied for 16th place on the publication’s list of the Most Innovative Schools in the North. Newsweek listed the University of Maryland in 21st place on its 2022 list of America’s Best Online Learning Schools.

View program details.

8. The Online Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies at Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Wesleyan University in Virginia Beach, VA, markets its online Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies program to students who are passionate about environmental issues, particularly environmental threats relating to the way humans fit into the natural world and our relationship to the environment.

A generous transfer credit policy that allows undergraduate students to transfer up to 96 credits from other institutions makes this program an excellent option for degree completion. If you already have some college coursework under your belt and can’t wait to get a jump-start on your career in environmental science, the fast pace of this program may be particularly appealing.

RELATED: How Fast Can I Earn a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science?

By structuring your program strategically and devoting just 18 to 24 hours per week to your coursework, you may be able to graduate in as little as 12 months – depending on how many credits you transfer into the program.

We also love that this is a military-friendly program. Virginia Wesleyan University is a designated Yellow Ribbon school at which you can use your GI Bill benefits to pay the cost of tuition and fees. The school employs a dedicated Veterans Service Team to help students who have served with issues involving financial aid advising, academic scheduling, disability counseling and other needs.

Online environmental science students at Virginia Wesleyan University complete science courses in areas like environmental geology, environmental biology, meteorology and energy and the environment. As a Bachelor of Arts degree program, the curriculum includes a significant focus on non-science courses like Environmental Ethics, Environmental Writings, Environmental Policy Analysis, Microeconomics and Macroeconomics. Students also must take either Ecopoetry or Topics in Sustainability as well as complete an internship in environmental studies.

The current cost per credit hour reported amounted to $399. For veterans in Virginia, the combination of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, the VA Yellow Ribbon Program and the Virginia Wesleyan Yellow Ribbon Match allowed qualifying students to cover the full tuition cost for the 2022 through 2023 academic year without having to pay out-of-pocket.

Virginia Wesleyan University is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

View program details.

9. The Online Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Policy at Wilmington University

Highlights of the online Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and Policy at Wilmington University in New Castle, DE, include small class sizes and affiliation as a member institution of the NASA-funded Delaware Space Grant Consortium.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and Policy offered through Wilmington University’s College of Online and Experiential Learning and College of Health Professions & Natural Sciences prepares students to “think like an environmental scientist, write like a policy maker.”

The curriculum encompasses at least 35 credits of Environmental Science Core coursework in areas like Pre-Calculus, Inferential Statistics, Biology I, Biology II, Ecology and a Science Major Senior Seminar.

Students have some latitude to customize their core coursework. They can choose between classes in Earth Science or Climate Dynamics, between Physics or Physics I and between Applied Chemistry and Chemistry I. They also choose whether to take Geographic Information Systems Science & Technology, Environmental Informatics or Integrating Excel into Business Problem Solving.

The program also includes Public Policy Core coursework that encompasses classes in Environmental Planning, Environmental Compliance, Energy and Environmental Policy, American Politics and Marine Science and Policy. Students choose whether to round out their public policy core coursework with Calculus I, Data Science, Introduction to Programming with Python or Intro to Artificial Intelligence.

The curriculum also allows for at least 9 credits of core electives in areas that include chemistry, policy and sociology courses, as well as at least 9 free electives.

Under Wilmington University’s 2022-2023 Tuition & Fees schedule, online students pay tuition rates of $399 per credit hour, no matter where they live.

Wilmington University is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The school landed a spot on U.S. News & World Report‘s 2022-2023 Best National University Rankings list.

View program details.

10. The Online Bachelor of Science in Environmental Policy and Management at Everglades University

Everglades University in Boca Raton, FL, offers a BS in Environmental Policy and Management. This BS degree program can be completed in 41 months, so it’s a solid option for students who want to get out into the environmental science workforce quickly.

However, there is no room for free electives in the 123-credit curriculum. If you like having the option to customize your education and focus your studies specifically on your areas of interest, this environmental science program may not be the right fit for you.

Major coursework in the BS in Environmental Policy and Management program includes 54 credit hours of upper-division courses. Highlights of the curriculum include courses like Energy and the Environment, Coastal Environmental Management and Global Climate Change – Science, Impacts and Sustainable Solutions.

On the business side of this environmental management major, students take courses such as international business, operations management, marketing management, critical thinking in business and the science of persuasion and negotiation. An Environmental Policy and Management Capstone Course rounds out the major coursework for the degree program.

Students do get some flexibility in their selection of Interdisciplinary Studies courses, which encompasses 21 credit hours. However, recommended courses that meet these requirements include Introduction to Environmental Change, Organization and Technology of Information Systems, Principles of Supervision, Principles of Business, Introduction to Marketing, Financial Management and Macroeconomics.

Under the current fee schedule, full-time online students at Everglades University paid $800 per credit hour, or $9,600 per semester, in tuition costs. Counting the costs of textbooks and fees, the total estimated cost of the degree program amounted to $116,850.

Everglades University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. U.S. News & World Report ranked Everglades University as tied for 94th place on its 2022-2023 Best Regional Universities South Rankings list.

The online environmental science degree at Everglades University can be completed 100% online, but the school also offers the curriculum in a traditional in-person format at its campus locations, which include Boca Raton, Miami, Orlando, Sarasota and Tampa.

View program details.

Related Resources:

What Are the 5 Best Careers in Environmental Science?

Best Paying Jobs With a Geography Degree

The post Top 10 Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Environmental Science appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Knowing you want to earn your degree online is one thing, but figuring out how to go about it and what school to attend is another. You want your degree to be affordable, but more importantly, you want it to be a good value: a quality education from a respected, accredited school. Our list of the top 25 cheapest online bachelor’s degree programs consists exclusively of schools that have earned regional accreditation, so you know that every one of these institutions meets the high standards of one of the major regional accreditation organizations in the country. Many of them have earned recognition from publications like U.S. News & World Report, and several have features like support services, accelerated courses and career or adult learning focuses that set them apart.

These 25 online colleges prove that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a great education, or a great value.

1. Winston-Salem State University 

For residents of North Carolina, particularly those with some college or vocational training already, there may be no better value in online undergraduate education than Winston-Salem State University. The public research university offers only a few fully-online bachelor’s degree programs, but these programs fulfill specific niches at an unmatched price. WSSU’s online undergraduate degree programs include:

• Bachelors of Science – Clinical Laboratory Science, for students who have already finished an accredited Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) program but want the additional skills and qualifications of a bachelor’s degree in clinical laboratory science
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN), in which registered nurses can complete the requirements to earn a bachelor’s degree and advance their careers
• Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies, for students who have already completed two years of college but not enough credits to earn a bachelor’s degree. This program offers a broad, well-rounded education in the arts and sciences, as well as the opportunity to develop communication, problem-solving and creative and critical thinking skills.

U.S. News & World Report has ranked WSSU highly, naming it 15^th among historically black colleges and universities, 25^th among the top public schools and 60^th among regional universities. The school has separate tuition rates for in-state and out-of-state students, even when it comes to distance learning. Students who live in North Carolina will pay $106 per semester hour (plus a $51.50 charge if they take over 11 credit hours per semester), for a grand total of under $3,300 per year. Out-of-state students pay $428 per credit (again, with a $51.50 charge to take over 11 credit hours per semester), or around $12,942 for the year.

Cost:  $106 per semester hour, or $3,289 per year of full-time study
Regional Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

2. Fort Hays State University

One of the schools with the “best online bachelor’s programs” across the nation – at least, according to U.S. News & World Report – is also among the most affordable. Fort Hays State University is a rural Kansas public institution that offers 25 fully-online bachelor’s degree programs in majors such as business education, management, health studies, nursing, education, information networking, philosophy, sociology and other traditional subjects in the arts and sciences. On the off-chance that you can’t find a major to match your interests or career aspirations, you can customize your own curriculum while earning a Bachelor of General Studies degree – completely online, of course, through FHSU’s Virtual College.

Regardless of which degree they choose to pursue, all undergraduate students enrolled in FHSU’s Virtual College pay the same low tuition rate – just $115 per credit.

Cost: $115 per credit, or $3,450 for one year of full-time study
Regional Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

3. Thomas Edison State College

As an adult student, you need something different from your education than what a kid fresh out of high school might want. You want flexibility, relevant information that will enhance your career as well as your personal knowledge and a self-directed learning style that allows you to discover knowledge for yourself instead of just mindlessly copying down lecture notes. Trenton, New Jersey-based Thomas Edison State College, which bills itself as “exclusively for adults,” can provide you with a distance learning education worthy of your life experiences. In addition to offering online courses, the school awards credit for training and knowledge you already have, even if you gained it outside the classroom, The New York Times reported. The school offers 30 fully-online bachelor’s degree programs in subjects ranging from the humanities to engineering and criminal justice to general business management.

For in-state students who intend to study full-time, the school’s comprehensive tuition plan offers a great value of up to 36 credits per year for a flat fee of just $5,871. Out-of-state residents pay a still reasonable $8,647 for the same plan. Part-time students who pay by the credit — $1,221 per credit, or about $3,663 per class, for in-state students – may end up paying substantially more than their full-time counterparts. 

Cost:  $1,221 per credit, or $5,871 per year of full-time study (up to 36 credits) with the comprehensive tuition plan (in-state)
Regional Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education

4. Western Governors University

Imagine a school cares as much about keeping higher education affordable as you do. That school is Western Governor’s University. The Salt Lake City, Utah-based online school offers 23 different distance learning programs for aspiring teachers, businesspeople, information technology specialists and healthcare professionals. Formed from a collaboration of 19 state governors, the online school was created to emphasize competency-based education, in which working professionals can get credit for the relevant knowledge and skills they already have, saving them time and money.

For years, the cost of college tuition and fees across the nation has increased significantly faster than the rate of inflation. Last year, the cost on average increased between 2.9 percent (for public institutions) and 3.7 percent (for private institutions), according to The College Board. Yet Western Governors University hasn’t raised tuition since 2008. The school actively tries to keep college affordable, and it succeeds. Students enrolled in undergraduate online programs in business, teaching and information technology pay just $2,890 per term and can take as many as 12 competency units in a semester. Even the more costly nursing programs ($3,250 to $4,250 per term) are a great value.

Cost:  $2,890 per term, or $5,780 per year of full-time study
Regional Accreditation: The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

5. Baker College

If advancing your career is your primary reason for pursuing a degree, you want to choose a school that’s as career-focused as you are. Baker College, which prioritizes real-world experience and provides all students with access to employment experts, is one such school.

A private institution based out of Flint, Michigan, Baker College offers 20 fully online bachelor’s degree programs. Whether your interests lie in business, health and nursing, computers and information technology, psychology or criminal justice, you can rest assured that the school was ranked among the best online bachelor’s programs by U.S. News & World Report. Students pay the same tuition, just $230 per credit, for all undergraduate online courses. The Lifetime Employment Assistance program provides graduates with additional value that includes free help with networking, résumé writing and interview preparation throughout every state of their careers.

Cost: $230 per credit hour, or $6,900 per year of full-time study
Regional Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

6. Ball State University

Indiana residents, in particular, will find a great value in a degree in business, education or nursing from Ball State University. The public institution’s campus is in Muncie, Indiana, but it also offers four fully-online degree programs for students who already have some college education:

• Bachelor’s in Business Administration Degree
• Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education Degree
• Bachelor of General Studies Degree
• Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree (RN to BS)

Each offering is a degree completion program, designed to help students who started but never finished college finally get their degrees. The flexible, 100 percent online format and support from academic advisors make it easier even for working students who are busy balancing professional and family responsibilities to get the degrees they need to advance their careers. Even though Ball State University offers just a few completely online undergraduate programs, those programs are highly rated and well-respected. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Ball State University 34^th on its list of the best online bachelor’s programs across the country, as well as including the college on its lists of the best schools for education, nursing, psychology and other subjects.

Ball State University has separate distance learning tuition rates for in-state and out-of-state residents. Indiana residents can choose to pay $284 per credit (up to the first 11 credits) or a flat fee of $3,694 a semester for up to 18 credits. Out-of-state students pay $499 per credit for the first 11 credits. Full-time out-of-state students pay the same $3,694 flat rate as in-state students plus an additional $215 per credit hour.

Cost: $284 per credit/$3,694 for up to 18 credits, or $7,388 per year of full-time study
Regional Association: Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

7. Norwich University

If you already earned your associate’s degree but now find that you need a higher degree to get ahead in your career, Norwich University could be the right choice for you. The private Northfield, Vermont-based institution offers three fully online bachelor’s degrees:

• Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
• Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security
• Bachelor of Science in Strategic Studies and Defense Analysis

Each degree path builds upon the education and professional knowledge the student already has, so it’s not like starting back at square one. In addition, online students at Norwich University have a full support network of advisers, program directors, tech support staff and distance learning librarians to whom they can turn for help.

In addition to making U.S. News & World Report’s list of the nation’s best online bachelor’s programs, Norwich University also earned recognition among the best regional universities and took 29^th place on the list of the best colleges for veterans.

Students in the Bachelor of Science in Strategic Studies and Defense Analysis degree program will pay just $250 per credit, while those pursuing undergraduate degrees in criminal justice or cyber security pay $375 per credit in tuition. Active military personnel are eligible for a tuition discount of more than $100 per credit on a criminal justice or cyber security degree.

Cost: $250 per credit, or $7,500 per year of full-time study

Regional Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges

8. Charter Oak State College

If you’re a nontraditional student, perhaps a nontraditional college is exactly what you need. Charter Oak State College is a small public institution in New Britain, Connecticut. The school understands that learning happens in many different formats and situations, not just through formal lectures in a college classroom. Students can earn credit toward their bachelor’s degrees through online classes, standardized tests, military or civilian professional training and independent and experiential learning. Online degree offerings include:

• Cyber Security
• Health Care Administration
• Health Information Management
• General Studies, with a choice of more than a dozen concentrations in fields like business, psychology, political science and public administration

Charter Oak State College charges different in-state and out-of-state tuition rates even for distance learning students. Connecticut residents will pay $263 per credit, while students in other states will pay $346 per credit. The education is a great value either way, especially considering that U.S. News & World Report ranked Charter Oak State College among the best online bachelor’s programs in the country.

Cost: $263 per credit or $7,890 per year of full-time study
Regional Accreditation: The New England Association of Schools and Colleges

9. Graceland University

Students who want to earn an undergraduate degree in business or healthcare may find their perfect academic match at Graceland University. The small, private Lamoni, Iowa-based institution offers five fully-online bachelor’s degree programs:

• Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration
• Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership Program
• Bachelor of Arts in Health Care Management
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing – RN to BSN
• Bachelor of Arts in Online Dual Major in Business Program

U.S. News & World Report has recognized Graceland University as among the best online bachelor’s programs as well as the best regional universities. Tuition varies by degree program. Undergraduate business students will pay $295 per credit hour, while health care management students pay $395 and nursing students pay $465.

Cost:  $295 per credit, or $8,850 per year of full-time study
Regional Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

10. American InterContinental University

For students with an interest in business, information technology, criminal justice or healthcare management, studying at American InterContinental University will allow you to earn a bachelor’s degree in a specialized field of study with a tuition cost of less than $10,000 per year. The Schaumburg, Illinois-based school prides itself on providing an industry-focused education that gets students the right knowledge for their careers from instructors with plenty of real-world professional experience. American InterContinental offers 27 fully online bachelor’s degree programs.

Business students can choose from 11 specializations, from marketing to accounting and finance to project management. Healthcare management students can specialize in health services administration or gerontology. Information technology includes degrees in digital investigations, network administration, information assurance and security and software analysis and development. Criminal justice students can major in forensic science, law enforcement, corrections and case management, homeland security and crisis management or general criminal justice. All undergraduate online programs cost just $302 per credit.

Cost:  $302 per credit, or $9,060 per year of full-time study
Regional Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

11. University of Massachusetts Online

At the University of Massachusetts Online, undergraduate students can choose from 32 distance learning programs in subjects of study as diverse as information technology and gender studies. Whether you’re looking to advance a nursing career, climb the corporate ladder in the business world or major in a general field like liberal arts, global affairs, general studies or English, you’re sure to find a degree path to help you get ahead.

U.S. News & World Report has ranked the University of Massachusetts locations at Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth and Lowell highly. The school’s various campuses have placed on lists such as:

• Best Online Bachelor’s Programs
• National Universities
• Regional Universities
• Top Public Schools
• More than a dozen individual subject areas

The cost of earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Online varies from one major to another. Undergraduate tuition at the University of Massachusetts ranges from $125 to $1,980, but online programs generally cost anywhere from $304 to $525 per credit.

Cost: $304 per credit, or $9,120 per year of full-time study

Regional Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges

12. Capella University

Unlike the typical student fresh out of high school, you have real-world professional and life experience. You deserve credit for the things you already know and a flexible learning environment that will let you study at your own pace. After all, you’re not just sitting in a classroom and taking notes while an instructor drones on in a monotonous lecture. You’re actively learning through interactive modules and assignments, and balancing it all with your work and home responsibilities. Capella University is a primarily online institution that awards competency-based credit and allows students the freedom of its FlexPath self-paced learning style (note: Capella University’s FlexPath option is available for certain programs, not all).

Undergraduate students at Capella University can choose from more than a dozen degree paths in subject areas like business and information technology, healthcare, nursing, and psychology. The per-credit tuition for Capella University’s online bachelor degree programs ranges from $336 to $394, depending on the major and course level. Often, lower-level courses in the 1000 to 2000 level cost around $336 per credit, while upper level courses (3000 to 4000 level) cost $394 per credit. This means the cost of education may increase by as much as a couple thousand dollars toward the end of the student’s academic career.

Cost: $315 per credit, or $9,450 per year of full-time study
Regional Accreditation: Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

13. Southern New Hampshire University

Even though you’ll have to work independently to earn your degree online, you don’t have to do it all alone. Some schools, like Southern New Hampshire University, offer a wide range of support services to help students succeed. SNHU is a private, nonprofit institution based in Manchester. With more than 80 online bachelor’s degree offerings in business and the liberal arts, students are sure to find a program to fit their academic and career needs. Whether you want to study accounting or creative writing, economics or American history, nursing or Web development, there’s a degree path for you.

No matter which major you choose, you will pay the same, affordable tuition cost when you earn an online degree from Southern New Hampshire University. Students pay just $320 per credit, or $960 per class. Active-duty military personnel get a discount of nearly $100 per credit, making this school an especially great value for those currently serving our country in the armed forces. Adding to the value of an education at SNHU is the breadth of support services available to students. From the admissions counselors that help students choose the right majors to the career advisors that help students make the most of their education and career preparation, students will have help throughout the process of earning their degrees.

Cost: $320 per credit, or $9,600 per year of full-time study
Regional Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and College

14. Colorado Technical University

The path you have taken in your private and professional life is personal – shouldn’t your education be, too? At Colorado Technical University, it can be. The Colorado Springs-based school features adaptive learning technology it calls Intellipath that personalizes your academic experience so that you spend less time rehashing the information you already know and more time learning valuable new knowledge and skills.

Colorado Technical University, which U.S. News & World Report ranked among the best online bachelor’s programs, offers degree paths in accounting, business administration, criminal justice, cyber security, healthcare management, information technology, project management, psychology and nursing. Within these degree programs, students can choose from numerous concentrations. Business administration students have 12 concentrations to consider, ranging from organizational behavior to digital marketing. Criminal justice students can study cybercrime, homeland security or human services. IT students can specialize in web development, security, data management and software application programming, among other possibilities.

The wealth of options available mean that students can earn the degree that will be most relevant to their careers and interests – and with tuition costing just $325 per credit, regardless of degree program, they can do it without breaking the bank.

Cost: $325 per credit, or $9,750 per year of full-time study
Regional Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

15. California University of Pennsylvania

Some students already know what they want to do, and that a specific degree is necessary to reach their goals. They don’t need a plethora of general degree programs to choose from, but they do need a high-quality program in a specific niche. At the California University of Pennsylvania, distance learning students can choose to study the following 100 percent online bachelor’s degree programs:

• Bachelor of Arts in Arabic Language and Culture
• Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems
• Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice (Homeland and International Security)
• Bachelor of Arts, Jurisprudence in Land Management
• Bachelor of Arts, Jurisprudence in Legal Studies
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN – BSN)
• Bachelor of Arts in Sociology: Social Deviance
• Bachelor of Science in Wellness and Fitness

The school has earned national recognition for its online programs in particular. U.S. News & World Report not only ranked California University of Pennsylvania among the best online bachelor’s programs in the country, but also awarded high rankings to the school’s online graduate programs in education and nursing.

Undergraduate students enrolled in one of the Cal U Global Online degree programs can expect to pay tuition of $332.20 per credit if they live in Pennsylvania or $347.20 if they live out-of-state, though this is the minimum tuition charge. Some programs may cost more.

Cost: $332.20 per credit for in-state students

Regional Accreditation: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

16. Removed

17. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

If you know your interests lie in the field of psychology, why not choose a school that specializes in the subject? The Chicago School of Professional Psychology offers fully online Bachelor of Arts degrees in general psychology and in the following four concentrations:

• Child and adolescent psychology
• Business psychology
• International psychology
• Social services

The private, nonprofit institution is primarily a graduate school, offering undergraduate degrees exclusively online to help working students get started on an education in psychology. No matter which concentration you choose to pursue, you will pay a reasonable tuition cost of $385 per credit hour to earn your degree online. 

Cost:  $385 per credit hour, or $11,550 per year of full-time study

Regional Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges

18. Adventist University of Health Sciences

Seeking a career in healthcare? At the Adventist University of Health Sciences, based in Orlando, Florida, students who already have some college experience can earn an online undergraduate degree in subjects like:

• Nursing (R.N. to B.S.)
• Radiologic Sciences
• Diagnostic Medical Sonography

All of these distance learning bachelor’s degree programs are degree completion programs, meaning that they’re designed to help students who have started but never finished college succeed in earning their degrees. Often, students who have completed  a few semesters of school elsewhere already can transfer their credits to Adventist University of Health Sciences and complete their remaining degree requirements is as little as five terms. The undergraduate cost per credit hour at Adventist University of Health Sciences is $395.

Cost: $395 per credit or $11,850 per year of full-time study
Regional Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

19. Bellevue University

Among the best advantages of earning a degree online is freedom. Not only do you have the flexibility to study where and when it’s convenient for you, but you have the freedom to choose any major you want from among countless colleges. One school that offers online students plenty of freedom is Nebraska-based private institution Bellevue University. At Bellevue University, students can choose from nearly 50 fully online bachelor’s degree programs.

U.S. News & World Report has ranked Bellevue University among the best online bachelor’s programs, also ranking the school’s graduate programs highly. Distance learning undergraduate students at Bellevue University will pay tuition costs of $395 per credit during the 2015 to 2016 school year – a modest increase of just $10 per credit from the previous year, so students don’t have to worry too much about massive tuition jumps from one year to the next.

Cost: $395 per credit hour, or $11,850 per year of full-time study
Regional Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

20. New England College

New England College, a small, private liberal arts institution in rural New Hampshire, offers the following eight fully online programs at the bachelor’s degree level:

• Bachelor of Science in Accounting
• Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration
• Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
• Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration
• Bachelor of Science in Human Services
• Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies
• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
• Bachelor of Arts in Sociology

Though the Henniker, New Hampshire-based school may not offer dozens of degree options for distance learning students, the programs that it does offer 100 percent online have earned national recognition for their quality. U.S. News & World Report named New England College among the best online bachelor’s programs in the country. Students in all undergraduate online programs pay the same tuition cost of just $395 per credit hour.

Cost: $395 per semester hour, or $11,850 per year of full-time study
Regional Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges

21. Eastern Kentucky University Online

At Eastern Kentucky University, distance learning students can choose from 10 fully online bachelor’s degree programs ranging from the very general to specific niche programs of study:

• Corrections and Juvenile Justice Studies
• Fire, Arson & Explosion Investigation
• Fire Protection Administration
• Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology
• General Studies
• Homeland Security
• Nursing (RN to BSN)
• Occupation Safety
• Police Studies
• Psychology

The school also offers a partially online hybrid program in Paralegal Studies/Paralegal Science, in which students can complete most of their work through distance learning courses but must take at least ten semester credits of traditional format legal specialty courses. The Richmond, KY-based school has earned high marks for quality. U.S. News & World Report ranked Eastern Kentucky University among the best online bachelor’s programs, the top public schools, the best colleges for veterans and the best regional universities.

Tuition for most online degree programs at Eastern Kentucky University is $400 per credit. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree pay slightly more, $425 per credit hour.

Cost: $400 per credit hour, or $12,000 per year of full-time study

Regional Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

22. University of Phoenix

The University of Phoenix is among the most well-known online colleges, and for good reason. The school offers plenty of options for undergraduate students, with more than 70 bachelor’s degrees available in the arts and sciences, business and management, criminal justice and security, education, nursing and healthcare, psychology and technology. Many of the University of Phoenix distance learning degree paths offer students the opportunity to pursue specific concentrations or earn certificates in addition to their bachelor’s degrees, adding something extra to their résumés.

During the early years of their education, students will pay $410 a credit for their lower division courses. The tuition cost for upper level courses increases slightly, to $435 per credit.

Cost: $410 per credit, or $12,300 per year of full-time study

Regional Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

23. Herzing University

When you consider various colleges, part of you decision process should include how much time you want to spend in school each semester. At some schools, the overall cost for a full-time student is significantly cheaper than that for part-time students. If you plan to study full-time, you can save hundreds of dollars per credit at Herzing University. The career-focused Madison, Wisconsin-based college offers more than two dozen fully online bachelor’s degree programs in fields like business, design, healthcare, information technology and public safety. Herzing University provides both quantity and quality, with U.S. News & World Report ranking the school among the best online bachelor’s programs in the nation.

Tuition: Estimated expenses for academic year 2019-2020 (IPEDS): $14,200 (Tuition and fees)

Regional Accreditation: Herzing University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, Illinois, 60614-1413, www.hlcommission.org, (800) 621-7400.

24. Removed

25. Benedictine University

Benedictine University is proof that it’s sometimes better to excel at just a couple things than to do an unremarkable job at many things. The private Lisle, Illinois-based school offers just two online bachelor’s degree programs – the Bachelor of Arts in Management and the Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership – but it still ranks among U.S. News & World Report’s list of the best online bachelor’s programs in the country. The school also offers a free Success Strategies course to help enrolled students get acquainted with the online education process and platform.

Online students at Benedictine University will find their first two full-time years of school, in particular, to be affordable, with a tuition cost of just $430 per credit. Once students complete 60 credits and are taking upper level courses, though, they’ll face a tuition increase to $630 per hour.

Cost: $430 per credit hour, or $12,900 per year of full-time study

Regional Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Conclusion

Just as there’s more to a school than the cost of its tuition, there’s more to your college decision than numbers. In addition to weighing the tuition charge – along with the other costs that aren’t included in this list, like various fees and supply expenses – you should consider what factors are the most important to you personally.

If you already work in the field in which you want to earn a degree, you might find competency-based courses to be a bigger priority. On the other hand, if you’re concerned about splitting your attention between multiple classes at once, the opportunity to take an accelerated course schedule might matter to you. No matter which of these schools you choose to explore further, you can rest assured that all of them are legitimate, regionally accredited institutions, and that all of them provide a great value for your money.

For Further Reading: 

Top 10 Graduate Degree Programs in Criminal Justice

What Classes Will I Take in a Criminal Justice Degree?

What Is the Benefit of a Degree in Cybersecurity vs. Network Security?

The post 25 Cheapest Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

How Do You Choose the Easiest Bachelor’s Degree Online?

What makes a college degree program “easy”? Is the easiest bachelor’s degree online one that requires little in the way of mathematics skills? Is it one that won’t have you spending hours upon hours in a laboratory, painstakingly measuring variables and drafting lab reports? How about a degree that doesn’t require a whole lot of memorization, writing or outside-the-box thinking?

Defining Easy Bachelor Degrees

What is the easiest bachelor degree to get? The easiest bachelor’s degree may mean different things to different people.

RELATED: Which College Degree Is Easiest?

If you’re naturally great with numbers, it may be a blank page or an assignment to sketch out a design, rather than a complicated math formula, that makes your stomach clench. However, to many students, the majors that require a great deal of scientific and mathematic equations or high-tech computer knowledge are among the most difficult. Degree programs that require less science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) knowledge are often viewed as easier programs of study.

RELATED: What Distinguishes an Easy Bachelor’s Degree From a Difficult One?

What constitutes the easiest degree is somewhat subjective. To identify the easiest bachelor’s degrees, this article takes into account everything from the flexibility of the curriculum to graduating students’ GPAs.

No major is completely easy. Students – even those pursuing the easiest bachelor degree to get – should also be aware of the hardest parts of their programs of study.

Of course, when choosing a college degree to pursue, students need to consider the whole picture. That includes assessing their own interests, career aspirations and strengths and weaknesses.

Is Online Learning Easy?

It’s no coincidence that our list of the 20 easiest bachelor’s degree options focuses on online learning. Online degree programs tend to offer the most flexibility. They may also include fewer laboratory science courses.

That said, online programs aren’t necessarily easy. Most online degree programs require the same rigorous coursework as campus-based programs do. Online courses require a great deal of self-discipline, since you’re more likely to be working at your own pace.

RELATED: How Difficult Is It to Earn a Bachelor’s Degree Online?

Still, for students juggling work, family obligations or other responsibilities, an online degree may be the easiest degree to get. Online courses allow you to fit your studies into your schedule.

What Is the Easiest Bachelor’s Degree to Get Online?

We’ve put together a list of the 20 easy degrees undergraduate students can earn through online learning.

1. Liberal Arts

Perhaps the easiest degree to get is a liberal arts degree. A liberal arts or liberal studies college major equips students with a generalist education. When you study liberal arts, you’re cultivating a breadth of knowledge, rather than studying a single subject in great depth.

Students in a liberal studies degree program will take courses in a variety of fields, including the following, according to U.S. News & World Report:

• The humanities
• History
• Communications
• Composition
• Social science
• Physical and life sciences
• Mathematics

However, pursuing a liberal arts degree won’t spend the bulk of their college education studying complex and high-level scientific theories and mathematical formulas.

Some liberal arts courses are interdisciplinary. This means these courses combine components of multiple fields of study.

Throughout your studies in various disciplines, you will strengthen an array of versatile skills, such as:

• Critical thinking
• Communications
• Problem-solving
• Decision-making

RELATED: What Skills Do I Gain With Liberal Studies? 

The combination of these skills, plus your general college-level knowledge of a variety of subjects, can prepare you for countless possible career paths or fields of advanced study. As long as you meet the prerequisite course requirements, liberal arts majors can go on to earn an advanced degree in just about any subject. They may even pursue medical school or law school with undergraduate degrees in liberal arts.

RELATED: What Jobs Can I Get With a Liberal Arts Degree?

Coursework in Online Degrees in Liberal Arts

Liberal arts is one of the easiest online bachelor’s degrees you can attain because its generalist focus means that you won’t need to delve into the complexities of specialized knowledge in any one field. You will likely have to take at least some basic math and science courses. However, you won’t have to study these subjects at the advanced – and most difficult – levels.

In fact, because the courses you take in a liberal arts degree program are so general, your curriculum is likely to be much more flexible than many other degree programs. That means you have more freedom to choose your classes. You also don’t have to worry so much about sticking to a strict schedule to fit all of your required courses into four years of full-time study.

As a liberal arts major, you might take classes such as the following, according to U.S. News & World Report:

• Perspectives on social institutions
• The development of scientific ideas
• The fundamentals of speech
• Religious and ethical values
• Advanced composition
• Transformative leadership
• World views and values and perspectives on the humanities

Even a flexible liberal arts degree program still poses challenges. Most liberal studies degrees offered online require students to commit to a major or concentration of some kind. This means you will still need to learn more than just the fundamentals of at least one subject.

RELATED: The 20 Most Flexible Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs

Because your curriculum requires you to cultivate a breadth of knowledge, you need to be well-rounded. You can’t simply avoid the subjects that you are weakest in by studying your strongest subjects exclusively.

What Makes It Easy: Flexible curriculum and generalist focus

The Hardest Part: Performing well in every subject, developing strong “soft” skills

Career Opportunities: Sociologist, historian, economist, librarian, lawyer, real estate agent

2. Education

The next easiest bachelor degree to get online is a degree in education. You might consider studying education if you want to share the gift of knowledge.

Both CBS News and The Huffington Post have listed education as one of the easiest college degrees you can earn. One factor they consider is grades.

The easier the degree, the more likely a student is to attain good grades – or at least, that’s the idea behind the methodology. Education majors have the highest grades, according to CBS News. The education average GPA is 3.36. In comparison, the students with the lowest average GPA – 2.78 – are chemistry majors.

It’s possible that average GPA isn’t influenced only by the subject matter being easier. Students who major in teaching and learning happen to be good at the assignments and exams used to assess knowledge at the college level. Regardless, there’s a general bias that taking courses such as learning through play and creative activities for young children means that the curriculum is not as rigorous as other degrees. Students in other college majors often enviously give their peers who study education some grief over the time they spend creating classroom decorations or reading and reporting on children’s books.

Of course, life as an education major isn’t all fun and games. The student teaching requirement means you’ll basically spend a semester working full-time for free. At many schools, you’ll have to double major in another subject besides education. That means meeting all of the demands of both programs of study. There are also tests you need to take to attain a teaching license. Once you finally get started in your career, you’ll find that teaching a classroom full of high-energy children can be a demanding job.

Coursework for Online Degree Programs in Education

Students who major in education learn effective techniques for conveying academic information to audiences of different age groups. Studying strategies for managing a classroom is also important.

Typically, education majors have to choose an age group to focus on.

In an early childhood education degree program, you will study subjects such as typical and atypical child development, language development and learning through play, according to U.S. News & World Report. You will need to learn how to begin teaching very young children about the early stages of reading and writing as well as introducing them to subjects like science.

Majoring in elementary education means learning how to teach students in kindergarten through fifth grade. You will take courses in classroom management, educational psychology and instructional strategies for teaching various subjects at the elementary level.

In a secondary education degree program, you will learn more about adolescent development. Your college coursework will also cover teaching methods for more advanced subject matter that will prepare students for life after graduation.

All education majors have to gain hands-on student teaching work as part of their degree requirements.

What Makes It Easy: High grades on average, fun courses, creative projects

The Hardest Part: Hands-on student-teaching experience requirements, dual major requirements

Possible Career Paths: Preschool teacher, elementary school teacher, middle school teacher, high school teacher

3. English Literature

What makes English literature the next easiest bachelor degree online students could pursue? Like education, English is a degree program in which students usually earn a high GPA, CBS News reported. To many critics, though, the good grades of English majors are only one of the factors that make the program seem easy.

After all, if you’re a native English speaker, you’ve already spent most of your life using the English language. You speak and write in English on a daily basis without even thinking about it. However, majoring in English in college is very different from having a casual conversation or writing an informal note or email to an acquaintance.

Learning the complex rules of grammar and style can be challenging. Reading a lot of literature and literary analyses – and then writing your own analyses – takes up a lot of time. Writing essays, stories, poems and articles of your own requires a great deal of creativity.

Coursework in an Online Bachelor’s Degree in English Program

When you major in English, you’re going to do a lot of reading and writing. English degree programs typically include studies in areas like the following, according to U.S. News & World Report:

• The composition of different kinds of written texts
• The rhetoric used in crafting these texts
• Grammar and editing
• The analysis of literature

You’re likely to spend time reading, analyzing and writing about English literature ranging from ancient texts to modern bestsellers. You will study different kinds of writing, including:

• Creative writing
• Persuasive writing
• Expository writing

In your literature classes, you will learn about literary theories and techniques of literary criticism. You should expect to read and analyze classic British and American literature. Works by Walt Whitman and William Shakespeare are common examples. Students who major in English literature should be prepared to take a foreign language and a variety of liberal arts courses to fulfill general education degree requirements.

What Makes It Easy: High grades on average, years of experience speaking and writing English before you start college

The Hardest Part: Reading and analyzing complex works of literature

Career Opportunities: Author, journalist, editor, publishing house executive or assistant, public relations specialist, marketer, lawyer

 4. Foreign Language

College is a great time to learn a new language. However, choosing a foreign language degree program as your college major lands your program of study on the easiest degrees list.

College students who major in a foreign language graduated with a high average GPA of 3.34, according to CBS News. This puts them second only to education majors.

The Huffington Post, too, listed language as one of the easiest degree programs. The reason for this decision is because success in this field relies heavily on mere memorization.

It may be easy to memorize key words and phrases. However, it takes much more time and effort to truly become fluent in a language. Some people seem to pick up new languages naturally, but for most people, it requires work and practice.

Knowing more than one language has its benefits. In fact, Inside Higher Ed argued that studying a foreign language should be mandatory for all students, regardless of their selected program of study.

Overall enrollment in foreign language courses has dropped in recent years. This suggests that students from other majors don’t think that it’s particularly easy to learn a new language. Rather, devoting four years of study to learning a language seems easier than spending that time learning complicated concepts in more specialized fields of study.

Coursework in Online Degree Programs in Foreign Languages

In a foreign language program, you’ll learn to compose in, translate and converse in your new language. You will memorize words and learn the grammar and style rules of a foreign language. However, you won’t just study how to conjugate verbs and decline nouns.

Learning about the culture associated with the language is just as important as learning how to speak, read and write in a foreign language. You may use the language that you learn only occasionally, when you interact with native speakers of that language or visit its country of origin. Your understanding different cultures is a skill that you can use in many different capacities.

The most popular foreign languages that American college students choose to study, according to Forbes, include:

• Spanish
• French
• German
• Italian
• Japanese
• Chinese
• Latin
• Russian
• Arabic
• Ancient Greek

What Makes It Easy: Memorization, generalist focus

The Hardest Part: Achieving real fluency in speaking and writing in a non-native language

Career Opportunities: Translator or interpreter, customs officer, government intelligence agent, international business consultant, cultural officer, Peace Corps worker

5. Music

You might be surprised that music is considered and easy college degree. Well-respected schools such as Yale University and Duke University offer music degrees, so how easy could they be?

Music students tend to have high GPAs, according to CBS News. Most music bachelor’s degree programs include few science and mathematics requirements. Between these two factors, it’s not surprising that publications like CBS and The Huffington Post would single out the major as an easy one.

Much of the belief that music is an easy major comes from the fact that it’s not a “practical” or “safe” degree, according to Forbes. There’s no widely available, straightforward job path for music majors. Aspiring musicians who go on to make a living as performers are few and far between.

However, it takes a great deal of focus, discipline and perseverance to master the playing of an instrument. Majoring in music forces you to cultivate these traits if you want to be successful – which both builds character and prepares you for the workforce, no matter what job you end up getting.

Even getting into a music bachelor’s program isn’t easy. Often, to be admitted into an online music degree program, you need past experience playing a musical instrument. You may have to submit a recording of your musical performance as part of your application materials.

Coursework in Online Degree Programs in Music

Online bachelor’s degree programs in music equip students with the skills needed to compose, perform, study and critique music.

Music students take a variety of courses, from the history of music to music theory. They also take applied music courses or lessons. Through these courses, they learn to play one or more musical instruments or to sing.

An online bachelor’s degree program in music may require students to perform music in ensemble courses. Students can often choose from concentrations such as the following:

• Performance
• Composition
• Music production
• Analytical music studies
• The music industry.

They may also choose one or more instruments to focus on in their applied music lessons. Popular instrument choices incude:

• Piano
• Guitar
• Trumpet
• Violin
• Flute
• Trombone
• Clarinet
• Voice

What Makes It Easy: Creative and fun, lack of required courses in science or mathematics, less career-focused

The Hardest Part: Developing skill in playing an instrument requires dedication and a great deal of practice

Career Opportunities: Professional musician, orchestra conductor, music composer or arranger, talent recruiter, music critic, DJ, concert promoter

6. Religion

Another easy bachelor’s degree to pursue online is religion. Religion rounds out the top five majors with the highest average GPAs, according to CBS News.

Religion is another degree program with a reputation for being impractical and unlikely to lead to a job. That’s why The Huffington Post considers it one of the easiest degree programs.

A religious studies degree program can seem somewhat fuzzy, especially when you’re pressed to explain how you will turn your education into a career. However, students in undergraduate religious studies degree programs often need to take high-level courses as part of their required curricula.

Coursework in Online Degree Programs in Religion

In a religious studies degree program, you’ll study a variety of religions of the world. You will also learn the theoretical framework of religions and approaches to understanding them.

Religion might seem like an ideal major if you’re devout in your faith, but you need to have an open mind when studying belief systems other than your own.

Most college students who major in religious studies take courses on all of the major world religions, including:

• Judaism
• Christianity
• Islam
• Hinduism
• Buddhism

You might also study emerging religious movements and the beliefs of smaller religious sects.

Many religious studies degree programs require students to develop a solid understanding of religious theory, religion’s role in culture and religion and moral issues. You may study religions of certain geographical locations, such as Asia or the Americas. You’re also likely to study the history of individual religions.

Advanced seminars are common in religion degree programs. So are capstone courses that require students to complete an individual or small group project.

Reading and interpreting scriptures and other religious texts, often written thousands of years ago, can be challenging. Often, students are asked to think critically about religion and modern moral issues, including racism and sexism.

What Makes It Easy: Lack of required courses in science or mathematics, less career-focused

The Hardest Part: Overcoming personal biases about religious beliefs, thinking critically about historical and modern moral issues, understanding religious texts

Career Opportunities: Clergy, counselor, journalist, museum curator, librarian, public policy analyst, volunteer coordinator, diplomat

7. Communications

Year after year, communication is a popular program of study both online and on campus. The versatile degree program is among the easier bachelors degree options out there.

Communications is another degree program that gets a reputation for being easy largely due to its generalist nature. Typically, communications students study a breadth of media and journalism topics. They aren’t delving into any one topic as deeply as, for example, a public relations major or a business major might.

Most online programs in communications don’t require any additional science or math courses beyond the school’s general education requirements.

Hands-on experience in a field like communications is particularly valuable when it comes to finding a job. Still, most online communications degree programs don’t require students to complete an internship to graduate, according to U.S. News & World Report. That’s another factor that makes theis online degree seem easy.

However, communications majors certainly face some challenges in their education. They need to get used to intimidating situations such as public speaking obligations and starting off an assignment with a blank page. These are situations that even high-performing students in STEM majors often find anxiety-inducing.

Coursework in Bachelor’s Degree in Communications Programs

Most communications and journalism degree programs require students to take courses in topics such as the following, according to U.S. News & World Report:

• Intercultural communication
• Organizational communication
• Public speaking
• Persuasion
• Media writing
• Research methods
• Digital media
• Media law
• Communication theory and ethics

A general communications major program of study is broad. However, students often have the opportunity to choose one or more concentrations or specializations. Examples of concentrations in online programs in communications include:

• Journalism,
• Marketing
• Emerging media
• Advertising
• Public relations
• Business communications

A communications curriculum with a concentration allows students to develop their communication skills through a breadth of media and communications courses but still concentrate on an in-demand subfield. The result is that communications majors can find a marketable balance of generalist and specialist skills.

The classes you take in a communications degree program depend on your concentration. You may have to learn technical skills needed to design websites or public relations strategies to manage high-pressure crisis situations.

What Makes It Easy: Generalist focus, flexible curriculum, lack of required courses in science or mathematics, lack of mandatory hands-on work experiences

The Hardest Part: Overcoming fears of public speaking or criticism of writing, attaining technical or strategic skills that fit in your concentration subfield, a reading- and writing-intensive curriculum

Career Opportunities: Reporter, author, technical writer, editor, public relations specialist, advertising executive, marketing specialist

8. General Business

Business administration is a popular program of study. In fact, the major has been the single most popular bachelor’s degree since the 1980s, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Whether the popularity of business administration in despite being among the easiest degrees or because it’s among the easiest bachelor’s degrees is open to debate.

The program is especially common among online students. Online programs in business administration account for more than a quarter of all online undergraduate students, according to U.S. News & World Report.

There are several different college majors within the field of business. Usually, the more general undergraduate programs of study seem easier than their specialized counterparts. Specifically, math- and number-driven subjects such as accounting and finance may seem more challenging than a general business program of study.

RELATED: What Are the Easiest Degrees to Get in Business?

Despite its broad focus and multidisciplinary curriculum, business administration degrees don’t suffer from the same bias many of the easiest college majors do. Employers still consider this degree path “highly practical,” according to U.S. News & World Report.

The master’s degree-level counterpart of the BBA, the Master of Business Administration (MBA), is even more sought-after. However, some critics fear that the market is becoming oversaturated as more and more students earn this master’s degree.

Coursework in a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration

In a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program, you will take courses in a variety of disciplines that equip you with an understanding of the foundations of business. You should expect to take classes such as:

• Accounting
• Economics
• Finance
• Business law and ethics
• Human resources
• Marketing
• Office administration

As a business major, you may have the opportunity to pursue a specialization or concentration. Examples of concentrations in business administration bachelor’s degrees include: accounting, marketing and supply chain management. However, as a BBA major pursuing an accounting or marketing concentration, your specialized curriculum probably will not have as much depth as it would if you majored in accounting or marketing. That’s because you’re spending more of your semester hours cultivating a broader array of business knowledge. Students in more specialized majors, meanwhile, are digging more deeply into a single subject.

For undergraduate business administration students, the curriculum might not require as much advanced study of a single discipline as other majors would. Still, it can be rigorous. Often, online business administration students must complete a mandatory research project, portfolio project, internship or other capstone experience, according to U.S. News & World Report.

What Makes It Easy: Generalist focus, lack of required courses in science or mathematics, a multidisciplinary curriculum

The Hardest Part: Amassing a solid understanding of a variety of business disciplines, completing a capstone experience

Career Opportunities: Human resources manager, marketing manager, advertising manager, accountant, auditor or financial analyst

9. Philosophy

Another of the easiest bachelor degrees is philosophy. When you earn a bachelor’s degree in philosophy online, you spend much of your time studying and analyzing knowledge and reality. You will explore questions such as the meaning of life and how we know the things we know.

To succeed in the study of philosophy, students need to be both logical and creative. They have to think in ways that are at once rationally organized and outside-the-box.

Philosophy majors should enjoy debate. However, they have to craft compelling and research-backed arguments to prove their points.

Though philosophy as a program of study is often the target of jokes, the curriculum makes it a “notoriously challenging major,” The Huffington Post reported. Why, then, did this program of study find a spot on the list of easiest bachelor’s degrees?

Philosophy can come across as an easy major, but that’s not because the workload itself is easy. Rather, philosophy is among the easiest college majors because it’s such a fuzzy field of study. In mathematics or the physical or life sciences, there are clear right and wrong answers. In the field of philosophy, things aren’t so clear-cut. This reality has led critics to take the discipline less seriously than more straightforward subjects.

It’s popular to argue that there aren’t any jobs for graduates with a philosophy degree. However, research proves that this claim just isn’t true, according to The Washington Post. There might not be many careers that specifically require students to have a degree in philosophy. Still, there are plenty of roles in which the skills you learn in a philosophy degree program – such as logic and critical thinking – are valuable. Many undergraduate philosophy majors go on to earn an advanced degree, including a law degree or medical degree. While pursuing an advanced degree, philosophy majors often outperform their peers who come from a different educational background, The Washington Post reported.

Coursework in a Bachelor’s in Philosophy Program

Students in an online philosophy degree program study both ancient and modern philosophical theories and approaches. They consider the moral, ethical, legal and political components of philosophical thought. Students pursuing online programs in philosophy should be prepared to do a great deal of reading and writing.

What Makes It Easy: A reputation for being less career-focused, open-ended questions

The Hardest Part: A reading- and writing- intensive curriculum, high standards for written arguments, a lack of clear-cut answers

Career Opportunities: Entrepreneur, business professional, lawyer, doctor, politician, writer, clergy, scientist

 10. Sociology

The next easiest bachelors degree on our list is sociology. An online bachelor’s degree in sociology is a good choice if you’re interested in the workings of human society and human behavior in social groups.

The social sciences often have a reputation for being less rigorous than physical and life sciences such as physics, chemistry and biology. Sociology is no exception to this viewpoint.

Learning to do research is an important part of sociology, but the research used in the social sciences tends to be more qualitative than that used in hard sciences. As a result, the discipline may seem easier.

The liberal arts focus of a sociology degree program also contributes to its reputation as an easy college degree. However, some sociology programs can be demanding. Many online bachelor’s degrees in sociology require students to undertake a research project as a part of their senior seminar class, according to U.S. News & World Report. In this project, students do everything from designing the research project to gathering and interpreting their findings and presenting their conclusions.

RELATED: What Professions Look to Survey Researchers for Help?

Coursework for Bachelor’s Degrees in Sociology

At most online schools, a sociology major will start out their online college education with an introduction to sociology course. That course typically covers the basic concepts and foundations of the discipline. Throughout your studies, you will take classes that look at sociology through the lenses of different relationships and social behaviors.

Students commonly take courses such as the following, according to U.S. News & World Report:

• Sociology of the family
• Sociology of education
• Classic social theory
• Social change
• Social science research
• Sociological theory
• Men and masculinity
• Racial and ethnic relations
• Sociology of deviant behavior and drugs
• Alcohol and society

Sociology is often considered part of the liberal arts and sciences. Students may have to complete a great deal of general education requirements in the humanities, sciences and other fields of study. The end result of studying sociology is a well-rounded education that equips students with strong skills in critical thinking and analysis.

What Makes It Easy: A qualitative aspect to research, a broad liberal arts focus on general education

The Hardest Part: Learning to design experiments and collect data for social science research

Career Opportunities: Sociologist, social worker, survey researcher, probation officer, administrative services manager

 11. Writing

A writing degree is like an English degree, minus the focus on literature. It makes sense that writing, too,would apear on the list of the esasiest college majors.

Many writing programs emphasize creative writing. As such, critics – and envious students majoring in the hard sciences – tend to view a writing degree as one of the easiest online degree options.

Generally speaking, there are no complicated equations in writing a poem, a memoir, a screenplay or a novel. Even the techniques of good writing are subjective. Strong writers understand and typically follow the rules of good writing. Even stronger writers can figure out when to break the rules to achieve the desired effect.

Many writing programs offer students a lot of flexibility in their curricula. Compared to more rigorous subjects of study, the freedom of earning a writing degree makes the major seem simple. However, the reading, writing and revising that writing students have to do throughout their education is time-consuming. It can also be daunting to have to keep dreaming up original ideas and fleshing them out into a complete poem or story, especially when students know that their work will be picked apart in class.

Coursework in Bachelor’s Degrees in Writing

Different writing degrees cover different material. It’s important to pay attention to what the writing bachelor’s degree program at your desired school entails.

Creative writing programs are common. They often include coursework in fiction, nonfiction, poetry and drama. In a creative writing course, students will generally study the techniques of high-quality writing. They may read and analyze example texts. However, unlike a literature degree, the focus isn’t on literary analysis. Instead, the goal is to learn to apply the concepts of good writing to students’ own work.

Often, a creative writing course requires students to come up with their own original written work. Students receive constructive criticism from instructors and classmates through workshops. Finally, they use that feedback to improve their writing.

It’s also possible to major in general writing or professional writing. These degree programs typically focus less on crafting artsy pieces like poems or novels. Instead, they emphasize the development of marketable writing skills in professional writing, journalism and technical writing. These skills can help graduates land an agency content creation role or in-house marketing writing position with a company or make a living as a freelance writer.

What Makes It Easy: Creative and fun, lack of required courses in science or mathematics, flexible curriculum, less career-focused

The Hardest Part: A reading- and writing-intensive curriculum

Career Opportunities: Author, journalist, web content writer, technical writer, professional blogger, marketing or advertising content writer, editor

 12. Art

Creating great art certainly isn’t easy. However, art has earned a place among the easiest college majors.

Earning an art degree can seem like a stress-free endeavor compared to negotiating the complexities of advanced mathematics and scientific theories.

Arts degrees also have a reputation for being impractical as career preparation and for not being very marketable. Unfortunately, research backs up that impression. Only about 10% of graduates from art degree programs end up making a living working in the arts, according to The Atlantic.

On top of the unreliability of arts degrees for employment, the reality of majoring in art is a lot less glamorous than the perception. To truly excel in creating great visual art, you need more than natural ability and a creative flair. You need the discipline to develop the technical skills in painting, drawing, sculpting or whatever media in which you work so that the art you create by hand matches the vision you develop in your mind.

Coursework in Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Art

Most undergraduate online programs in art award either a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree or a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Art degree. Different schools offer different types of art degree online programs. Whether you’re going for a BFA or a BA in Art will affect the structure of your studies.

BFA programs focus on creating art rather than studying it. As a result, students in a BFA program spend as much as two-thirds of their studies working on artistic pursuits in a studio setting. On the other hand, if you’re pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Art, you’re likely to spend much more time in traditional classroom settings. Here, you will learn about art through lectures and class discussions.

BFA degrees are usually offered in the visual and performing arts, such as:

• Ceramics
• Painting
• Drawing
• Photography
• Sculpture
• Illustration
• Printmaking

BA degrees are more frequently awarded in art history or design. Some schools offer Bachelor of Arts programs in studio arts, as well.

What Makes It Easy: Creative and fun, lack of required courses in science or mathematics, less career-focused

The Hardest Part: Perfecting artistic techniques, overcoming fear of criticism

Career Opportunities: Fine artist, craft artist, illustrator, animator, photographer, printmaker, graphic designer, art director 

13. Anthropology

If you’re interested in learning about other cultures, anthropology is a major that might interest you. Anthropology is the study of cultures and civilizations and how they develop. This social science subject of study also earns a spot on the easiest online degree list.

Anthropology’s focus on humanity and culture may lead people who study the hard sciences to think of it as an easy field of study. The qualitative nature of research in the field also contributed to this perception. Finally, the notion that there aren’t many jobs for anthropologists adds to this belief.

It’s true that anthropology isn’t seeing the kind of rapid career growth found in industries such as healthcare and technology. Still, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expected job opportunities for anthropologists and archeologists to increase by 6% between 2021 and 2031. That’s on par with the average rate of growth for all occupations. To say that there are no jobs out there for anthropologists is just not true. Anthropologists find work in settings like the following, according to the American Anthropological Association:

• Research laboratories
• Academic anthropology departments
• Corporations
• Government entities
• Police departments
• Museums
• Schools
• Environmental organizations
• Nonprofit community centers

RELATED: What Degree Do I Need to Be a Curator?

Coursework in Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Anthropology

Students in an online bachelor’s degree program in anthropology usually take a variety of courses in biological anthropology, social anthropology, linguistics and archeology. They learn about the fundamental concepts of studying anthropology. Students in these online programs also learn about the fieldwork methods used in anthropology and archeology data collection.

Anthropology students at the undergraduate level may also study related subjects. These subjects include:

• World religions
• Foreign language
• Geography
• Sociology
• Social science research methods
• Language and culture

Online students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in anthropology take a diverse collection of anthropology courses. They may also choose to specialize in a subfield of anthropology that interests them. Examples of specializations in online programs in anthropology include:

• Biological anthropology
• Physical anthropology
• Medical anthropology
• Anthropological archaeology
• Sociocultural anthropology
• Linguistic anthropology
• History of anthropological thought

What Makes It Easy: Focus on culture and humanity, qualitative research methods, reputation for being less career-focused

The Hardest Part: Studying the biological and physical components of human society development, learning the methods needed to do fieldwork

Career Opportunities: Anthropologist, historic preservationist, cultural resource manager, human rights advocate, urban planner, lawyer

14. Business Leadership and Management

Some aspiring business professionals choose neither a general business administration degree nor a degree in a specialized field like accounting or finance. Instead, they choose to study a program such as organizational leadership.

What makes a business management degree one of the easiest online degrees is similar to what lands a Bachelor of Business Administration degree a spot on this list. A degree in business leadership and management is less specialized than other business degree programs. It doesn’t require a strong focus on numbers, as finance and accounting programs of study would. This fact adds to the major’s reputation as an easy one.

Students also take a great deal of general education classes in the arts, sciences, humanities and mathematics. for this reason, online programs in business management are similar to a liberal arts degree.

However, the leadership skills that students develop while studying management strategies are often perceived as more valuable and marketable than those cultivated through other so-called easy degree programs. Prospective employers like to see proof that job candidates have skills in planning, making wise decisions, diplomatically negotiating solutions to conflicts and managing projects and people. Those are some of the main skills students develop while majoring in business management.

A student’s personality is one factor that affects how easy this major really is. For natural leaders, business management really may be the easiest bachelor degree. The skills you acquire in this degree program might come easily. For students who are shy, introverted or lack confidence, studying leadership can require doing things outside your comfort zone.

Coursework in an Online Program in Business Management

In a bachelor’s degree program in organizational leadership, you would study the communication, motivation and conflict management techniques required to manage a business or organization successfully, as well as appropriate behavior and ethics for a leader. Courses include the following, according to U.S. News & World Report:

• Principles of management
• Introduction to leadership
• Organizational behavior
• Communication strategies for leaders
• Work attitudes and motivation
• Collective decision-making
• Leadership and change

Students in an online bachelor’s degree program in organizational leadership might also have the opportunity to specialize in a subfield. Examples of specialization for business management majors include:

• Marketing
• Career and technical education
• Training and development
• Human resources management

By the time students graduate from a bachelor’s degree program in organizational leadership, they should understand how to plan, lead and make sound decisions on behalf of their company or organization.

What Makes It Easy: Generalized studies, lack of required courses in science or mathematics, may fit well into natural abilities

The Hardest Part: Overcoming fears and anxieties about leadership

Career Opportunities: Sales manager, administrative services manager, human resources manager, management analyst, consultant, training and development specialist, human resources specialist

15. Marketing

If you’re curious about why people make the buying decisions that they do, a degree in marketing could be for you. Marketing is a business discipline that focuses on the study of consumer behavior.

Do core classes that require students to dream up commercial scripts and ad campaigns translate to an easy major? In many ways, marketing’s reputation as an easy degree may be unfair.

Most people associate the field of marketing with creative and fun projects like developing advertising materials and sales pitches. Marketing also has an important data-driven side. Students who pursue an online bachelor’s degree in marketing need to take data courses in areas like the following:

• Finance
• Analytics
• Market research
• Statistics and search engine optimization

Without this background in data, marketing professionals would have no way to evaluate the success of their marketing campaigns. They wouldn’t be able to target a specific audience of consumers in their marketing messages. The research students do in a marketing degree program may seem less rigorous or serious than that in, say, a biology or physics program. However, it still requires attention to detail and strong analytical and critical thinking skills.

Coursework in Marketing

Students take a number of classes in general business, marketing principles and applications and data. Combining these studies allows students to develop a thorough understanding of what drives consumers to make purchases. This knowledge helps aspiring marketing professionals figure out how they can get consumers to take a desired action – such as buying a company’s product.

Prospective marketing students should expect to take courses such as the following, according to U.S. News & World Report:

• Marketing research
• Consumer behavior
• Sales
• Advertising
• Strategic marketing
• Marketing management
• Accounting
• Economics
• Business law

Marketing students can round out their skills by choosing relevant electives. Examples of elective courses to consider include social media marketing strategy, public relations, e-commerce and entrepreneurship.

What Makes It Easy: Creative and fun, lack of required science courses, general business focus

The Hardest Part: Data research courses that require strong math and analytical skills

Career Opportunities: Marketing manager, marketing specialist, advertising manager, sales manager, public relations specialist, market research analyst, advertising sales agent

16. Health Science

Health sciences is a program of study that introduces students to the undergraduate-level concepts and skills they need for non-clinical roles in the healthcare industry. As a science program, it’s a departure from other majors on the easiest bachelor degree list. An online bachelor’s degree in health science is an exception to the rule that hard sciences involve complex equations and extensive laboratory work. Health science programs are broader in scope than many science degree programs.

If you want to work in the growing healthcare industry but don’t feel drawn to direct patient care roles such as doctor or nurse, then a health science career might be a wise choice for you. Unlike nursing or physician assistant programs, health science degree programs are often non-clinical in nature. You won’t have to spend hundreds of hours gaining hands-on experience caring for patients. While some health science majors do go on to attain healthcare roles that involve direct patient care, many instead work in health education or administration. This common career outcome adds to the perception that a health sciences degree program is easy.

Coursework in Health Science

Health science majors tend to take classes in subjects like the following, ccording to U.S. News & World Report:

• Human anatomy and physiology
• Medical terminology
• Gerontology and long-term care
• Medical pharmacology
• Health care law
• Health information systems
• Management and leadership in healthcare
• Legal and ethical considerations in healthcare

Often, students who earn their bachelor’s degree in health sciences online will be asked to choose an academic concentration that they will focus on during their studies. Public health, healthcare administration and aging studies are among the most popular health science concentrations, according to U.S. News & World Report. Most bachelor’s in health science degree programs require students to complete a sizable general education requirement. That means students in these online programs may take a variety of courses in the humanities, arts, sciences and math.

What Makes It Easy: Broad subject of study, few required laboratory science and mathematics courses, non-clinical focus

The Hardest Part: Learning important medical concepts such as medical terminology, pharmacology and anatomy and physiology

Career Opportunities: Health educator, medical and health services manager

17. Graphic Design

Another of the easiest bachelor degree options is graphic design. Graphic design can seem like an easy degree program for many of the same reasons that an art degree has earned that reputation.

People see the creative and fun side of a graphic design major’s curriculum, like their experiments with colors and fonts. They notice that students in undergraduate graphic design programs don’t have to take many high-level science and mathematics courses. What outsiders don’t see is how much time, dedication and work it takes to perfect your art and design skills both by hand and using computer software.

Having a natural eye for design and starting off with above-average artistic abilities can certainly help graphic design majors do well. However, it takes more than that to fully develop your skills and build a portfolio that will land you consistent work from paying clients. Graphic design is a lot more strategic than many people outside the discipline realize.

RELATED: What Can I Do With a Degree in Visual Communications?

Coursework in Graphic Design Degrees

Graphic design is one of the best college majors if you enjoy art but want a degree that will be a little bit more marketable. The field of graphic design focuses on the application of art and design principles to make aesthetically appealing business and marketing materials. Examples of the work a graphic designer may perform include the design of:

• Logos
• Websites
• Product packaging
• Advertising campaigns

In an undergraduate graphic design degree program, students take classes such as the following, according to U.S. News & World Report:

• History of graphic design
• Art history
• Concept development
• Color theory
• Drawing
• Design principles
• Typography
• Corporate branding
• Advanced digital lab

Digital courses, like digital illustration and web design, are particularly important for today’s graphic designers as technology continues to evolve rapidly. Many bachelor’s programs in graphic desig require prospective students to submit samples of their art in order to be accepted into the program.

Once they start their graphic arts education, students will do a lot of hands-on design work. Graphic design students compile their best work into a professional portfolio that showcases their design skills.

What Makes It Easy: Creative and fun, lack of required courses in science or mathematics

The Hardest Part: Perfecting artistic techniques, overcoming fear of criticism, learning the strategy behind successful design

Career Opportunities: Graphic designer, art director, creative director

18. Political Science

Another of the easiest online degrees for undergraduate students is political science. Political science is the study of the government and politics.

Why would a degree like political science have a reputation for being easy? The major may have the word “science” in the title, but it has more in common with the liberal arts than with advanced mathematics and science degree programs. Even the American Political Science Association identifies political science as a liberal arts major and a social science.

The curriculum of online programs in political science requires students to learn all about the complexities of how governments operate and how political theory works in practice. However, this college major places just as much emphasis on growing skills such as writing, communication and data analysis. Critics draw upon this focus on soft skills to argue that political science is one of the easiest online degrees.

Don’t let this major’s social science classification trick you. Political science students may not engage in the same type of research that chemistry and physics students do. Still, they spend a great deal of time learning to analyze and understand data. The research- and writing-intensive nature of their curriculum makes their coursework time-consuming and demanding in its own way.

Coursework in a Bachelor of Science in Political Science

In an online bachelor’s degree program in political science, students will take classes such as the following, according to U.S. News & World Report:

• Introduction to political science
• Comparative politics
• Economics
• Policymaking
• American government
• The American legal process
• Congress and the presidency
• American political theory
• American foreign policy

While students enrolled in a political science degree program based in the United States focus their studies mainly on American politics. However, politics have an international influence. Political science majors also learn about international relations, foreign policy and governments of different nations and regions of the world.

Online undergraduate political science students will need to commit important facts to memory. It isn’t all memorization, though. Developing critical thinking, research and writing skills is a top goal in these programs. These versatile skills can help students apply the political theory they have learned to real-world situations. To cultivate these skills, students should expect their curriculum to be research-heavy and writing-intensive, according to U.S. News & World Report.

What Makes It Easy: The broad skills-based focus of a liberal arts program of study

The Hardest Part: Learning to analyze data and understand complicated political theory, a research- and writing-intensive curriculum

Career Opportunities: Journalist, policy analyst, legislative analyst, government program analyst, campaign manager, intelligence officer, foreign service officer, lawyer, politician

19. Social Science

Social science is the broad study of human behavior and human society. This broad field also lands a spot on our list of the easiest online degrees.

Like political science, social science is often viewed as less rigorous than studies in the physical or life sciences. Research is an important part of studying the social sciences. However, social science research is more qualitative and incorporates fewer complex equations.

The broad focus of a social science program is one factor that can make it seem like an easy college degree. Its emphasis on developing critical thinking, problem solving, interpersonal and communication skills, soo, may make the degree program seem easy compared to degree programs that require students to retain vast sums of technical knowledge. It’s no wonder that STEM students whose schedules are jam-packed with advanced laboratory science and mathematics courses envy the wealth of electives found in many social science degree programs.

The major also has a reputation for being less career-focused than other programs of study. Majoring on political science can prepare students for dozens of possible careers, according to Portland State University. However, that career preparation is mainly through cultivating versatile soft skills rather than focusing on the technical knowledge needed for any one career path.

Coursework in a Social Science Program

Many online and traditional schools offer college majors that fit within the category of social science. Anthropology, sociology and political science are examples of social science majors. Some institutions also offer a general major in social science.

Courses in a general social science bachelor’s degree program might include the following:

• Introduction to social sciences
• Introduction to statistics
• Research methods in social science
• Introduction to anthropology
• Introduction to sociology
• Introduction to psychology
• Diversity awareness

Even in a general social science program, students might have the opportunity to choose a degree focus. Examples of concentrations within a social science major include anthropology, sociology, psychology and gerontology.

Often, social science majors also complete a number of general education courses. This curriculum structure provides social science majors with a comprehensive education in a breadth of different topics. Many social science degree programs allow students the freedom to choose many elective courses to complete the credits required to graduate.

What Makes It Easy: Flexible curriculum, generalist focus, lack of required courses in science or mathematics, less career-focused

The Hardest Part: Learning social science research methods, thoroughly developing analytical and communication skills

Career Opportunities: Teacher, social worker, manager, counselor, social service manager, fundraiser, sociologist, psychologist, analyst, administrator, urban planner, probation officer, lawyer, survey researcher, social scientist

20. Interior Design

another of the easiest college majors at the bachelor’s level is interior design. Interior designers strategically and purposefully develop designs for indoor spaces with both aesthetics and functionality in mind.

For outsiders whose studies are far more focused on advanced technology, mathematics or scientific principles, a degree program that involves entire courses devoted to the study of color theory or lighting fixtures may seem easy. However, developing the design skills needed to succeed in the competitive field of interior design takes both natural ability and a great deal of dedication.

Students pursuing online degrees in interior design need to refine their drawing and computer design skills. Accomplishing these goals requires a great deal of practice. Another aspect of the field that may make interior design seems like the easiest bachelor degree is the popular image of interior designers as decorators that pick out wallpaper and throw pillows. Despite this widespread perception, interioror designers are different from interior decorators.

RELATED: Do I Need a Degree to Be an Interior Decorator?

Many states even require interior decorators to have a license, according to U.S. News & World Report. Aspiring interior designers need to make sure their degree program is accredited. To earn a licence, interioror design majors also need to earn a passing score on a professional exam and complete two years of supervised interior design experience to attain their license, the BLS reported.

Coursework in Interior Design

To learn how to succeed in work in interior design, students need to take a variety of courses. Coursework commonly includes subjects like the following, according to U.S. News & World Report:

• Fundamentals of design
• History of design
• Programming and space planning
• Materials and sources
• Rresidential design
• Introduction to sustainable design
• History of interiors and architecture
• Restaurant and retail design
• Office design
• Color perception and application,
• Lighting
• Architectural detailing

Students also need to take hands-on courses to develop their skills in drawing, drafting, 3-D design and computer-aided design. While it’s important for students to learn the concepts and theory of design, it’s also important for them to learn how to apply those concepts. Even online programs in interior design often require students to complete an in-person internship in order to graduate with a bachelor’s degree.

At some schools, interior design students can choose a specialization or concentration. Specializations in online degrees in interior design include commercial interior design, historic preservation and sustainable design.

RELATED: Top 10 Interior Design Schools in the U.S.

What Makes It Easy: Creative and fun, lack of required courses in science or mathematics, easy-sounding courses

The Hardest Part: Perfecting design skills through practice, completing an internship, attaining a license to work in the field

Career Opportunities: Assistant interior designer, junior interior designer, senior interior designer, interior design director

Editor’s Note: Just because a degree program has a reputation for being easy doesn’t mean that it won’t challenge you or that you can attain your degree and start your career without putting in a great deal of effort. Even if you choose a seemingly easy degree program that fits well with your natural talents, you still need to be willing to put in the work in order to succeed in your studies and your future career.

Related Resources: 

What Is the Difference Between a Degree in Interior Design and Interior Architecture?

What Degree Do I Need to Become a Lighting Designer?

What Degree Do I Need to Be an Intelligence Analyst?

Where Are the Best Paying Jobs With a Degree in Interior Design?

Top 10 Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Environmental Science

How Long Does It Take to Become a Psychologist?

What Is an Interior Designing Degree?

For Further Reading:

20 Non-Law Firm Jobs with a Law Degree

What Degree Do I Need to Be a Policy Analyst?

The post The 20 Easiest Bachelor’s Degree Online Options appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

There are numerous types of engineering careers, each of which has its own distinct earning potential and path to the career. Our list below presents the 10 most lucrative engineering jobs.

Preparing for the Best Engineering Jobs

If you have your eye on an engineering career, you need at least a bachelor’s degree. Some engineers have a master’s degree. Graduate education is more common in some engineering jobs than others, so whether you should enroll in a master’s degree program depends on the specific career in engineering you are most interested in.

Engineering students need a strong background in math and the sciences. Often, engineering majors have to take classes in science disciplines like physics, biology and chemistry and math classes like linear algebra, differential equations and calculus, as well as engineering principles.

RELATED: What Are the Highest Paying Jobs in Engineering Technology?

The Highest Paying Engineering Jobs, Ranked

1. Petroleum Engineer

Petroleum engineer is the highest paying engineering job. For 2021, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported a median annual salary of $130,850 for petroleum engineers. The best-paying of the top employing industries for this career, management of companies and enterprises, paid a median wage of $165,480. Even the lowest-paying top employment industry, support activities for mining, still paid a median wage of $123,820.

The highest-earning 10 percent of petroleum engineers made more than $208,000 per year in 2021, while the lowest-earning 10 percent of the occupation reported salaries below $78,390, the BLS reported.

What Do Petroleum Engineers Do?

The primary concern of petroleum engineers is extracting fuel resources from oil and gas deposits beneath the Earth’s surface. More specifically, a petroleum engineer might devise the plan for extracting these resources from oil and gas deposits, design the machines and equipment used to perform this work and evaluate the effectiveness of extraction efforts. Some of the industries that employ petroleum engineers include the oil and gas extraction industry, support activities for mining, petroleum and coal products manufacturing and engineering services.

RELATED: Exciting Jobs: The Top 15 Jobs for Adrenaline Seekers

Coursework in Petroleum Engineering

Petroleum engineering is closely linked to the topics of energy production and the environment, so many petroleum engineering programs include at least one class that touches upon these topics. Some of the coursework involved in a petroleum engineering program is somewhat general, including studies of engineering mechanics, such as statics and the mechanics of solids. Thermodynamics and phase behavior, especially as they pertain to petroleum fluids, are also relevant, as are petrophysics and the properties of petroleum fluids.

Petroleum engineering programs typically include some coursework in the geological sciences, including the foundations of geology and of sedimentary rocks, as well as classes in geostatistics. Prospective petroleum engineers will also learn about rock formation evaluation, resource economics and valuation in the petroleum industry, reservoir engineering, reservoir geomechanics, drilling and well completions and petroleum engineering production technology and design. Aspiring petroleum engineers should expect to study the design and analysis of geosystems, transport phenomena in geosystems and the formulation and solution of problems that arise in geosystems engineering.

RELATED: What Are the Highest Paying Jobs with a Degree in Petroleum Engineering?

2. Aerospace Engineer

Another of the highest-paid engineering jobs is aerospace engineer. For aerospace engineers, the BLS reported a median salary of $122,270 in 2021. The lowest-paid aerospace engineering professionals reported annual earnings below $77,440, while the highest-paid professionals in this field made more than $168,370 in a year. The top-employing industry for aerospace engineering careers, aerospace product and parts manufacturing, paid a median wage of $126,780 to the 33% of aerospace engineers it employed.

The 8% of aerospace engineers working in research and development in the physical, engineering and life sciences industry enjoyed the highest wages, with a median salary of $128,020. Of the top employment industries for aerospace engineers, engineering services, which amounted to 18 percent of the workforce, paid the least. However, the median salary in this industry, $120,640, was still well into the six-figure range.

What Does an Aerospace Engineer Do?

Aerospace engineers design and develop solutions that pertain to aircraft and spacecraft. In general, aerospace engineering encompasses everything from the structural design of airplanes and spaceships themselves to the propulsion systems, navigation controls, instrumentation, communications systems and other components that make these vessels work. Often, an aerospace engineer will specialize in one area of expertise.

Besides coming up with designs, aerospace engineers are responsible for ensuring that their designs meet product quality standards. Quality is particularly important in this field, because a malfunction can be devastating if it occurs on a commercial jet filled with people 35,000 feet in the air or on a manned spaceship in outer space, too far away to wait for outside help. Aerospace engineers can determine whether a design or product meets quality standards by running tests, such as computer simulations and hands-on examinations and tests of prototypes.

Careers in aerospace engineering can be further broken down into two categories. Aeronautical engineers deal with aircraft and vessels intended to stay within the Earth’s atmosphere, while astronautical engineers are concerned with spacecraft and other craft that are meant to perform both within and outside the Earth’s atmosphere (in other words, in space).

Coursework in Aerospace Engineering

Some of the coursework involved in a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in aerospace engineering is, literally, rocket science. Dynamics, or mechanics as they pertain to motion and force, is a major area of concern for aerospace engineers. Aerospace engineering students often study spacecraft aerodynamics, low-speed aerodynamics and flight dynamics. Additionally, propulsion and compressible flow are common topics of study in this engineering degree program.

Majoring in aerospace engineering also requires learning about the different systems used in aircraft and spacecraft, including electromechanical systems, feedback control systems and linear systems. Aerospace engineering students must also become familiar with the properties and performance of aerospace materials.

3. Computer Engineer

Computer engineering can be said to encompass two major types of careers, both of which rank among the highest-paying engineering jobs. Computer hardware engineer is the job most commonly associated with the field of computer engineering, but the work of software engineers also revolves around computer systems and computer technology.

For computer hardware engineers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median salary of $128,170 in 2021. Software engineers in roles like software developers earned a median wage of $110,140.

What Do Computer Engineers Do?

Computer engineers are a type of electrical engineers that focus on the electrical equipment used in computer systems. A computer hardware engineer is a computer engineering professional who primarily develops the physical components for computers. The types of components that a computer hardware engineer may work on include circuit boards, memory devices and microprocessors.

Software engineering revolves around designing and developing software programs and applications. Software engineers are generally more involved in conceptualizing programs and applications to be developed with computer programming languages than with putting together physical computer components. However, like computer hardware engineers, software engineers focus more on high-level design and development of solutions to complex problems. Software engineers don’t just write computer code. Rather, software engineering is about creating detailed plans for how a software application should function. 

Coursework in Computer Engineering

The coursework that computer engineers need depends on whether they want to design hardware or software. Hardware engineers, as a specialized subset of electrical engineers, focus more on electrical and electronic circuits for computer systems. Software engineering is the engineering career at the intersection between engineering design and computer science, so software engineers should expect to study computer science and develop advanced skills in programming. Of course, software engineers must also learn the principles of engineering design. Computer engineering coursework can also prepare students for roles such as computer and information research scientists.

4. Nuclear Engineer

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median salary of $120,380 for nuclear engineers in 2021. Earnings in excess of $169,000 per year characterize the top 10% of earners in this occupation, while the lowest-paid 10% of nuclear engineers reported an annual income below $75,460.

The federal government, which is the largest employer in the field of nuclear engineering and accounts for 18 percent of the workforce, is also the lowest paying of these top employment industries. The median annual salary for nuclear engineering professionals in this industry just exceeded the six-figure mark, at $100,650. Nuclear engineers working in the scientific research and development services industry – about 15 percent of the profession – reported the highest median salary, $151,980.

What Does a Nuclear Engineer Do?

Nuclear engineers are the professionals behind the development and production of nuclear energy and nuclear radiation. As such, nuclear engineers play a big part in energy production. They are also responsible for medical uses of radiation, including diagnostic imaging tests that use radiation to visualize the inside of the body and radiation-based treatments for conditions like cancer.

Unfortunately, the current job outlook for nuclear engineering professionals is discouraging. From 2020 through 2030, the BLS expects jobs in this field to decline by 8%, compared to the 8% increase predicted for all jobs as a whole and the 7% increase predicted for engineering careers in general. If you want to work in this career field, you should be prepared for a competitive job market.

Coursework in Nuclear Engineering

Coursework in this degree program often begins with an overview of the principles of nuclear engineering. Specialized coursework in this major includes nuclear reactor theory and design, nuclear plant systems, nuclear engineering systems design, experiments in nuclear engineering and the materials for nuclear energy applications.

Nuclear engineering is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering that draws from more than one of the major disciplines of the field. As such, students should expect to study the principles of electrical engineering, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, statics and particle dynamics and electricity and magnetism.

5. Chemical Engineer

Another of the six-figure engineering careers is chemical engineer. For chemical engineers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 2021 median salary of $105,550. The 10% of chemical engineers who make the most money reported earning upwards of $187,430 per year, while the 10% of the chemical engineer occupation that earned the least brought in less than $62,730.

Industry of employment makes a big impact on the earning potential of chemical engineers. For chemical engineer careers in the engineering services industry, which make up 10% of the chemical engineering workforce, the BLS reported a median salary of $152,430. Chemical engineer roles in engineering firms are some of the highest-paying engineering jobs. The pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing industry, which employs 3% of the occupation, is the lowest-paying top employment industry for chemical engineers. Professionals working in this industry reported earning $96,220 annually in 2021.

What Do Chemical Engineers Do?

A chemical engineer is an engineering professional who uses the principles and practices of chemistry and other life and natural sciences to design solutions that range from the development of new chemicals to processes and equipment used in chemical production. Chemicals are a part of many facets of life, which means that chemical engineers play a role in products ranging from food, medicine and clothing to fuel, energy production and electronics.

Coursework for Chemical Engineers

As you might expect, an aspiring chemical engineer needs a strong background in chemistry and should expect to take laboratory courses in physical chemistry, organic chemistry, chemical practice and a more advanced level of principles of chemistry than other students typically take.

Specialized coursework for aspiring chemical engineers includes chemical engineering materials, the design and operations of the chemical engineering process, chemical engineering analysis, biochemical engineering, separation processes and mass transfer and transport processes. Additionally, students should study the design and analysis of chemical reactors.

6. Electrical Engineer

For electrical and electronics engineers, the BLS reported a median salary of $101,780 in 2021. The BLS further distinguishes between the job titles of electrical engineer and electronics engineer. According to the BLS, electronics engineers earn slightly more than electrical engineers – $104,820 compared to $100,420 in 2021. Among electronics engineers, the best-paid 10% earned more than $166,890, and the lowest-paid 10% made less than $73,630. Electrical engineers in the 90th percentile reported earnings of more than $162,930, while an electrical engineer in the 10th percentile would make less than $62,360 per year.

The highest-paying industry for electronics engineers is the navigational, measuring, electromedical and control instruments manufacturing industry, for which the median salary was $128,560. The lowest-paying top employment industry in this field, telecommunications, paid a median annual salary of $100,290.

For electrical engineers, the highest-paying engineering jobs are in research and development in the physical, engineering and life sciences industry. Electrical engineering professionals in this industry reported earning a median salary was $125,080. The lowest-paying top employment industry for electrical engineers, the engineering services industry, paid a median wage of $99,330. An electrical engineer or electronics engineer can expect earnings that approach, if not exceed, the six-figure range as they advance their career over the course of their work lifetime.

What Do Electrical Engineers Do?

Electrical systems and electronic equipment are the main areas of focus for electrical and electronics engineers, respectively. Both areas pertain to electricity in some way, but an electrical engineer is generally more concerned with the generation and distribution of electrical power on a larger scale, and electronics engineers typically focus more narrowly on electronic devices and equipment.

In either case, designing and developing products, equipment or processes used for an electrical system or electronic device, such as navigation systems, is the main job duty of engineers in these related areas of electrical engineering and electronics engineering.

Coursework in Electrical Engineering

Students majoring in electrical engineering should expect to take coursework in the foundations and design of electric circuits, electronic devices and the fundamentals of power and energy. Studies in digital logic design and design with microcontrollers are also common requirements in electrical engineering bachelor’s degree programs. Electrical engineering students should learn about electromagnetics in computing and wireless systems and about continuous and discrete signals and systems.

Gaining hands-on experience designing electrical circuits and systems is important for an aspiring electrical engineer. A bachelor’s degree in this area of study should include design studio coursework, internship or co-op opportunities or a senior project that facilitates the acquisition of hands-on electrical engineering work experience.

7. Biomedical Engineer

The median salary the BLS reported for bioengineers and biomedical engineers in 2021 was $97,410. A six-figure salary is well within the realm of possibility for biomedical engineers. The average salary for biomedical engineers and bioengineers, according to the US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, was $101,020 as of 2021.

Although the lowest-paid 10% of workers in the biomedical and bioengineering field reported making less than $60,680 per year, the highest-paid 10% of the field earned upwards of $154,750.

The 8% of bioengineers working in navigational, measuring, electromedical and control instruments manufacturing enjoyed the highest median salary of all top employment industries, at $108,690. Bioengineers working for colleges and universities earned the least, with a median wage of $62,650.

RELATED: What Degree Do You Need to Be a Biomedical Engineer?

What Do Biomedical Engineers Do?

A biomedical engineer is an engineer who designs and develops solutions based on or with applications in medical science. For most biomedical engineers, a passion for helping people and making a difference is what attracts them to this career that U.S. News & World Report had ranked as one of the best STEM jobs. Through their work in engineering design, most biomedical engineers create medical devices, equipment and processes that can be used to help diagnose and treat medical conditions.

Biomedical engineering isn’t just one of the highest paying engineering jobs but also one of the newer fields of engineering. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that the first college biomedical engineering departments were established, according to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). Despite the relative recency of the field’s development, biomedical engineers have accomplished a great deal in a short time.

Coursework in Biomedical Engineering

To innovate and engineer solutions to biomedical problems, biomedical engineers first need to know a great deal about the body and biological systems. This means studying cell biology, biochemistry, biophysics, membrane physiology and the physiological systems of the body.

RELATED: Highest Paying Jobs With a Biology Degree – Degrees in Biology – Majors & Careers

Coursework in biomechanics, vascular mechanics and biotransport and kinetics also helps biomedical engineering students build a foundation for the work of engineering medical solutions. Specialized areas of study in this field may include medical device design, biomedical signals and imaging, biomaterials, biomedical computation, bioimaging, tissue engineering and immunoengineering.

8. Geological Engineer

The median salary for mining and geological engineers in 2021 was $97,090, the BLS reported. The highest earners in this career field made more than $162,720, while the lowest earners reported making less than $48,690.

Even the lowest-paying of the top employment industries for geological engineering professionals, metal ore mining, paid a median annual salary of $95,300. Geological engineers working in the oil and gas extraction industry enjoyed a median salary of $131,020.

What Do Geological Engineers Do?

Geological engineers locate mineral deposits below the surface of the Earth and plan for the extraction of these resources. Geological engineers design different kinds of mines and procedures for transporting and processing extracted resources.

Coursework in Geological Engineering

Courses in geological sciences – including structural geology, mineralogy, crystallography, stratigraphy and sedimentation, igneous and metamorphic petrology and rock mechanics – is essential for those seeking a career in geological engineering. Students also need a thorough understanding of fluid mechanics, metallurgical thermodynamics, engineering geophysics, geographic information systems (GIS) and computer-aided design.

Through their coursework, students of geological engineering should develop skills and knowledge pertaining to geotechnical engineering, petroleum drilling and production engineering and engineering for environmental geology. Gaining practical experience through geological engineering fieldwork and hands-on design projects is particularly valuable for students who want to enter this career.

RELATED: What Are the Highest Paying Jobs with a Degree in Mining and Geological Engineering?

9. Mechanical Engineer

In 2021, the median salary for mechanical engineers was $95,300, according to the BLS. The mechanical engineers with the highest salaries reported earning upwards of $136,210, but those with the lowest salaries made less than $60,750.

The scientific research and development services industry paid mechanical engineers the best, with a median salary of $102,050, while the machinery manufacturing industry paid a median wage of just $79,770.

What Do Mechanical Engineers Do?

Mechanical engineering is a broad discipline that encompasses any engineering application that involves movement and motion. While mechanical engineering work encompasses machines like robots, automotive engines and power grids, it can also include biomedical applications that pertain to the movement of the human body. Because they work in so many areas and industries, mechanical engineers develop solutions for a wide range of problems.

Coursework in Mechanical Engineering

The most important topics of study in a mechanical engineering program include computer-aided design software and techniques, the properties of materials, thermodynamics and the process of heat transfer and energy conversion, static and dynamic systems and the mechanics of matter – both fluids and solids. By the time they graduate, mechanical engineering students should know the fundamentals of machine theory and engineering design, and they often have an opportunity to concentrate on certain areas, like robotics or automotive vehicles, in their elective courses.

RELATED: What Are the Highest Paying Jobs With a Degree in Mechanical Engineering?

10. Civil Engineer

Civil engineering is one of the major engineering disciplines, but it encompasses other types of engineering job roles, including environmental engineer. The median salary for civil engineers in 2021 was $88,050, while environmental engineers specifically earned a median salary of $96,820 – making environmental engineers some of the highest-paid workers in the engineering industry.

What Do Civil Engineers Do?

Civil engineers design and implement infrastructure projects that range from roads and bridges to buildings.

The subdiscipline of environmental engineering focuses on engineering design work used to solve environmental problems. Example areas of focus for environmental engineers include the development of renewable energy systems and waste disposal systems.

Coursework in Civil Engineering

Studies in civil engineering include courses in statics and dynamics, structural engineering and structural analysis, construction materials and structural material behavior, soil mechanics and hydraulics.

RELATED: What Civil Engineering Courses Will I Have to Take for a Degree in Civil Engineering?

Environmental engineering may be a concentration within civil engineering or its own distinct degree program. In either case, coursework for aspiring environmental engineers emphasizes sustainability. Aspiring environmental engineers also study the chemical principles and microbial principles in environmental engineering work. Environmental engineer degree programs include coursework in environmental science topics, such as soil science, and in environmental regulations. Environmental engineers often start their careers off by gaining experience through an internship, co-op experience or field practicum.

RELATED: What Are the Highest Paying Jobs With a Degree in Civil Engineering?

Other Types of Engineering Occupations

These aren’t the only engineering careers out there. Other engineering jobs to consider include agricultural engineer, materials engineer and industrial engineer.

Agricultural engineer, as the job title suggests, is a field of engineering devoted to problem-solving in farming and agriculture. Agricultural engineers may develop new products, processes and procedures for cultivating, harvesting, storing and processing produce and other types of agricultural products. Although the BLS predicted a slower than average rate of job growth for agricultural engineers between 2020 and 2030, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported for this occupation a median salary of $82,640 per year in 2021 – not too shabby, considering this isn’t even one of the 10 highest-paying engineering jobs.

Materials engineers research the properties and uses of raw materials and existing combinations of materials for application in all engineering fields. Materials engineers combine existing materials into new substances that can be used to solve problems in medicine, construction, computer technology and even sports. In addition to studying materials themselves, a materials engineer may also develop methods of processing and testing materials more efficiently and with less waste of time, product, energy or expense. The BLS reported that materials engineers earned a median wage of $98,300 per year as of 2021, but the material engineer profession is considerably smaller than many other engineering occupations. There were only 25,100 materials engineers working in America as of 2020. Although materials engineers can look forward to an 8% job growth rate, that amount of growth would yield only 2,100 new jobs for materials engineers over the course of a decade.

Industrial engineering, which focuses on the efficiency of industrial processes and manufacturing processes, was one of the most in-demand engineering jobs as of 2020. The BLS predicted a much faster than average job growth rate of 14% for industrial engineers between 2020 and 2030. Industrial engineers focus on improving efficiency in production processes and manufacturing processes. For industrial engineers, the BLS reported an average salary of $95,520 in 2021.

Management Careers in Engineering

If you want to move up from any of these engineering jobs, you might work toward another of the highest-paying engineering jobs, engineering manager. If you’re making a determination based solely on earning potential, engineering manager is one of the best engineering career options.

Engineering managers are tasked with project management duties as well as supervisory duties. The median annual salary for engineering managers in 2020 was $152,350.

Talented engineers are needed for management roles in every field of engineering. Often, aspiring engineering managers prepare for this career path by pursuing a master’s degree. However, a master’s degree is not strictly required for aspiring engineering managers, because candidates may advance to this role with only a bachelor’s degree.

Master’s degree programs in engineering management focus on skills in leadership and administration – precisely the skills engineering managers most need. You are also likely to need several years of work experience to become an engineering manager. In some engineering disciplines, licensed Professional Engineers will have the best prospects for engineer manager jobs.

What Are the Best Engineering Careers?

Our ranking of the highest paying engineering jobs focuses on just one aspect of the different types of engineering careers: earning potential, based on median pay rates. Your ability to earn a comfortable or even lucrative living is one important factor in choosing the best career for you, but average salary potential shouldn’t be your only consideration when choosing between different types of engineering fields.

In fact, engineering jobs as a whole report average salaries that are well above the national average salary. For all architecture and engineering jobs, the BLS reported a median annual salary of $79,840. For all occupations in all types of careers across the United States, the BLS reported an average salary of $58,260 in 2021. That national average salary translates to $28.01 per hour.

While some engineering jobs pay more than others, all of them offer significant earning potential and the opportunity to use your knowledge and skills for real-world innovation, not just academic and theoretical contemplations. High salaries don’t always correlate with high job satisfaction, although having an earning potential that exceeds the national average salary certainly doesn’t hurt job satisfaction rates.

As you’re exploring options for a career in engineering, think about the types of technical skills you would enjoy using on a regular basis and the types of problems you’re most eager to solve. Do you prefer the hands-on work of building circuits out of physical materials or the conceptualization of software programs constructed out of computer coding? Are you more interested in climate change and other environmental issues or in tackling public health issues? Would you prefer to assemble computer hardware, test drug therapies, build aircraft and vessels for space exploration, find safe methods of using and securing useful yet dangerous chemicals or planning construction projects?

There’s no one right answer to any of these questions. Fortunately, the 10 highest paying engineering careers include a variety of areas of focus, each of which requires its own set of technical skills.

Demand for Different Types of Engineering Jobs

What else should you consider when choosing the best engineering career for you? Looking at the job market and job growth rates, as predicted by the BLS, is a wise idea. Although the demand for jobs in any industry and discipline can shift over time, it can be helpful to know going into your career preparation whether the projected rate of job growth for your profession over the next few years is characterized as an average, above-average or below-average rate.

RELATED: What Are the Fastest Growing Engineering Jobs?

Even if knowing the job growth rate for your intended occupation doesn’t change your big-picture career plans, this information can inform how you go about your job search and career advancement efforts. If you’re entering one of the engineering fields that is seeing less job growth, you may have to be less selective when it comes to applying for entry-level jobs. It might make more sense for workers in these engineering fields to pursue a master’s degree or get licensed as Professional Engineers when they’re working toward career advancement, so that they can stand out from the competition – most of whom are likely to have only a bachelor’s degree.

The most in-demand engineering jobs in 2020 were growing at above-average rates, and the job outlook for many engineering roles was consistent with the average growth rate. However, some engineering roles – like nuclear engineer – were expected to see a significant decline in job opportunities from 2020 through 2030.

Your Personal and Professional Interests

Full-time workers can expect to devote a third of their life (on workdays) to their jobs. Since there are few activities you will spend more time doing over the course of your life than working, you might as well choose an occupation that you can get excited about.

RELATED: Top 10 Paying Jobs That Involve Math

Engineers in all disciplines draw from the same general subjects: mathematics and the natural and physical sciences. Engineers working in many industries perform many of the same basic tasks, as well. For example, they design new products and processes, prepare technical reports that express the engineering specifications for their designs, run computer simulations and work closely with others involved in the project, from stakeholders to technicians. However, the technical work that different kinds of engineers do on a daily basis can be very different depending on the field of engineering they pursue.

RELATED: What Industries Have the Greatest Demand for a Degree in Engineering?

Do you want to develop building plans, put together electrical circuit boards, mix up chemical solutions, assemble machines or plan the development of software programs? Would you prefer to take on the task of solving environmental problems, or do you have no qualms about working in the petroleum and mining industries? (These goals, by the way, aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive, since petroleum engineers and mining and geological engineers often strive to improve the effectiveness of this work and to mitigate the harm it does to the environment.) Engineers are creating the future, so aspiring engineers choosing their path should consider both the big-picture matter of what kind of future they want to create and the smaller details of what an average day of work will look like.

Related Resources:

Highest Paying Degrees in Engineering – Majors & Careers

What Are the Highest Paying Jobs With a Degree in Mechanical Engineering?

What Are the Highest Paying Jobs With a Degree in Civil Engineering?

What Are the Highest Paying Jobs in Engineering Technology?

For Further Reading: 

Top 10 Paying Jobs With an Associate’s Degree

What Are the 5 Best Careers in Environmental Science?

How Much Can I Make With a Degree in Digital Marketing?

The post Top 10 Highest Paying Engineering Careers appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

What to Look for in the Best Interior Design Schools

Top professionals in the interior designer occupation tend to come from the best interior design schools. Having a natural eye for design is valuable, but it takes more than this to become an excellent interior designer. Students need a formal interior design education to develop skills in formulating a design strategy, researching clients’ goals and project requirements, keeping work costs within the project budgets and managing the entire design project from start to finish.

What makes an institution a top interior design school?

It’s not the type of institution or degree awarded that matters most. Our list of the 10 best interior design schools includes everything from art and design schools to research universities and liberal arts schools. The degrees offered by the best interior design schools include Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS) and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degrees, as well as certificate programs. Among schools that offer graduate programs, students can choose from Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) programs, as well as doctorate degree programs.

Whether you choose a flexible or focused program, you should look for an option that includes experiential learning opportunities and training in the latest technology for design professionals. The right interior design program for you will nurture your artistic and design interests and equip you with the tools practicing interior designers use to prepare construction documents and use changing technologies in both the creative and less creative aspects of the field.

Among schools that offer online classes or an online degree program for design students, online bachelor’s programs are popular. Students may also look for distance learning options at the graduate levels, including an MA online degree program, an MS online degree program and an MFA online degree program.

The curriculum of an outstanding interior design program should include foundation art coursework that covers the concepts and methods of visual arts, classes in the theory and principles of design and coursework in the use of technical software like computer-aided design programs. Students should have the opportunity to explore the principles and practices of residential design and pursue commercial design work in a variety of areas, including retail design and health and wellness design. Collaborative work, such as group projects, may be part of your design or arts program. You should also expect to put in plenty of hard work advancing your artistic talent and building your portfolio.

RELATED: What Computer Programs Should I Learn Before Starting a Degree in Design Studies?

The best interior design programs also offer opportunities to build practical skills in the field. Through integrated design studio coursework, undergrad students practice their creative and technical design skills. Practicum experiences, internships and co-ops enable students to get real-world experience under the supervision of professionals in the field.

Ideally, prospective students should look for interior designer programs that are accredited by outside organizations. In the interior design field, two of the major accrediting bodies are the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

RELATED: What Is the Difference Between a Degree in Interior Design and Interior Architecture?

Top 10 Interior Design School Rankings

After careful consideration and research, we have identified the following institutions as some of the 10 best interior design schools in the United States. All the schools listed below provide interior design education options that produce interior design industry experts.

1. Rhode Island School of Design

With a name like Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), it should be no surprise that this institution has one of the top interior design programs in the United States. As one of the most widely admired interior design schools in the nation, RISD has earned recognition from publications such as Architectural Digest and Azure Magazine, among many others.

The interior design programs offered at RISD include options at the certificate, bachelor’s and master’s degree levels. RISD allows students to take courses in-person and online, offering plenty of flexibility for students who are juggling a lot of responsibilities or who can’t uproot their lives to move to a reasonable commuting distance.

RISD’s Interior Design Certificate Program

The interior design certificate program at RISD begins with core courses in drawing, design and digital design techniques that prepare students for a variety of careers in the interior design field. After completing their core courses, students pursuing an interior design certificate learn about lighting, building materials and even the differences between designing for private and public spaces in their concentration courses. At the end of this program, students will design a portfolio that will help them with potential job opportunities.

While this program does not satisfy either the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) or American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) eligibility requirements, it quickly provides students with formal design skills without the academic demands or price tag of a full degree.

For the entire program, the school reports a tuition price of only $9,140.

RISD’s Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design Program

Most interior design majors are more interested in bachelor’s degree programs than certificate programs. RISD’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Studies: Adaptive Reuse program is a baccalaureate-level program that emphasizes the skills for repurposing existing spaces for new uses.

In this traditionally four-year interior design BFA program, students complete courses in drawing, design and digital design techniques, much as students in the certificate program do. However, through the more in-depth coursework involved in this program, students explore topics like building structures, the history of interior architecture and scheme detailing in more detail. Students’ coursework in building structures and systems for adaptive reuse, in particular, will cover how the concepts of structural design and the mechanical systems used in building structures can be applied to preserving, adapting and rehabilitating existing buildings.

Students finish this program with a completed portfolio of their design work. Tuition for the bachelor’s interior design program at RISD for the 2022 through 2023 school year amounts to $28,218 per semester or $56,435 for the whole academic year.

RISD’s Master’s Degree Options in Interior Design

In addition to the BFA, graduate degrees offered at RISD include two types of master’s programs. The Master of Arts (MA) in Adaptive Reuse is a 1-year, 45-credit program that serves as a student’s first architecture degree. The school’s Master of Design in Interior Studies (MDes) programs are 2-year, 75-credit degree programs.

Students in the Master of Arts in Adaptive Reuse program take courses in the theory of adaptive reuse, the principles of adaptive reuse and applied building systems for adaptive reuse. Master of Design in Interior Studies degrees are offered in both adaptive reuse and exhibition and narrative environments.

In the Master of Design in Interior Studies: Adaptive Reuse program, which qualifies students to sit for the NCIDQ exam, coursework includes energy systems, human factors of ergonomics and acoustics, and studio coursework on codes and details. Coursework in the Master of Design Interior Studies: Exhibition and Narrative Environments program covers special topics in the use of interior design for storytelling purposes, particularly in museum settings.

The graduate interior design programs at RISD are the same cost as the undergraduate programs, coming in with a tuition of $28,218 per semester, or $56,435 for the whole year.

View program details.

2. New York School of Interior Design

NYSID isn’t just a liberal arts or design school that happens to offer an interior design major. The entire New York, NY, institution (and all of its academic programs) specializes solely in interior design. As one of the best interior design schools in the country, NYSID has received accolades from publications like Architectural Digest.

Undergraduate and graduate programs of study at the New York School of Interior Design range from a certificate program that introduces students to the field to five separate graduate programs to help interior designers advance their professional careers.

NYSID’s Basic Interior Design Certificate

The basic interior design certificate covers just what you would expect: the basics. Students take classes on topics like:

• basic drafting
• visual concepts
• the design process
• historical styles
• construction documents
• colors and textile design for interiors

Upon graduating from this certificate program, a student who is interested in taking their education further may transfer these credits into NYSID’s associate’s or bachelor’s degree program.

The tuition rate for all courses offered in the certificate, associate and bachelor’s programs for the 2022 through 2023 school year was $1,150 per credit.

The Associate of Applied Science Degree at NYSID

Through the institution’s Associate in Applied Science in Interior Design program, students can start their path in the field of interior design while covering prerequisite courses. Associate degree credits can then be transferred to the bachelor’s program, which will prepare students to enter the profession of interior design.

NYSID’s Bachelor’s Degree Program

In the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design program, students can look forward to receiving a more well-rounded education in interior design. Coursework in this program may include:

• furniture design
• kitchen and bath design
• sustainable design for the built environment
• light source design and selection
• material sourcing

Graduate Program Options at NYSID

At the graduate level, NYSID offers two non-specialized master’s degree programs and three more focused programs.

Students from different degree programs and academic backgrounds might pursue the Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design as their first foray into interior design education. An interior designer interested in expanding their overall knowledge in the field should consider the Post-Professional Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design.

The specialized master’s degree programs available include the Master of Professional Studies in Healthcare Interior Design, the Master of Professional Studies in Lighting Design and the Master of Professional Studies in Sustainable Interior Environments.

For all five programs, graduate students’ tuition is billed on an annual basis and amounts to $19,500 for the fall and spring semesters.

View program details.

RELATED: What Are the Pros and Cons of Pursuing a Degree in Interior Design?

3. Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a research institution, not a liberal arts college per se, yet interior design students here can expect to receive a broad liberal arts education as part of the curriculum. Interior design majors at Syracuse are part of the College of Visual & Performing Arts.

Despite the research focus of the university as a whole, the interior design program at Syracuse is one of the best interior design programs in the nation, endorsed by Architectural Digest.

Syracuse University’s Bachelor’s in Environmental and Interior Design

There is only one interior design program of study at Syracuse, but its unique area of specialization makes it stand out from the crowd. The undergraduate program is called Environmental and Interior Design, and it awards a BFA degree.

Syracuse University’s program is a bit broader, as it aims to teach students how to incorporate the principles and practices of interior design to work with a wide scope of environments, but as the degree title suggests, the curriculum has a strong focus on environmental design. Major requirements include completing three levels of environmental design courses, three levels of environmental factors courses and an environmental design capstone project.

Studying Interior Design at a Visual College

Being offered out of a visual arts college, the interior design program at Syracuse includes plenty of fine arts studio courses. These lengthy classes allow students to engage in hands-on projects in interior design practice, develop their artistic and technical design skills and begin creating the designs that will make up their portfolio.

Students also complete 15 credits of art history classes, as well as required coursework in the liberal arts and sciences.

A study abroad experience taken during students’ junior year of study is highly recommended. Students may choose to travel to London, UK, or to Florence, Italy.

View program details.

4. Pratt Institute

Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York City, is a private university known for its programs in art, architecture, design and the liberal arts and sciences. Interior design course offerings at this institution are offered out of the School of Design.

This institution was one of the first in the nation to offer a formal education in interior design, according to Architectural Digest, and it remains among the best interior design schools today. Graduates from the school have a history of finding employment relatively quickly. Most students find jobs within just seven months of graduating.

Pratt’s Bachelor of Fine Arts Program

Undergraduates who are preparing to become interior designers should consider Pratt’s Interior Design Bachelor of Fine Arts program. Major areas of focus in this undergraduate program are interior architecture, spatial design, surface embellishment, design practices that blend interior and exterior settings and design for the urban environment – with particular emphasis on how humans interact with their environments in urban settings.

This program gives students plenty of opportunities for practical instruction and the development of practical skills in design. Studio coursework is integrated into the curriculum as early as students’ sophomore year. Throughout their studies, students will gain hands-on experience through internships and professional practice coursework.

Undergraduate tuition for the 2020 through 2021 academic year amounted to $51,754 annually for students taking between 12 and 18 credits per semester.

A Minor in Interior Design

Some students are interested in interior design but aren’t ready to fully commit to the program. Ideal for these students is Pratt Institute’s 15-credit interior design minor that allows undergraduate students from any field of study to get a taste of the world of interior design.

The Master of Fine Arts Degree

Pratt Institute also offers a Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design for interior designers interested in research and academics as well as in advancing their careers in professional practice. Some students use this degree to become postsecondary teachers of interior design courses.

Within the MFA program, students may choose to focus on an area of concentration such as:

• interior design theory and criticism
• emerging technologies for interior design
• exhibition design
• environmental quality
• design of ecological and sustainable environments

For both full-time and part-time graduate students, the tuition rate for the 2020 through 2021 school year was $1,847 per credit.

View program details.

5. Parsons School of Design at the New School

The New School, a university in New York, NY, is made up of seven schools. One of these schools is Parsons School of Design, which is one of the best interior design schools in the country. Here, interior design students will find programs ranging at levels ranging from undergraduate certificates to graduate degrees.

Certificate in Interior Design

The undergraduate certificate program at Parsons offers students a quick but thorough introduction to the field, providing them with a solid foundation in interior design.

Offered in an online format in which students complete eight online classes over the span of just six to nine weeks, this program includes coursework in areas like:

• basic drafting and interior space planning
• color theory
• residential and commercial design

Through the special focus on collaborative work at Parsons, you can expect to complete group projects and share studio workspaces with students from other art and design programs.

The cost for the complete certificate program is $6,760 as of 2022.

Associate Degree in Interior Design

The Interior Design Associate of Applied Science offers a more in-depth introduction to the field. The curriculum of this two-year, on-campus program includes courses in 2D and 3D drawing of interiors, environmental design and construction documents, as well as a sequence of design studio courses.

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design

The interior design BFA degree program at Parsons that will best prepare students to begin their careers in the field of interior design is the Bachelor of Fine Arts. Like the associate’s degree program, this four-year baccalaureate program is offered on-campus.

The curriculum goes well beyond that of the associate’s degree program, encompassing coursework in:

• the history of architecture
• human ecological theory and design for interiors
• sustainable systems
• the interaction between light and surfaces

Integrative studio and seminar courses begin as early as the first semester of students’ first year of study.

Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design

The Interior Design Master’s of Fine Arts program at Parsons is a two-year, on-campus program that will help graduate students prepare to further their careers in interior design or enter the field as educators.

The MFA curriculum includes classes in environmental design, ethnography and design, the theory of the interior and fabrication and processes, as well as advanced design studios and a thesis.

View program details.

RELATED: Where Are the Best Paying Jobs with a Degree in Interior Design?

6. Savannah College of Art & Design

At Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) in Savannah, GA, students interested in interior design can pursue a bachelor’s degree, an undergraduate minor or a graduate degree. The institution is one of the best interior design schools in the nation, with features like SCADpro, the SCAD collaborative learning center design studio, setting it apart from other programs.

SCAD’s BFA in Interior Design

The BFA in Interior Design covers everything undergraduate students need to begin pursuing a career in interior design. You might not expect a traditional liberal arts degree experience from an art and design college like SCAD, but in this program – as in the institution’s other bachelor’s degree programs – students complete core courses designed to help them develop strong critical thinking skills and communication abilities.

In addition to these core courses, students will develop their abilities in interior design with courses in different aspects of interior design, such as the history of the field, drawing techniques and design studio work. As of 2022, program locations for the interior design BFA include SCAD’s Savannah main campus and its Atlanta campus.

Undergraduate tuition rates for one year of study at SCAD amounted to $39,105 during the 2022 through 2023 academic year.

Interior Design Minor Requirements

Undergraduate students pursuing a different undergraduate degree at SCAD may study interior design as a minor. In this 25-credit minor, students get an overview of the field of interior design.

At the Savannah and Atlanta campuses, students start their minor coursework with an Introduction to Interior Design class and continue with classes on topics like:

• interior materials
• graphics for the building arts
• form, space and order

One design studio course, which focuses on exploring people and space, is included in the requirements for the minor.

Master’s Degrees in Interior Design

SCAD’s interior design programs at the graduate level include both MA and MFA programs. The MA is a 45-hour program that includes classes in theory and criticism of interior design, environmental psychology for interior design, emerging materials for interiors and research methods in the field. Students complete a final project in preparation for graduation from the MA program.

The Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design program is significantly longer, consisting of 90 hours of coursework that includes multiple internships and a master’s thesis. Coursework includes the same classes found in the MA program, along with a series of studio design courses that focus on topics like inclusive design, design for live-work settings and the design of environments for public interaction.

The cost of this program is not much more than the undergraduate program, coming in at $40,050 for the 2022 through 2023 school year.

View program details.

7. University of Cincinnati

Another one of the top interior design schools is the University of Cincinnati (UC) in Ohio. The public research university has received accolades from Architectural Digest – even though the publication once singled out the campus’s Crosley Tower as one of the Ugliest University Buildings in America.

Through the University of Cincinnati’s School of Architecture and Interior Design, part of the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP), students can pursue both bachelor’s and master’s programs in interior design.

Bachelor of Science Degree

The Bachelor of Science in Interior Design at UC allows students to grow their skills in a studio environment and take advantage of the option to study abroad. This program isn’t quick, but it’s thorough, and students complete their studies with considerable paid work experience under their belts.

Finishing this Bachelor of Science program takes five years instead of the typical four years required to earn a bachelor’s degree, including taking classes over the summer semesters. The reason this program takes so long to complete is that it incorporates valuable co-op experiences into the curriculum.

Other courses in the major curriculum include:

• architectural history
• interior lighting
• construction materials and fibers
• design science in building construction
• furniture design and millwork

In-state tuition for this program for the 2022 through 2023 academic year was only $6,588 per semester, though non-resident students would pay $14,255 per semester. 

Master’s Degree in Interior Design

For students who already possess a bachelor’s degree in the field from an accredited interior design school, the University of Cincinnati’s post-professional Master of Interior Design (MINTD) can expand not only your knowledge of the field but also your career opportunities.

With this degree, which includes coursework in research methods in the field and the completion of a master’s thesis, experienced practitioners can develop the skills and qualifications for teaching students at the college level. The degree can also help you expand your skills as a practitioner.

As part of this two-year program, students can study abroad in Switzerland, Germany, Turkey or India. The program’s curriculum also includes a graduate-level internship and design studio work.

View program details.

8. Fashion Institute of Technology (part of the State University of New York – SUNY)

Don’t let the name fool you; aside from its fashion design programs, the State University of New York (SUNY)’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) is one of the top interior design schools, and it has the praise from Architectural Digest to prove it.

Located in New York, NY, FIT offers two programs in interior design, an associate’s program and a bachelor’s program. At either level of study, the robust interior design program is designed for teaching students the skills needed to enter the world of interior designer careers.

Associate’s Degree

It’s true that most interior designers have a bachelor’s degree, but the interior design associate’s degree program at FIT is still worth pursuing. Without further study, you could leverage this degree to become an interior designer assistant or an interior decorator at most interior design firms.

You can also use this program to prepare to earn a bachelor’s degree in interior design, which would qualify you for a wider range of career roles in the interior design field.

The major coursework in this program includes classes in visual representation, interior design theory and criticism, the history of interior design, design technology and a sequence of design studio courses. Other classes in this program include art history courses and classes that fulfill general education requirements, which serve to educate well-rounded artists.

The tuition rate for this program differs for in-state vs. out-of-state students. For the 2022 through 2023 program, students living in New York were charged $2,645 per semester, while non-resident students were charged $7,935.

Bachelor’s Degree

FIT’s CIDA-accredited BFA in Interior Design program is designed to prepare undergraduate students for a number of careers in the interior design industry. The curriculum for this four-year multidisciplinary program combines a couple of art history courses and some general education courses with more of an interior design focus overall than the associate’s degree program has.

For example, students take classes in lighting design and advanced methods and applications of design technology, as well as a more robust catalog of design studio courses.

FIT’s interior design education is a particularly good option for New York residents. The cost of a semester’s worth of study in the bachelor’s degree program for in-state students for the 2022 through 2023 school year was $3,585. Out-of-state students would pay $10,846 per semester for this program.

View program details.

9. Kansas State University

If you’re looking for an interior design degree in the Sunflower State, Kansas State University is the place to go. Not only is K-State among the best interior design schools in the country (a claim backed up by the rankings and praise from publications like Architectural Digest), but it’s also the only college in Kansas to offer a CIDA-accredited four-year interior design program.

Through courses in computer-aided visual communication, students gain technical knowledge of the use of computer modeling and design software programs in interior design.

K-State prides itself on its small class sizes and use of technology in the classroom as a way to help all students learn. The school also possesses a 93% employment rate among graduates of its interior design bachelor’s degree.

Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design

The undergraduate program for interior design can be completed in four years, or 120 credit hours. For students at the bachelor’s level, the majority of the curriculum (aside from general education classes) is focused on professional studies courses that cover a range of topics for interior design.

Major coursework in this program includes interior design history, behavior in the interior environment and interior design practices and procedures. Students pursuing interior design degrees from K-State also study:

• lighting
• textile design
• construction methods and materials
• environmental systems for interior design
• the principles and practices of design for supportive environments

Students also need to take a lot of professional electives that cover a wide range of areas within interior design, professional application, and professional application. Elective courses allow students to customize their creative education and develop expertise in areas of interest.

Some of the electives offered in this program include advanced studies in design and behavioral aspects of residential or commercial design, advanced interior design theory, design for aging in the modern world and an interior design study tour.

Experience is an important part of Kansas State’s interior design program. Students in the program are encouraged to take part in an internship, taking advantage of K-State’s connections to intern in top architectural design firms all over the country. Internships are typically done in the summer between undergraduate students’ third and fourth years but can, along with the practicum, occur after their second year.

For the 2021 through 2022 school year, Kansas residents only needed to pay $316.30 per credit hour for tuition, while nonresidents were charged $852 per credit hour.

Master’s Degree Options in Interior Architecture

Kansas State University’s graduate programs in this field are master’s degrees in interior architecture. The Master of Interior Architecture and Product Design (MIAPD) degree is offered in both a post-baccalaureate track for students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree and a non-baccalaureate track for students without a bachelor’s degree.

The post-baccalaureate track Master of Interior Architecture degree is a comprehensive two- to three-year master’s degree program that typically takes six semesters to complete. The CIDA-accredited and NASAD-approved program is open to students with a bachelor’s degree in any field, so you don’t need prior studies at interior design schools to be accepted.

The curriculum of the master’s degree program includes classes in visual communication, the history of the designed environment, building construction systems and structural systems in architecture and architectural technology. Design studio and workshop coursework is a big part of the graduate-level curriculum. Students also study topics like:

• materials and finishes
• lighting
• furniture design
• environmental and interior design

The non-baccalaureate track Master of Interior Architecture is a five-year program ideal for students entering college with only a high school education. Like the post-baccalaureate program, this degree program is CIDA-accredited and NASAD-approved, and it covers many of the same courses as the post-baccalaureate program, plus the material needed to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Ultimately, students in this program will complete 170 credits of study. They will also shave a year or more off of their education compared to if they had spent four years earning a bachelor’s degree in a traditional program and then another two or more years of graduate school.

At the graduate level, the tuition cost for the 2021 through 2022 academic year was $428.90 per credit hour for in-state students and $959.10 for out-of-state students.

View program details.

10. Auburn University

At Auburn University in Alabama, students can pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in interior design.

Auburn isn’t just one of the best interior design schools, nationally ranked by publications like Architectural Digest and Design Intelligence. The interior designer program at this school is also competitive – so much so that students cannot enter the program directly as freshmen.

Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design

Both first-year students and transfer students must start out in the school’s pre-interior design program. After they complete the first year of coursework, pre-interior design students are evaluated based on their performance to see whether they actually get into the full interior design major. To be admitted, students must prove their design abilities by submitting samples of their best work in accordance with the program’s portfolio requirements.

The interior design program at Auburn is part of the Consumer & Design Sciences department within the school’s College of Human Sciences. The CIDA-accredited 123-credit program awards a Bachelor of Science degree.

During the pre-interior design year of study, Auburn students take classes in design principles, the history of interior design, consumer culture and introduction to interior design, as well as general education courses. Generally, BS programs require fewer general education courses than BA programs do, which means that aspiring interior design students can devote more of their common curriculum to matters of academic study that relate to their intended job directly.

Since the Pre-Interior Design program covers most of the general education courses, students will focus primarily on core courses and elective courses related to their major once they are accepted into the BS in interior design program. Major coursework in the interior design bachelor’s degree program includes:

• spatial design and planning
• lighting
• interior materials and components
• mechanical and environmental systems
• project management for interior design

Through studio courses, students develop their skills in using computer-aided design software and design for different types of spaces, including residential, commercial, hospitality and health and wellness environments.

An internship is important in this curriculum, as is an advanced design project completed in the design studio.

Undergraduates in the Interior Design program enjoy a maximum class size of only 40 students. This is one bachelor’s degree program that, for many students, really does take just four years to complete. According to Auburn University’s statistics, the average time it takes to graduate from the interior design program is 4.1 years, and 49% of students who matriculated to the pre-interior design program during the 2016 through 2017 academic year graduated in four years.

To put that in perspective, just 41% of college students nationwide graduate within four years, CNBC reported in 2019 (and even that statistic shows a big jump from the 1996 cohort, just 33.7% of which graduated within four years, according to the National Center for Education Statistics).

Undergraduate tuition for this program for the 2021 through 2022 school year came in at $5,913 per semester for Alabama residents and $15,993 for non-residents.

View program details.

RELATED: What Career Path Do I Have Ahead of Me With an Associate’s in Design Studies?

Top-Ranked Art and Design Schools Abroad

Our rankings list of the best interior design colleges is nationally focused, but there are plenty of excellent educational options outside the U.S., as well. There are schools for interior design that are ranked highly all around the world, offering certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, in-person and online master’s degree and doctorate degree options.

For example, at the Chelsea College of Art & Design at the University of the Arts in London, England, students can seek a bachelor’s degree or a graduate diploma in interior design.

Florence Design Academy in Italy is another global standout school. An interior designer (or aspiring interior designer) with a bachelor’s degree can pursue one of two graduate programs here: a Master of Interior Design or a dual master’s program that combines interior design with graphic design or industrial design.

Related Resources:

Do I Need a Degree to Be an Interior Decorator?

Can I Become an Interior Designer Without a Degree?

What Degree Do I Need to Become an Interior Designer?

The post Top 10 Interior Design Schools in the U.S. appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

RELATED: Which Degree Do You Need to Become a Lawyer?

Our Law School Rankings Criteria

Given the hundreds of good law schools in the U.S., coming up with a list of just 25 isn’t easy. We looked at several types of data from many different sources to guide our selection of the 25 best law schools. The criteria we considered in formulating these rankings include the following.

American Bar Association Accreditation

Nearly 200 Juris Doctor-granting institutions quality as American Bar Association (ABA)-approved law schools. Every school of law we ranked among the top 25 is ABA-approved.

Selectivity

We measured selectivity based on each school’s 2021 acceptance rate data from the ABA’s 509 Required Disclosures reports.

Median LSAT Score

To get into law school, students typically have to take a standardized test called the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), which is administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). The median LSAT scores listed for each school were also pulled from the ABA’s 509 Required Disclosures reports. These scores represent the 50th percentile of all matriculants, using the highest scores submitted for each matriculant (rather than first-attempt scores).

Bar Exam Pass Rates

Even after you graduate from law school, you can’t legally practice law without first passing the Bar Exam. The Bar Exam pass rates listed for each school represent the weighted law school pass rate, rather than the first-attempt pass rates, reported for 2021, according to data from the ABA.

Employment Outcomes

How many law school graduates actually put their degrees to use in attorney positions that require passing the Bar Exam? The data listed reflects the class of 2020’s 10-month employment rates based on ABA-required employment disclosures.

RELATED: 20 Non-Law Firm Jobs with a Law Degree

Association of American Law Schools Membership

All of the institutions that landed a spot on our list of the top law schools are among the 176 colleges and universities that have attained Association of American Law Schools (AALS) membership. To qualify for membership, schools must meet rigorous requirements in the areas of teaching, faculty scholarship, diversity and governance.

School Reputation

One way to gauge a law school’s reputation is by looking at some of the most longstanding and trusted school rankings available. There are many rankings of law schools based on various methodologies.

In addition to our own research using data provided by the American Bar Association and the schools themselves, we considered where these institutions fall on well-known rankings lists like the 2023 Best Laws Schools by U.S. News & World Report. Every school of law included in our 25 best law schools rankings also made The Princeton Review’s unranked 2022 Best Law Schools list, and many of these institutions were ranked highly on National Law Review’s 2022 Go-To Law Schools list, as well.

Cost

Going to law school is an investment in your future – a big one, given the high cost of education at the Juris Doctor level. We included in our methodology a look at the cost and value of the education you receive. The tuition rates listed below, unless otherwise noted, are resident tuition rates per semester as reported by disclosures submitted by the law schools to the American Bar Association.

Because these schools are highly regarded as excellent institutions of higher learning, many of them come with an expensive price tag. Students should be aware that the “sticker cost” isn’t necessarily what they would actually pay to attend the school. Students can often qualify for scholarships and other forms of financial aid that can put even a school with an expensive tuition rate within reach.

The 25 Best Law Schools

Which law schools offer some of the best law degrees and opportunities for experiential education, research scholarship and customized coursework in the country? The 25 institutions below represent the top law schools in the U.S.

1. Harvard Law School at Harvard University

Harvard Law School in Cambridge, MA, lives up to the Ivy League reputation for which Harvard University is known. The Class of 2020 at Harvard Law School consisted of 570 students, 495 of which had successfully secured employment in a position that requires passing the Bar Exam within 10 months. All told, the 10-month employment rate for Harvard Law School graduates amounted to 86.8%. The National Law Journal’s 2022 Go-To Law School rankings named Harvard number-one on its list of schools where the most alumni were promoted from associate roles to partner roles.

The school boasted the highest 2021 Bar Exam passage rate of all schools on our list, at 99.44% (based on the weighted law school passage rate reported by the American Bar Association). This highly selective school has one of the lowest acceptance rates, at just 6.90%.

Harvard University’s Law School was tied for fourth place on the 2023 U.S. News & World Report rankings and is a charter Member of the AALS. The median LSAT score among matriculated law school students at Harvard University was 174 in 2021. Tuition at the expensive private law school was $67,720 as of 2021.

In Harvard’s Juris Doctor program, first-year students complete studies in constitutional law, criminal law, civil procedure, legislation and regulation, contracts, torts, property and legal research and writing. Through this curriculum, first-year students acquire a foundational understanding of the United States legal system as a whole. The January Experiential Term offers an opportunity to gain practical skills. Small reading groups integrated into law school students’ first year provide an opportunity to explore other topics in legal studies, ranging from bioethics and artificial intelligence to detective fiction and Biblical law.

After students finish the foundational studies of their first year of law school, they move into the upper-level coursework required to become practicing lawyers. Harvard’s JD program offers seven specialized programs of study that students may choose to pursue:

• Law and History
• Law and Government
• Law and Business
• Law and Social Change
• Law, Science and Technology
• International and Comparative Law
• Criminal Justice

In addition to the JD, the school offers a Master of Laws (LLM) graduate degree and a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) degree for aspiring academics interested in legal scholarship. Harvard Law School currently holds the title of the law school with the most United States Supreme Court Justice alumni. Four Supreme Court Justices who are currently serving – Chief Justice John Roberts, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch and Ketanji Brown Jackson – went to Harvard University for law school.

View program details.

RELATED: Is There Value in Getting a Master’s of Law If I’m Already a Lawyer?

2. New York University School of Law

New York University School of Law is the oldest law school in New York City, dating back to 1835. Law students at New York University passed the Bar Exam at a rate of 98.70% in 2021, boasting one of the highest passing rates of the schools on our list. NYU School of Law graduated a class of 476 in 2020, 419 of whom reported relevant employment 10 months later, for a total 10-month employment rate of 88.0%.

U.S. News rankings placed New York University School of Law seventh among all law schools in the country. The National Law Journal ranked New York University as tied for second place for the law school with the most alumni promoted from associates to partners. Further, the Princeton Review named the New York University School of Law the institution with the “Best Career Prospects” in its 2022 Best Law Schools list.

Matriculated students at New York University School of Law reported a median LSAT score of 172. However, the school reported an acceptance rate of 14.52%, considerably higher than institutions like Yale, Harvard and Stanford.

New York University is a Charter Member of the AALS. The price tag of $70,400 tuition cost in 2021 makes this private school among the most expensive on our list.

A Juris Doctor education at New York University won’t just teach you the practical skills you need to practice law. The curriculum, taught by top legal scholars and experts, emphasizes interdisciplinary learning and integrates knowledge of history, philosophy, politics, economics and social theory for a more in-depth, well-rounded understanding of the law and its causes and effects.

That said, your education won’t be purely theoretical, either. Law students at NYU build practical skills by completing more than 40 clinics in areas that range from civil rights, public policy advocacy and environmental law to entrepreneurship and business transactions.

The curriculum includes a variety of courses and extracurricular learning opportunities in areas like global law, law and business, law and technology and public service. Students can choose from 16 areas of study at NYU, including international law, taxation law, environmental law, corporate law and intellectual property law. Ambitious students can choose to pursue one of eight dual-degree programs that award both a Juris Doctor degree and a master’s degree or PhD in areas like taxation, economics, politics, business administration or social work.

View program details.

3. Yale Law School at Yale University

This private institution has bragging rights galore. U.S. News & World Report ranked Yale number-one on its 2023 list of the best law schools in America (although both Yale and Harvard University Law Schools announced in November 2022 that they would no longer be participating in the U.S. News & World Report rankings because of “flaws” in the publication’s methodology, according to The New York Times).

The school boasts a 98.14% Bar Exam pass rate, and 83.3% of its Class of 2020 (170 of the 204 total graduates) reported employment 10 months after graduation. Yale Law Schol is a Charter Member of the Association of AALS. Additionally, Yale University is one of only three law schools from which more than four law students have gone on to become Supreme Court Justices as of 2022.

The New Haven, CT, school is also notable for other reasons. The Princeton Review named Yale University “Toughest to Get Into” among all law schools in the U.S. in its 2022 Best Law Schools list. Only 4.12% of the law school’s applicants in 2021 were accepted. Matriculants at the highly selective law school earned a median LSAT score of 174. The school is also known for its high tuition rate – $67,108 in 2021, making it one of the most expensive schools on our list.

Yale Law School at Yale University is home to numerous centers, projects, partnerships and programs, including the following:

• Yale Center for Law and Philosophy
• Yale Law School Center for Private Law
• Yale Law School Center for the Study of Corporate Law
• Center for Global Legal Challenges
• Justice Collaboratory
• Law and Political Economy at Yale
• Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy
• John M. Olin Center for Law, Economics and Public Policy
• Solomon Center for Health Law & Policy
• The Arthur Liman Center for Public Interest Law
• Law and Racial Justice Center
• Yale Law School Latin American Legal Studies
• Gruber Program for Global Justice and Women’s Rights
• Abdallah S. Kamel Center for the Study of Islamic Law and Civilization
• Paul Tsai China Center
• Orville H. Schell, Jr. Center for International Human Rights
• Global Health Justice Partnership
• Cultural Cognition Project
• Law, Ethics & Animals Program
• The Ludwig Program in Public Sector Leadership
• The Chae Initiative in Private Sector Leadership
• Information Society Project
• Collaboration for Research Integrity and Transparency

Students at Yale can also participate in a variety of workshops focusing on areas like law and finance, dispute resolution, human rights, legal history and legal theory. Areas of study at Yale University Law School include criminal justice, constitutional law, corporate and commercial law, international law, human rights law, environmental law, law and economics, public interest law, law and health, information technology and media law, legal history and law teaching.

View program details.

4. University of Chicago Law School

With a U.S. News & World Report ranking of number three in the nation, the University of Chicago Law School is well-respected. This Chicago, IL, law school boasts a 97.76% pass rate on the Bar Exam.

Of all of the impressive institutions on our law school rankings, the University of Chicago has the highest 10-month employment rate. The private university saw 194 of its 203 graduates in the Class of 2020 secure relevant employment within 10 months, amounting to a 95.6% employment rate.

The Princeton Review named the University of Chicago Law School “Best for Federal Clerkships” in its 2022 Best Law Schools. In its “Go-To Law School” rankings, the National Law Journal ranked the institution 10th in the nation for the rate at which its alumni were promoted from associates to partners.

The University of Chicago Law School is among the more selective schools on our list, with an acceptance rate of 11.91% and a median LSAT score of 172. At a tuition cost of $70,710 per semester as of 2021, this institution is also among the most expensive schools on our list.

Law students at UChicago will cover an interdisciplinary curriculum that includes offerings in the areas of law and economics, law and philosophy, international and comparative law, legal history and law and business. The program is particularly well-suited to students who are interested in public interest careers, because the school offers support and resources for preparing for and acquiring these roles.

First-year students complete courses in areas like civil procedure, criminal law, constitutional law, property, contracts, torts, legislation and legal writing, as well as an interdisciplinary introductory course called Elements of the Law. Upper-level courses include both clinical courses and lecture courses in areas like family law, health law, administrative law, taxation, human rights, intellectual property and jurisprudence (legal theory and philosophy).

View program details.

5. Duke University School of Law

Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, is a private institution with impressive stats. Of the school’s 2021 law school graduates, 97.21% passed the Bar Exam (based on the weighted law school Bar passage rate).

Duke Law graduated a class of 214 students in 2020, 199 of which went on to attain relevant employment within 10 months. The 93.0% 10-month employment rate is among the best of all schools on our rankings list.

The acceptance rate at Duke School of Law was just 14.45% in 2021, and the median LSAT score of matriculated students was 170. U.S. News rankings placed Duke Law School at 11th in the nation, and the institution tied for 11th place on the National Law Journal’s ranking of the schools with the most alumni promoted from associate to partner.

Law students at Duke are looking at a per-semester tuition cost of $68,400.

Students at Duke Law School focus much of their upper-level studies on developing real-world skills for legal work in clinics, small group studies with faculty and practical skills courses. Special emphasis is placed on legal education in areas like business law, finance law, health law, biotechnology law, intellectual property law and international law.

View program details.

6. University of Michigan Law School

Another highly selective institution for a legal education is the University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor, MI. Only 10.65% of applicants were accepted in 2021, making the University of Michigan the fourth most selective law school on our rankings list. Matriculated law students at the University of Michigan Law School earned a median LSAT score of 171.

The University of Michigan Law School is, according to our methodology, the best public law school in the country. The school is a Charter Member of the AALS and boasts a weighted Bar Exam pass rate of 97.18% for 2021.

Michigan Law School’s Class of 2020 included 332 graduates, 305 of whom successfully secured relevant employment within 10 months to achieve an employment rate of 91.9%.

U.S. News rankings place Michigan Law 10th in the nation on its 2023 law school rankings, and the National Law Journal ranked the institution ninth in the nation among the schools with the most alumni promoted from associates to partners. Law students at the University of Michigan paid a tuition rate of $63,680 per semester in 2021.

Areas of study at Michigan Law include civil rights, human rights, health care law, tax law, public interest law, litigation, legal research and writing, labor and employment law and law and the social sciences. The school emphasizes experiential learning through clinics, externships, practice simulations, a first-year Legal Practice Program, a Problem-Solving Initiative and a pro bono program.

In addition to the Juris Doctor program, students can pursue LLM, Executive LLM and SJD degrees, as well as a Certificate in Advanced Corporation Law.

View program details.

7. Stanford Law School at Stanford University

Ranked second in the nation by U.S. News, Stanford University in Stanford, CA, offers one of the most impressive programs in the country. In terms of selectivity, Stanford University is second only to Yale, with an acceptance rate of just 6.28%. Its students achieved a 97.08% weighted Bar Exam pass rate in 2021.

Of the 182 graduates who made up the Class of 2020, 155 – 85.2% – had achieved relevant employment within 10 months of graduating. Among matriculated students entering Stanford Law School in 2021, the median LSAT score was 172.

Like most of the institutions on our ranking of the best law schools, Stanford University is a private institution. Stanford Law School is a Charter Member of the AALS. The law department at Stanford University dates back to 1893, when former President Benjamin Harrison became the school’s first professor of law.

Stanford University is, without a doubt, one of the best law schools in the country. Although its 2021 per-semester tuition rate of $64,350 is steep, it’s thousands of dollars more affordable per semester than other top-performing law schools like NYU and UChicago.

Stanford Law School is another institution that embraces an interdisciplinary curriculum. This focus, along with instruction and seminars by faculty members whom tthe school bills as “legal luminaries,” allow students to develop a unique understanding of new areas of law like cybersecurity and artificial intelligence along with traditional areas like civil rights and human rights. Students learn in the Law and Policy Lab as well as in 11 full-time clinics. Completing clerkships with the U.S. District Court, U.S. Court of Appeals or even the U.S. Supreme Court is a “strong SLS tradition.”

An important part of legal education at Stanford University is the Mills Legal Clinic program, through which law students spend an entire academic quarter working full-time as lawyers certified by the California State Bar as student attorneys. Students interested in international applications of law can also check out the optional W. A. Franke Global Law Program, through which students complete a foundational class dedicated to global legal practice, an intensive global quarter that focuses on international law and finance and study abroad opportunities.

If you want more than “just” a Juris Doctor, consider applying to a dual-degree program. Stanford Law School offers 32 established joint degrees – encompassing master’s degrees, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees and Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees – in 21 areas of study that include economics, bioengineering, computer science, education, business, communication and political science. The school also offers a Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Legal Studies (MLS), Doctor of the Science of Law (JSD) and the interdisciplinary research-focused Stanford Program in International Legal Studies (SPILS), which leads to a Master of the Science of Law (JSM) degree.

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8. Columbia Law School, Columbia University

Columbia Law School has a longstanding tradition of legal education and scholarship. As an independent institution, Columbia Law School was officially founded in 1858, making the New York, NY, institution one of the first law schools in the country. Even before that, Columbia University – then called King’s College – had offered legal studies and played a part in developing the country’s laws and legal and judicial systems since its founding in 1754. The private institution is a Charter Member of AALS.

Based on the per-semester tuition cost alone (not factoring in any financial aid available), Columbia is the most expensive school on our law rankings list, with a tuition price of $73,584. Still, the high price tag isn’t exactly deterring the best and brightest law students from applying here. In 2021, Columbia Law School reported an 11.42% acceptance rate. The median LSAT score reported for Columbia University law students who matriculated in 2021, 174, is tied with Harvard and Yale as the highest median LSAT score among all 25 schools of law on our list.

A spot at Columbia University is so coveted among law school applicants for good reason. The Columbia University Class of 2021 reported a weighted Bar Exam pass rate of 96.52%. Among the 428 law graduates in Columbia University’s Class of 2020, 403 attained relevant employment, for a 10-month employment rate of 94.2%. Columbia is tied for fourth place on U.S. News rankings of law schools and tied for second place on the National Law Journal’s rankings of the schools where the most alumni were promoted from associates to partners at big law firms.

Students at Columbia can gain real-world skills through numerous types of educational opportunities, from simulations and policy labs to clinics and externships. The first-year foundational curriculum encompasses studies in constitutional law, civil procedure, criminal law, contracts, property, torts and legal methods. A sequence of legal practice workshops and a Foundation-Year Moot Court allow students to begin building the skills for legal practice from the start. In their second and third years of study, law students at Columbia take upper-class courses in areas that range from leadership and litigation and dispute resolution to data analytics, national security and social justice and human rights.

Columbia Law School also offers LLM, Executive LLM and JSD degree programs, as well as dual-degree and joint degree options in subjects like business, public health, urban planning, architecture and social work.

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9. Vanderbilt University Law School

Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, is a private institution that boasts a 95.15% weighted Bar Exam pass rate and a 14.25% acceptance rate.

Of the 180 graduates of Vanderbilt University Law School Class of 2020, 153 had achieved employment 10 months later, for an employment rate of 85.0%. The entering class of 2021 reported a median LSAT score of 169.

Vanderbilt Law School tied for 17th on U.S. News rankings. The 2021 tuition rate amounted to $64,284 per semester.

First-year students pursuing law degrees at Vanderbilt take classes in legal writing, civil procedure, criminal law, contracts, torts, regulatory state and Life of the Law, which encompasses legal concepts and methodologies, theoretical frameworks of law and the United States legal system, as well as a first-year elective. In their upper-level coursework, students build expertise in areas of legal study like criminal justice, energy and the environment, social justice, law & innovation, intellectual property and other areas. Students can also acquire skills through the Branstetter Litigation & Dispute Resolution Program.

Vanderbilt Law School also offers a Master of Laws (LLM) graduate degree program with a thesis track, a course track and a Law & Business track, as well as dual degree programs in areas like business, finance, management, economics, neuroscience, education, medicine and divinity.

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10. Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law

The first law school founded in Chicago, the Pritzker School of Law at Northwestern University is a private institution ranked 13th in the nation by U.S. News. The National Law Journal ranked Northwestern University fifth among the law schools with the most alumni promoted from associates to partners at law firms.

This Chicago law school boasts a 95.05% Bar Exam pass rate. The school only accepted 13.91% of applicants in 2021, and matriculated students had a median LSAT score of 171.

In Northwestern University’s Class of 2020, 215 out of the total 256 graduating law students achieved employment within 10 months, for an 84.0% employment rate. A Charter Member of the AALS, Northwestern University charged a tuition rate of $69,350 per semester for its Juris Doctor law program in 2021.

First-year law students at Northwestern’s Pritzker School of Law take many of the same courses found in other first-year law school curricula. However, they have unique opportunities like a year-long course on communication and legal reasoning, an opportunity to practice their skills in the Arlyn Miner First-Year Moot Court and the ability to apply for positions working on the Law School’s six scholarly journals.

Aside from a required Legal Ethics course, students in their second and third years fill their curriculum with electives in areas like estates and trusts, evidence, conflict of laws, legislation, First Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment and business associations. Students can pursue areas of concentration in appellate law, environmental law, international law, civil litigation and dispute resolution, business enterprise and law and social policy. Students have the opportunity to build skills through participation in the Bluhm Legal Clinic, the Julius H. Miner Moot Court, practica experiences in a variety of areas of law, International Team Projects and study abroad opportunities.

Aside from the traditional JD program, the Pritzker School of Law also offers Master of Laws (LLM) and Master of Science in Law (MSL) degrees. The school offers dual-degree programs of study as well, including the JD-MBA, JD-PhD and JD-LLM degrees in international human rights law and taxation.

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11. University of Southern California (USC) Gould School of Law

The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA, is home to the Gould School of Law. This private institution was ranked 20th on U.S. News rankings of law schools for 2023 and boasts a 95.00% Bar Exam pass rate.

Of the 189 students that made up the Gould School of Law graduating Class of 2020, 156 students found employment within 10 months, achieving an 82.5% employment rate. The University of Southern California law program reported a 12.96% acceptance rate in 2021, when matriculants had a median LSAT score of 168.

The per-semester tuition rate for law students at the USC Gould School of Law in 202a was $69,998.

Students at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law can pursue concentrations in business law, public interest law, alternative dispute resolution or media, entertainment and technology law. Experiential learning is a critical part of the law degree education at Gould School of Law. Students acquire the skills for real-world legal practice through seven clinics in areas that range from housing law to immigration, small business, intellectual property and post-conviction justice. Students also gain experience in externships, as well as through guest lectures on campus, simulations and field trips built into their course curricula and class projects that include direct client engagement opportunities.

In addition to its on-campus Juris Doctor degree, the USC Gould School of Law offers both online and on-campus LLM and MSL programs. Students can also pursue on-campus Master of Dispute Resolution, Two-Year Extended LLM, LLM in Alternative Dispute Resolution, LLM in Privacy Law and Cybersecurity, LLM in International Business and Economic Law, Master of Comparative Law and Master of International Trade Law and Economics degrees. Ambitious Juris Doctor students can also pursue graduate certificates in subjects like business law, transnational law and business, technology and entrepreneurship law, media and entertainment law, public interest law and alternative dispute resolution concurrently with their degree.

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12. The University of California Berkeley School of Law

One of two schools from the public University of California system to land a spot on our list, the UC Berkeley School of Law in Berkeley, CA, boasts a higher pass rate than the Los Angeles law program. Nearly 95% of UC Berkeley Law students in 2021 passed the Bar Exam. The University of California Berkeley Law School also reported an 89.7% employment rate, with 297 of its 331 graduating Class of 2020 finding relevant employment within 10 months of graduation.

First-year students pursuing law degrees from the University of California Berkeley had a median LSAT score of 169. The school accepted 13.66% of law school applicants – a slightly smaller percentage than the Los Angeles campus – and was ranked ninth in the nation on U.S. News 2023 law school rankings list. Unfortunately, UC Berkeley Law School is significantly more expensive – over $10,000 more per semester – than its sister campus locations.

The areas of study you might pursue in a law degree at the University of California Berkeley School of Law include law and technology, environmental law, constitutional and regulatory law, law and economics, business and startups, international and comparative law, criminal justice and social justice and public interest. Each area of study includes opportunities for in-depth explorations of the topic and opportunities to build the skills for legal practice.

For example, students who focus on criminal justice in their law degrees can acquire practical experience through field placements, advocacy courses, a domestic violence practicum, the Death Penalty Clinic and other law and policy centers and clinics. Students who emphasize international and comparative legal studies can take courses in international human rights law, refugee law, international trade and business transactions and international privacy law, as well as participates in clinics, symposia and the production of the Berkeley Journal of International Law.

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13. Wake Forest University School of Law

If the low acceptance rates and high tuition rates that characterize most of the law schools on our list so far are making you sweat, Wake Forest University is a welcome change of pace. The private institution located in Winston-Salem, NC, reported an acceptance rate of 31.27% for 2021 and a per-semester tuition rate of $49,276 – $20,000 per semester below some of the most expensive programs on our list.

The median LSAT score among students who matriculated in 2021 was among the lowest on our list, at 163, yet the school reported a 94.27% Bar Exam pass rate. Wake Forest Law’s Class of 2022 consisted of 152 students, 124 of whom found relevant employment for a 10-month employment rate of 81.6%. U.S. News ranked Wake Forest Law as tied for 37th place in the nation on its 2023 law school list.

The curriculum at Wake Forest Law aims to bridge traditional studies in law with “unique” learning opportunities. Courses are small, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1. While the first-year curriculum consists primarily of the traditional subjects of study, along with a Professional Development course through which students learn how to begin applying legal theory in real-world practice, students design their own upper-level curriculum based on their goals and faculty mentor feedback and recommendations.

Students learn practical skills through clinics and externships, including the school’s Veterans Legal Clinic, Appellate Advocacy Clinic, Community Law and Business Clinic, Environmental Law and Policy Clinic, Micro-Trade Clinic and Innocence and Justice Clinic.

Dual and concurrent degrees are 0ffered in areas like business administration, sustainability, religious studies, divinity and bioethics.

The school also offers Master of Studies in Law (MSL), Master of Laws (LLM) and Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) degrees, as well as graduate certificates in health law and policy, business law and compliance, human resources and workplace legal fundamentals.

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14. Boston College Law School

Along with Wake Forest Law, Boston College School of Law in Newton, MA, is tied for 37th place on U.S. News 2023 law school rankings. Our methodology placed this private college considerably higher, based in part on its 94.06% Bar Exam pass rate, its 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio and a highly customizable curriculum.

Of the 2020 Boston College Law School graduating class of 246 graduates, 82.5%, or 203 law graduates, had attained relevant employment within 10 months of graduating. Boston College Law School is one of the easier institutions on our list to get into, with a 23.49% acceptance rate and a median LSAT score of 165 in 2021. The per-semester tuition rate for the Juris Doctor law degree program at Boston College School of Law was $60,700 in 2021.

From the start of their curriculum here, law students complete six credits of experiential learning. They have the opportunity to choose from topics like civil litigation, immigration practice, administrative practice, practice in the criminal justice system and consumer rights litigation. Students cultivate the skills needed to make oral arguments, draft litigation and negotiate remedies and resolutions to legal matters.

After students finish their first year of JD studies, they build a customized second-year and third-year curriculum, selecting their desired courses from more than 220 electives that include areas such as art law and cultural property, cryptocurrencies and digital assets, human rights and refugee law, domestic violence law, mergers and acquisitions and feminist legal theory. Students can also gain academic credit toward their Juris Doctor degree by writing for or editing the Boston College Law Review.

If you’re still early in your college career, the “3+3” accelerated program might be of interest. Undergraduate pre-law students at both Boston College and partner school Scranton University can begin taking courses that count toward their law degree as early as their senior undergraduate year, allowing them to complete both degrees in the shorter span of just six years rather than seven.

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15. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law

The second school on our list with a per-semester tuition rate under $50,000, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is the second school within the University of California system to land a spot on our list. We were impressed by the public institution’s 93.84% weighted Bar Exam pass rate and U.S. News ranking of 15th in the nation.

Of the 312 law degree graduates who made up the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law Class of 2020, 262 found relevant employment within 10 months, accomplishing an 84.0% employment rate.

With an acceptance rate of 15.43%, the UCLA School of Law is selectiveo but not as selective as Yale, Stanford or Harvard. The median LSAT score among 2021 matriculants was 170. Although the $49,974 per-semester tuition cost reported for 2021 isn’t cheap, it compares favorably to the $60,000+ and $70,000+ tuition rates reported for many of the other schools on our list.

Students in the Juris Doctor program at UCLA Law begin law school with a week-long orientation, proceeding to coursework in legal research and writing, civil procedure, constitutional law and contracts. In their upper-level coursework, students can develop areas of expertise that match their career goals and interests. The program allows students to pursue specializations (and certificates) in the following topics:

• Law & philosophy
• International and comparative law
• Public interest law & policy
• Business law & policy
• Environmental law
• Critical race studies
• Media & entertainment

The school also offers Master of Legal Studies, Master of Law and Doctor of Juridical Science degrees.

View program details.

16. Fordham University School of Law

Next on our list is Fordham University School of Law in New York, NY. While Fordham tied for 37th place (along with Wake Forest University and Boston College) on U.S. News 2023 law school rankings, the private institution tied for sixth place on the National Law Journal’s list of the schools where the most alumni were promoted from associates to partners.

Of the 397 students who graduated from Fordham with their law degree in 2020, 314 found employment within 10 months of graduating. Although the 79.1% employment rate is among the lowest on our list, we were impressed by the 93.74% Bar Exam pass rate.

Fordham University School of Law accepted 17.69% of applicants in 2021, and its matriculated students reported a median LSAT score of 166.

The tuition rate for Juris Doctor studies at Fordham School of Law in 2021 was $65,850 per semester.

In their upper-level courses, law students at Fordham can pursue concentrations in litigation and dispute resolution, public interest and service, business and financial law, intellectual property and information law or international, comparative and foreign law. Students forge their own paths by choosing upper-level courses from more than 200 electives. Fordham emphasizes experiential learning through its JD Externship Program and clinics in 18 areas of legal interest, ranging from international human rights and global anti-racism to family advocacy, federal tax and corporate social responsibility.

Fordham offers both full-time and part-time Juris Doctor programs. The school also offers Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Studies in Law (MSL) and Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) programs.

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17. Boston University School of Law

At Boston University School of Law in Boston, MA, the primary goal of the Juris Doctor program is to train students to think like lawyers. Based on the law school’s weighted Bar Exam pass rate of 93.53%, the curriculum succeeds in this goal. U.S. News ranked BU School of Law as tied for 17th place in the nation on its 2023 law school rankings.

This private institution is a Charter Member of the AALS. Of the 227 students that made up the Class of 2020, 185 were employed in relevant roles 10 months later, putting the employment rate at 81.5%.

BU School of Law accepted 18.33% of applicants in 2021, and matriculated students had a median LSAT score of 169. With a per-semester tuition rate of $59,380 in 2021, the school is among the less expensive options on our rankings list, although still not what most students would consider “affordable” without some form of financial aid.

What makes Boston University’s JD program special? The first-year curriculum encompasses traditional 1L year coursework, along with a Lawyering Lab and a Lawyering Skills course. Upper-class courses include more than 200 electives that cover all areas of law and the legal landscape today. Course materials and offerings are updated to reflect the evolving legal challenges and policy trends, so you won’t have to worry that the topics you cover in law school will already be outdated by the time you begin practicing law.

Students pursuing law degrees at Boston University can choose to pursue optional concentrations in areas like transactional practice, public interest, litigation and dispute resolution, risk management and compliance, international law, health law and intellectual property and information law. All students benefit from experiential learning opportunities such as clinics, moot court, externships, semester-in-practice placements and serving on the editorial board of one of the school’s law journals. The Transactional Law Program at BU School of Law offers skills courses in areas like negotiation and contract drafting, as well as transaction simulation courses. Students can also choose to pursue certificates in legal research skills or women’s, gender and sexuality studies concurrently with their Juris Doctor studies.

BU School of Law also offers five distinct Master of Laws (LLM) degrees and a Master in the Study of Tax Law (MSL-Tax) program, as well as three standalone graduate certificate programs.

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18. George Washington University Law School

George Washington University in Washington, D.C., has a history of educating law students that dates back more than 150 years. The school reported a weighted Bar Exam pass rate of 93.46% for its graduates in 2021.

The private institution is a Charter Member of the AALS. U.S. News ranked GW Law as tied for 25th place on its 2023 law school rankings, while the school tied for sixth place on the National Law Journal’s 2022 list of the schools with the most alumni promoted from law firm associates to partners.

In 2021, GW Law accepted 21.57% of applicants. The students who ultimately matriculated had a median LSAT score of 167. Of the 427 students who graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in 2020, 333 were employed within 10 months, for an employment rate of 78.0%. The tuition rate for JD studies at GW Law amounted to $65,420 per semester in 2021.

GW Law offers both a full-time day program and a part-time evening program for students pursuing a JD. Required courses for first-year students include sequences of classes in civil procedure and contracts as well as coursework in criminal law, constitutional law, rots, property, advocacy and legal research and writing. Upper-level coursework must include studies in ethics and professional responsibility combined with classes selected from the 275+ electives offered. The school offers coursework in 18 areas of study, including animal law, property and land development, advanced torts and national security, cybersecurity and foreign relations law.

All JD students at GW Law must fulfill a legal writing requirement, which includes a 2-credit course and a legal research paper of at least 8,000 words, and the professional skills requirement, which encompasses at least 6 credits of coursework that emphasizes practical skills. George Washington University also offers Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Studies in Intellectual Property (MSL-IP) and Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) degrees.

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19. Georgetown University Law Center

Also located in Washington, D.C., is Georgetown University, one of the largest law schools in America. Of the 691 law students who made up the graduating Class of 2020, 570 had acquired positions in the legal industry within 10 months, resulting in an employment rate of 82.5%.

Another private law school with a long history, Georgetown Law was created as a separate law school in the 19th century, making it the first law school in the Jesuit tradition in the U.S. The first class of just 25 students began their studies in 1870.

Georgetown Law reported a 93.23% weighted Bar Exam pass rate in 2021. The law school accepted 12.88% of applicants that year, and matriculated students reported a median LSAT score of 171.

Georgetown University is a highly respected law school, with U.S. News ranking it 14th in the nation and the National Law Journal placing the institution fourth on its 2022 list of schools with most alumni promoted from associate to partner. In 2021, the per-semester tuition rate was reported as $69,280.

First-year law degree students don’t usually get many choices in their curriculum, but at Georgetown, students may follow the traditional “Curriculum A” or the innovative “Curriculum B” approach. Regardless of which curriculum they follow, first-year students at Georgetown have the opportunity to gain practical skills through the First-Year Week One Simulations program offered in January. Certain first-year courses utilize smaller class sizes of approximately 30 students rather than 100.

Although second-year and third-year JD students build their unique curriculum out of carefully selected electives, students must meet upper-class legal writing requirements, professional responsibility requirements and experiential requirements to graduate. Externships, practicum courses and the school’s 19 legal clinics allow students to select the experiential learning opportunities that best fit their interests and career goals.

Full-time and part-time evening programs are available for students pursuing a Juris Doctor degree. Through Georgetown University Law Center’s joint and dual-degree programs, students can also pursue concurrent studies in government, philosophy, public policy, public health, business administration, security studies and foreign service. For attorneys interested in international law, joint master’s degree programs are also available in the study of certain geographical regions, including Latin American studies, Arab studies, German and European Studies and Eurasian, Russian and East European studies.

Students can pursue a Master of Laws (LLM) degree in conjunction with or separate from their Juris Doctor degree. The law school also offers Master of Studies in Law (MSL) and Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) degrees, as well as 11 graduate certificate programs.

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20. Cornell Law School at Cornell University

Cornell Law School in Ithaca, NY, is a private institution that boasts a 92.23% weighted Bar Exam pass rate and a 91.8% 10-month employment rate. Of the 195 graduates who made up the Class of 2020, 179 had reported relevant employment within 10 months. Cornell Law School is a Charter Member of the AALS and landed the position of 12th in the nation on the U.S. News 2023 law school rankings list.

The school accepted 15.41% of applicants in 2021. The median LSAT score for matriculated students that year was 171, and the per-semester tuition rate amounted to $71,522.

First-year law students at Cornell complete required courses in the usual areas of study – civil procedure, criminal law, constitutional law, contracts, property and torts – as well as a mandatory full-year Lawyering class that covers skills like legal research, legal analysis, legal writing and oral presentations.

Second-year students are encouraged, but not required, to complete core courses in evidence, administrative law, business organizations and federal income taxation. Students in their third year fill their curriculum with electives selected from the more than 170 courses offered. Third-year students are encouraged to pursue one of seven concentrations, including:

• General practice
• Conflict resolution
• Business law and regulation
• Technology and law
• Public law
• Advocacy
• Law, inequality and structural exclusion

Experiential learning opportunities at Cornell include externships, the Moot Court Program, the Lawyering Program and the Clinical Program. Students can also participate in the school’s law review publications, including the century-old Cornell Law Review, the Cornell International Law Journal and the Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy.

Also available are a general LLM program, a technology and entrepreneurship-focused LLM program offered in conjunction with Cornell Tech, a Master of Science in Legal Studies (MSLS) program and a Doctor of the Science of Law (JSD) program.

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21. Notre Dame Law School at the University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame Law School at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana is a private institution that reported a 91.67% weighted Bar Exam pass rate for 2021. U.S. News placed Notre Dame Law School as tied for 25th place in its 2023 law school rankings.

Of Notre Dame Law School’s 200 graduates in the Class of 2020, 162 found relevant employment within 10 months, amounting to an 81.0% employment rate. The institution accepted 17.51% of applicants in 2021, when the median LSAT score of matriculated students was 168. The tuition rate for 2021 was $63,840 per semester.

At Notre Dame Law School, students can pursue studies and experiential learning opportunities in eight different areas:

• Criminal law
• Business law
• Real estate law
• Intellectual property and technology law
• Energy and environmental law
• Global law
• Public law
• Law, ethics and public policy

First-year students take courses in legal research and legal writing as well as foundational studies of civil, criminal, constitutional, contract, property and torts law. They also have the opportunity to choose one elective during their Spring semester.

Students in their second and third year of study choose their own curriculum but must complete at least 3 hours of study in jurisprudence (legal theory), 3 hours of study in legal ethics, 6 credit hours of experiential learning and an upper-level writing requirement. The Notre Dame Clinical Law Center in South Bend, Indiana, operates six clinics in the areas of exoneration justice, religious liberty, community development, eviction, intellectual property and entrepreneurship and applied mediation.

The school also offers LLM and JSD degrees, as well as dual degrees in business, political science, global affairs, English, engineering and engineering, science and technology entrepreneurship.

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22. Emory University School of Law

Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, GA, is a private institution with a 91.45% weighted Bar Exam pass rate.

Emory Law is one of the easiest schools to get into on our rankings list, with a 27.31% acceptance rate for 2021 and a median LSAT score of 167 for matriculated students. However, the school’s 70.2% employment rate – reflecting that just 198 of the 282 Class of 2020 graduates were employed in relevant positions within 10 months of graduation – is the lowest of any school on our list. Overall, Emory University was ranked as tied for 30th place on the 2023 law school rankings compiled by U.S. News.

The tuition rate for law students at Emory University was $61,750 per semester in 2021.

While many law schools separate coursework into first-year foundational studies and upper-level electives for years two and three, Emory University School of Law instead establishes distinct goals for the second and third year of study. The second year is the “exploration year,” during which students participate in both a summer clerkship or internship and a week-long immersion in advocacy program while they narrow down their areas of focus. The third year of study emphasizes experiential learning, the acquisition of practical skills and mentorship.

Students at Emory University School of Law have access to research, scholarship and educational conferences and seminars from the school’s academic centers, including the following:

• Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution
• Center for International and Comparative Law
• Center for Federalism and Intersystemic Governance
• Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program
• Center for Transactional Law and Practice
• The Insitute for Complex Litigation and Mass Claims
• Feminism and Legal Theory Project
• Global Health Law and Policy Project
• Center for the Study of Law and Religion
• Center for Law and Social Science
• Barton Child Law and Policy Center
• Project on War and Security in Law, Culture and Society
• Vulnerability and the Human Condition Initiative

Joint degree programs allow law students to also pursue studies in business administration, bioethics, public health theological studies, divinity and religion. Emory University also offers Juris Master (JM), Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Comparative Law (MCL) and Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) degrees.

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23. George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School

Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University in Arlington, VA, is the most affordable law school on our list so far, with a tuition rate of $23,142 per semester as of 2021. This school is an excellent option for the budget-conscious aspiring attorney who can’t fathom spending $50,000 more per semester just to attend one of the prestigious private schools higher up on our rankings list.

This public institution is also among the top law schools that are easiest to get into. In 2021, George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School reported a 27.07% acceptance rate, and the median LSAT score of matriculated students was 164.

U.S. News & World Report rankings for 2023 placed George Mason University as tied for 30th place among law schools in America. We ranked the school somewhat higher based in part on its 90.62% weighted Bar Exam pass rate. Still, the 72.8% 10-month employment rate reported for 2020 – reflecting the employment of 126 graduates out of the class of 173 – is somewhat lower than we like to see.

The Juris Doctor program at George Mason University is a general law program offered in both full-time and part-time formats. Students can choose to build areas of expertise in one (or more) of 18 concentrations and focus areas, including antitrust law, cyber law, patent law, tax law and national security law and policy. Whatever areas of study they choose, students are sure to develop strong communication skills thanks to the school’s three-year legal writing program.

Students also have opportunities to benefit from the numerous academic centers that are part of the law school, including the Law & Economics Center, the Liberty & Law Center, the National Security Institute, the Global Antitrust Institute, the Center for Intellectual Property x Innovation Policy and The C. Boyden Gray Center for the Study of the Administrative State.

Other degree programs offered by the Scalia Law School include LLM programs in five areas of concentration, a Juris Master (JM) degree and joint degrees in business administration or public policy.

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24. University of South Carolina School of Law

By far, the most affordable law school on our list is the University of South Carolina School of Law in Columbia, SC. the resident tuition rate reported for 2021 was just $9,653 per semester, according to American Bar Association disclosures. Some of the other top 25 law schools on our list were more than seven times this cost.

The University of South Carolina School of Law reported an 82.00% weighted Bar Exam pass rate and an 82.1% 10-month employment rate, accounting for the relevant employment of 165 of the law school’s 201 Class of 2020 graduates.

This public institution is also the easiest school on our list to get into. In 2021, the University of South Carolina School of Law accepted 38.26% of applicants, according to American Bar Association disclosures. Matriculated students entering in 2021 reported a median LSAT score of 158.

The basic curriculum of the Juris Doctor program at the University of South Carolina is that of a general law degree program. Students can, however, choose to pursue a formal Children’s Law Concentration or build an area of in-depth knowledge in litigation, business law, intellectual property and technology law, taxation, health law, environmental law or children’s and family law. Opportunities for experiential learning at the University of South Carolina School of Law include externships available in six areas of law, third-year capstone courses offered in three types of legal matters and eight clinic courses through which students practice their skills in student-attorney roles. Students can also take advantage of the optional London Maymester, a three-week study abroad program that takes place each year in May.

For undergraduate students interested in law school, the “3+3” bachelor’s and Juris Doctor dual degree program allows for the completion of both degrees in just six years. JD students can also pursue dual degree programs in areas like criminal justice, business administration, accountancy, economics, human resources, public administration and social work, among other areas.

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25. University of San Diego School of Law

Rounding out our list of the top 25 law schools in the United States is the University of San Diego School of Law, a private institution in California with an 81.78% weighted Bar Exam pass rate for 2021.

Of the 240 graduates that made up the Class of 2020, 170 had found employment within 10 months, for an employment rate of 70.8%. The 30.99% acceptance rate for 2021 makes the school an excellent choice for applicants who are worried about their chances of getting into more competitor programs. Among students who matriculated in 2021, the median LSAT score was 161.

The per-semester tuition rate reported for 2021 was $58,340.

The University of San Deigo offers both full-time and part-time Juris Doctor program formats, as well as an optional on-campus supper program that allows students to lighten their workloads during the fall and spring semesters. First-year students are exposed to experiential learning from the start of their law school education, completing experiential advocacy practicum courses during both their fall and spring semesters. Throughout their law school career, students benefit from experiential learning in the form of legal clinics, externships and advocacy programs.

Areas of concentration that students may pursue after completing their foundational first-year curriculum include civil litigation, criminal litigation, children’s rights, employment and labor law, business and corporate law, environmental and energy law, international law, public interest law, health law and intellectual property and technology law.

The school of law also offers LLM and MSLS graduate degree programs, as well as day and evening paralegal certificate programs. Juris Doctor students may also pursue concurrent degrees in business administration, international relations, real estate or peace and justice.

View program details.

More Top Law Schools to Consider

There’s no shortage of excellent law schools in the United States. Although they didn’t make our top 25 rankings based on the methodology we’re currently using, the following law schools were also impressive contenders:

• The University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville, VA
• The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Philadelphia, PA
• The University of Minnesota Law School, Minneapolis, MN
• The Washington University in St. Louis School of Law in St. Louis, MO
• The University of North Carolina School of Law, Chapel Hill, NC
• The University of Texas-Austin School of Law, Austin, TX
• The University of Alabama School of Law, Tuscaloosa, AL
• The University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, IA

Whether you want to make a difference fighting for human rights, help individuals deal with legal matters in their lives, facilitate the business transactions that keep companies all over the world running, prosecute wrongdoers or defend the accused, going to law school can set you up for a fulfilling career.

You don’t have to choose a top-tier law school to get a good legal education. Excellent lawyers come from all of the ABA-approved law schools, in all geographical regions and across all price points. What aspiring lawyers should look for in a law school are opportunities for experiential learning and courses in the areas of legal practice in which they are interested.

Related Resources: 

Top 10 Graduate Degree Programs in Criminal Justice

What Degree Do I Need to Be a Mediator?

What Degree Do You Need to Be a Paralegal?

What Degree Do I Need to Become a Judge?

What Degree Do I Need to Be a Policy Analyst?

The post Top 25 Law Schools appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

1. School Principal

If you enjoy teaching but also have great management skills outside the classroom, school principle – the highest paying education career – might be an excellent career for you. Principals work in schools large and small at the elementary, middle and high school levels. School principals at any level can have numerous responsibilities. They must make sure the school meets academic, performance, budgetary, security and technology goals as well as government requirements.

They set class and school maintenance schedules, supervise and assess teacher performance, help create curricula, make sure the school stays under budget, attain supplies and comply with district, state or federal regulations. Principals still meet directly with students, but they often do so for the purpose of addressing problem behavior. They may also work with teachers, support staff members and parents to address students’ behavioral problems.

Additionally, school principals have some important responsibilities beyond the day-to-day school operations. They serve as the point of contact between the school and the public. With school safety a major concern across the nation, these education professionals are responsible for creating and coordinating safety procedures. They may play a role in the hiring process and set up professional development experiences for teachers and staff members. School principals receive student achievement data, like standardized test scores, to evaluate and use as the basis of school performance reports. They also manage counseling, special education and childcare programs, if the school offers these programs. Some principals have help from assistant principals, instructional coordinators and other support staff, while other school principals take on all of these responsibilities on their own.

Principals start out their careers in the classroom. They usually have at least five years – and often, a lot more – of teaching experience. To become a principal, candidates must also earn a master’s degree in either education administration or education leadership. One such program will prepare candidates for responsibilities like managing school staff members, setting and following budgets, planning to achieve goals and interfacing with parents and community members.

Median Salary: $87,760

Education: Master’s Degree in Education Leadership or Education Administration

2. Postsecondary Teachers

Not every teacher works with children. If your passion lies in educating adults, a career in postsecondary education could be a great choice for you. These educators, often called professors or instructors, work at two-year and four-year colleges, universities, business schools, technical and trade schools, hospitals and other career training institutions. While postsecondary teachers do teach in the classroom, laboratory or lecture hall, they also often conduct their own research in their subject area.

Subject area is important for postsecondary teachers – much more so than for elementary school teachers, for example. These educators develop expertise in their field through many years of schooling not just at the undergraduate level, but at the master’s or Ph.D. level. They learn and contribute to the field through their own research work, thesis or dissertation. Postsecondary teachers, particularly those who work full-time at major universities, continue their research work and publish their findings scholarly journal articles and books even as they teach classes in their subject area. As teachers, of course, they juggle the responsibilities of devising lesson plans, syllabi, assignments and exams and grading student work. Professors may advise students in their programs on topics like courses to take and academic and career paths to pursue.  Some postsecondary teachers supervise students in graduate programs as they complete work for their thesis or dissertation.

Earning an advanced degree is only one part of the process of becoming a college professor. Full-time professors often attain a good deal of experience in their subject area, either conducting research, working in the field, teaching at the college level or through some combination of these experiences. Many postsecondary teachers begin a career in academics as adjunct professors, which means they teach part-time. It’s not uncommon for adjunct professors to teach part-time at multiple schools or while working in another role while they cultivate the experience necessary to attain a full-time position.

Median Salary: $68,970

Education: Master’s degree or Ph.D. in their subject area

3. Instructional Coordinators

If you’re as interested in what and how students are learning as you are in the act of teaching, then a role as an instructional coordinator might be your ultimate career goal. These education professionals, who typically have years of experience as teachers themselves, focus primarily on developing and coordinating curricula, instructional materials and teaching standards. They choose textbooks and other course materials that align with educational goals and curricula. Instructional coordinators also suggest what technologies and teaching methods teachers should use in the classroom.

A big part of what instructional coordinators do is working with the instructors. These professionals set up and oversee teacher training, including workshops and conferences. Instructional coordinators create the curriculum and the processes teachers use to implement it. They evaluate teachers and serve as mentors in helping them attain new skills and improve existing ones. To determine the effectiveness of curricula, procedures, materials, technology and teaching methods, instructional coordinators evaluate students’ performance on tests.

Instructional coordinators go by many names, including instructional coaches, assistant superintendents of instruction and curriculum specialists. Some may work exclusively on developing, implementing and assessing curricula for particular grades or subject areas.

The position of instructional coordinator is no entry-level job. First, candidates must attain plenty of experience teaching, which requires earning an undergraduate degree in education (and possibly a subject area) and a teaching license. After they have the experience to advance into an instructional coordinator role, candidates must earn a graduate degree in education or curriculum and instruction. In these master’s programs, aspiring instructional coordinators will study teaching theory, curriculum design and how to analyze student performance data. Some programs allow students to delve into an area of focus, like a specific level of education.

Median Salary: $60,050

Education: Master’s Degree in Education or Curriculum and Instruction

4. Librarians

Education doesn’t always take place in the classroom. If you want to help people of all ages and education levels learn and do research for school, work and personal purposes, consider a role as a librarian. More than half of all librarians work in schools of some type, from the elementary to college level at both public and private institutions. More than one-quarter find employment in public libraries. Others work in specialized settings, like corporate libraries, government libraries, medical libraries and law libraries. Some librarians, particularly those who work in very large libraries, specialize in one main responsibility, like helping patrons or doing administrative work.

Work as a librarian is all about helping people locate the information they’re looking for. This means interacting with library patrons – such as students, professionals and community members – to answer questions and guide research efforts. Librarians organize materials and carefully maintain collections and the databases that provide information about those materials. They acquire new books, materials, equipment and technology. To stay under budget, they have to choose materials carefully, researching books and considering information like reviews and catalog blurbs.

Librarians may also be responsible for teaching informal classes on research and locating resources and for planning events and educational programs for library visitors. Some librarians in leadership roles train and oversee library employees, including assistants and technicians.

An advanced education is essential for a career as a librarian. While there’s no one undergraduate program that’s the right choice to prepare candidates for the career, the Master of Library Science, or MLS, degree is a standard qualification employers seek in candidates for librarian positions. Earning this degree typically takes one to two years of additional study beyond the undergraduate level and covers subjects like online and offline research methods, library materials selection, information organization and how to use online reference systems. Candidates for librarian roles in specialized libraries may need a degree in the field in which they specialize – like law, medicine or business – as well as library science. Librarians may need to attain certification to work in schools or to work at all in some states.

Median Salary: $55,370

Education: Master of Library Science, Master of Information Studies or Master of Library and Information Studies

5. Special Education Teachers

Some students need extra help. Special education teachers are the educators who instruct students who have mental, physical, emotional and learning disabilities that make it difficult for them to learn and succeed in a more traditional learning environment. Some students need help learning basic life skills, while others require general study help, and still others need assistance in particular subject areas where they may struggle.

Special education teachers often work one-on-one with students, creating Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) tailored to each student that outline goals and the services available to help the student meet those goals. For students with mild to moderate disabilities, these plans might include how to adapt standard course materials and lessons to help the student more successfully grasp the material. The curriculum itself might be similar to that of general education classes in the same grade, but the use of different teaching techniques and requirements helps students with disabilities absorb and process the information. Special education teachers also teach basic skills in literacy and communication to students who suffer from severe disabilities. Throughout the school year, special education teachers are responsible for updating IEPs to report progress and performance toward these goals.

Special education teachers also work with small groups of students, as well as overseeing the class as a whole. Sometimes they have help from classroom teacher assistants, while some special education students also have their own aides. Special education teachers often work closely with school counselors, general education teachers, their students’ parents and even school superintendents to help students succeed to the best of their abilities. Special education teachers find work in all grade levels, from elementary to high school. Some work in inclusive classrooms that mix general education and special education students, teaching in conjunction with general education teachers. Others work in resource rooms or in classrooms exclusively for special education students who need individual attention. Special education teachers may work with students who have a specific type of disability, like blindness or deafness, or they may work with students who have a variety of different disabilities that may affect their education in different ways.

A bachelor’s degree in education is essential for a career as a special education teacher. Probably the best preparation for this career is an undergraduate program in special education specifically. These programs delve in-depth into subjects valuable for success, like the various kinds of disabilities special education teachers may encounter and how to teach material in ways that students with these disabilities can understand. However, some special education teachers start the career with a background in elementary education, with or without studying a content area. In some states, special education teachers must attain a master’s degree in special education. Any education program should require college students to gain work experience in the form of supervised student teaching. After graduating, aspiring special education teachers must attain a license or certification from the state in which they intend to teach.

Median Salary: $55,060

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education, Elementary Education or Content Area

6. High School Teacher

By high school, students should know the basics of subjects like reading, writing, mathematics and social studies. High school teachers impart more advanced knowledge and lessons to students. They prepare students in the ninth through 12^th grades for life after graduation, whether that means college, technical school or a transition right into the workforce. High school teachers typically concentrate on a single general subject area, like science, math, history or English, but they may teach a variety of classes within the subject during the day. They teach courses at different grade levels and difficulty levels, including advanced and college preparatory classes.

Like teachers at other grade levels, high school teachers develop and implement lesson plans. They cover material through in-class lectures, discussions and activities and assign homework, papers and projects. High school teachers grade assignments to assess students’ performance and their understanding of the course material. While high school teachers manage entire classes of students, they also work with kids in small groups and individually to enhance their strengths and improve their weaknesses. They must prepare their students to pass standardized tests, cultivate a solid educational background in subjects that they will pursue further in college, and develop the skills to succeed in the real world. High school teachers may discuss progress and academic performance with their students’ parents. Many high school teachers choose to get involved in extracurricular activities, like school clubs and sports.

Because high school teachers instruct students in a specific subject area, it’s important for them to have an education in that subject area themselves. An aspiring science teacher might choose to major in biology, chemistry or physics. A bachelor’s degree in history would be appropriate for an aspiring high school social studies teacher, while majoring in mathematics would prepare a candidate for a high school math teacher role. Aspiring high school teachers should also study education or teacher preparation during their college career to learn about child and adolescent psychology and ways to successfully instruct students. This may mean they will have to double major in education and the content area of their choice. During their college career, they will participate in student teaching opportunities to gain work experience. After graduation, aspiring high school teachers will need to earn either a high school or secondary certification or license in the state where they intend to teach.

Median Salary: $55,050

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Education and Content Area

7. Middle School Teacher

Bridging the gap between the basics of elementary education and the advanced concepts and preparation for adulthood of elementary school is middle school, typically considered grades six through eight. Like high school teachers, many middle school teachers focus on teaching just one or two subject areas, like math, science, English or social studies to several classes of students each day. They have the sometimes challenging job of expanding the fundamental knowledge and skills students learned in each subject during elementary school so they will be able to grasp more complex concepts and succeed in the more academically rigorous environment of high school. They must also get students ready for success on standardized tests.

Middle school teachers develop lessons, assignments and classroom activities to convey course material. They administer quizzes that test students’ knowledge and grade participation, classwork, homework, projects and exams. Sometimes middle school teachers assign group work and facilitate teamwork within small groups. At times, they may work with students individually to help them if they are struggling with the course material or to challenge them to reach their full potential. In the classroom, middle school teachers establish and implement rules for behavior. Outside the classroom, they may be responsible for supervising students in the hallways, the cafeteria, the gymnasium, the playground or even during school field trips.

During the course of their careers, middle school teachers work with many other adults to help the children they teach succeed. They hold conferences with parents to inform them of their child’s progress, performance, strengths and academic needs. They collaborate with other teachers, especially in schools where teachers of different subject areas work in teams to facilitate meeting big-picture education goals. Middle school teachers may refer students to school counselors, special education teachers or school administrators for help with various problems, from emotional challenges to learning difficulties and discipline for behavioral problems.

While aspiring middle school teachers need an undergraduate college degree in education, exactly what they choose to major in can vary. Some enroll in elementary or even early education programs, while others may find degree paths in middle school education or middle grades education. By studying education in college, aspiring middle school teachers will learn child and adolescent psychology and effective teaching methods for conveying lessons. They will develop real-world experience through student teaching. Many students also choose to major in the content area they intend to teach – in fact, some states and colleges require education majors to double major in a subject area. Upon graduation, candidates will need to attain a teaching license or certification. Exactly which certification they pursue depends on the requirements of their state, but can range from elementary school to secondary school certification.

For candidates who already have a bachelor’s degree but don’t have a teaching background, there’s also an alternate route to teaching certification. This path allows candidates to take their education courses long after they have earned a degree, sometimes even while they begin their teaching career.

Median Salary: $53,430

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary or Middle School Education

8. Elementary School Teacher

How do young children learn the basics of reading, mathematics, science, social studies and other essential subjects? With the help of good elementary school teachers. These instructors typically work with students in grades one through five – generally, ages five to 11. However, some elementary schools include students up to eighth grade.

Elementary school teachers often spend the entire day teaching the same class of students, educating them in various subject areas. They manage classroom behavior, setting and enforcing rules for appropriate conduct. As students progress and gain fundamental skills, elementary school teachers present increasingly complex concepts, such as science experiments, reading assignments and group projects. They also help students develop the academic and communication skills they will need to succeed in school and in later life. In addition, elementary school students have to take standardized tests, which their teachers must prepare them to pass.

Elementary school teachers are responsible for developing lesson plans that present material in ways their students can understand and apply it. Successfully teaching this age group often requires hands-on activities, which teachers have to plan and implement. To determine how well students are understanding and applying the course material, elementary school teachers still have to assign and grade classwork, tests and even homework. Teachers at the elementary education level may have more regular communication with parents regarding individual students’ academic and behavioral performance than teachers at higher grade levels do. They also oversee student behavior during recess and mealtimes.

Naturally, a degree program in elementary education is the most straightforward choice for aspiring elementary school teachers. These programs include coursework in child psychology and development, teaching methods that are effective with young students and techniques for instructing students with different strengths, weaknesses and backgrounds.  They also include a student teaching component designed to help future teachers gain hands-on classroom experience. Some states and schools also require aspiring elementary school teachers to major in a subject area, though they will be responsible for instructing their students in all content areas. After earning their degrees, candidates will have to earn a teaching license or certification in early childhood education or elementary education. As with other types of teachers, aspiring elementary school teachers who have a bachelor’s degree in a different field can pursue an alternate route to a teaching certification.

Median Salary: $53,400

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education

9. Career and Technical Education Teacher

Not every student is cut out for a traditional college education or its corresponding career options – and that’s a good thing, because there are plenty of important jobs for which a college academic program isn’t the best preparation. Some students excel at subjects like culinary arts, hospitality and tourism, information technology, auto repair and assistant or technician roles in the healthcare industry. Career and technical education teachers instruct students in middle schools, high schools and postsecondary schools in these technical subjects so they can develop the skills necessary to enter the workforce. They work with students in classrooms, workshops and laboratories and often help students find opportunities to gain professional experience during their education.

Like other types of instructors, career and technical education teachers plan lessons and carry out activities. Through instruction and demonstration, they help students attain academic knowledge and the technical skills to apply it to the kind of real-world situations they will encounter in their future careers. They assign written and hands-on work for students to complete in and out of class and grade those assignments to measure students’ success. In middle and high school settings, career and technical education teachers may interact with parents to notify them of students’ performance, strengths and struggles. In technical schools and junior colleges, they record students’ progress toward a certificate or an associate’s degree.

The typical entry-level education requirement for career and technical education teachers is a bachelor’s degree in their subject area of expertise, though this requirement may change from one field to another. Some career and technical education teachers have only a high school degree, but many years of practical experience in the field and the credentials to prove it. Even aspiring career and technical education teachers who have a bachelor’s degree often need years of experience in the subject to begin teaching it. Career and technical education teachers who work in public middle and high schools, in particular, need a state-issued teaching license or certification. They may need to complete student teaching experiences, as well.

Generally, career and technical education teachers earn the highest salaries – a median wage of $55,160 – working in secondary or high school settings. Middle school career and technical education teachers earn a median salary of $54,220. The lowest median salary, $47,990, is found at postsecondary schools like business schools, trade schools, technical schools and two-year colleges.

Median Salary: $51,910

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Subject Area

10. Kindergarten Teacher

If your passion is to educate the youngest of young children, then kindergarten is the grade level for you. Kindergarten teachers work with children around age five. Some of these children have never been to school of any kind before, while others have some exposure to the classroom dynamic from enrollment in preschool or even a daycare program.

Kindergarten teachers develop and oversee classroom activities. They typically see a single class of students for the entire day and must develop hands-on projects that keep young children engaged, out of trouble and constantly learning. Kindergarten teachers may teach the entire class at one time, or they may break the class up into small groups and work with different groups at different times while still supervising the class as a whole. Though the work appropriate for kindergarteners is less complex than it would be for elementary school children or older kids, kindergarten teachers still have to explain the work, help students to complete assignments and determine how well they are progressing toward meeting age-appropriate goals. At this grade level, establishing and enforcing classroom rules is particularly important, since the youngest students may not yet know what behavior is acceptable in the classroom.

To become a kindergarten teacher, candidates must earn a college degree, attain work experience and complete the requirements to get a teaching license or certification. A bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or elementary education is typically an appropriate choice for aspiring kindergarten teachers. Besides learning how to manage a classroom and convey information to young children, these programs will also provide candidates with student teaching experience. In some colleges and states, even kindergarten teachers will have to major in a subject area as well as education. After earning a degree, aspiring kindergarten teachers will need to attain teaching certification in early childhood grades.

Median Salary: $50,120

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education

Editor’s Note: The information presented in this article comes from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a federal government agency that reports on the labor market. Wages, education requirements and other details about the education jobs listed can vary depending on location and employer. If you’re interested in a career in education, consider this list a guide you can use to begin your own research specific to your goals and location.

For Further Reading: 

Top 10 Paying Jobs With an Associate’s Degree

Top 10 Highest Paying Engineering Careers

Top 10 Paying Jobs That Involve Math

What Are the 5 Best Careers in Environmental Science?

The post The Top 10 Highest Paying Education Careers appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

What Are the Highest-Paying Math Jobs?

Mathematical skills – and the other competencies students develop pursuing an undergraduate math degree – are in-demand in many fields.

RELATED: What Are the Highest Paying Jobs With a Degree in Math?

High-paying jobs for math majors may include high-paying jobs in financial and government agencies, consulting firms, insurance companies, colleges and universities and more.

1. Cryptographer

At the intersection between mathematics and computer science is the cryptographer career path. In general, cryptography refers to the security and privacy of messages and data – but the modern field of cryptography refers specifically to computers and cybersecurity.

A cryptographer writes the computer code – and algorithms – used to protect data security online. When hackers and other cybercriminals attempt to breach data security measures and access or steal unauthorized information, the encryption programs created by a cryptographer

Average Annual Salary

The average salary for cryptographers across the United States in 2021 was $145,356, according to Western Governors University. The highest-paid cryptographers made nearly $200,000 per year, and even the 4% of the occupation with the lowest wages still earned salaries around $102,000.

2. Financial Manager

Another math role with an exceptionally high salary is financial manager. A financial manager makes financial decisions for a company and oversees the organization’s financial activities. Some of the job titles that fall under the financial manager role include treasurer, controller and chief financial officer (CFO).

RELATED: What Are the Highest-Paying Jobs in Finance?

Median Salary

For financial managers as a whole, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported a median salary of $131,710. The top 10% of earners in the financial manager occupation made upwards of $208,000, while the lowest-paid 10% of the field reported annual earnings below $77,040.

The management of companies and enterprises industry, which employed one in 10 financial managers, paid the highest median salary of all top employment industries at $158,820. The 15% of financial managers working in the professional, scientific and technical services industry earned a median salary of $158,770.

In the manufacturing industry, which employed 6% of the field, and the finance and insurance industry, which employed 30% of the field, financial managers earned a median salary of $131,710. For the 7% of financial managers who worked for government agencies, the median salary was $123,010.

Of course, how high a management position a financial manager holds affects their earning potential. Salary.com reported an average salary of $224,461 for treasurers, $240,082 for controllers and $420,300 for chief financial officers.

RELATED: How Many Jobs Are Available in Finance?

3. Mathematician

Mathematician may seem like the most direct career path for math majors, but in fact, relatively few math majors follow this trajectory. There are only about 2,000 mathematicians working in America, even though the BLS reported that there are 887,590 American workers in the mathematics field.

Mathematicians are the professionals whose job duties involve math in the purest sense. To solve problems – which may be theoretical or exist in the real world – they create mathematical equations. Testing new mathematical theories and developing mathematical rules are some of the duties that a mathematician may perform.

Mathematicians who focus on abstract math work acquire mathematical knowledge for the sake of advancing the field. Mathematicians interested in applied mathematics use their knowledge of complex mathematics and their math skills to understand, organize and quantify problems and to write and solve equations through which they can address real issues.

If you want to be a mathematician with an academic focus working at a college or university, you will likely work toward a full math professor role. Unfortunately, math professor jobs and other roles for mathematicians in colleges and universities pay significantly less than other mathematician jobs. The median salary the BLS reported for mathematicians working in colleges and universities was $61,600 as of 2021 – and these math jobs typically require a doctorate degree.

Median annual salary:

Mathematicians across the United States earned a median salary of $108,100 as of 2021, the BLS reported. The highest-earning mathematicians made more than $169,500, while the lowest-earning mathematicians earned below $61,760.

Mathematicians in the professional, scientific and technical services industry, which made up 13% of the profession, earned a median salary of $129,800. The federal government – the largest industry of employment for mathematicians, which employed 62% of the workforce – paid a median wage of $115,610. Unfortunately for the 13% of mathematicians working for colleges and universities, academia pays much less, with a median salary of $61,600.

4. Actuary

With strong math skills, you could quantify just about anything – even risk. The role of an actuary is to calculate risk by looking at economic data and running complex calculations. Most actuaries work for either an insurance company or a financial institution.

While a math major can prepare students for an actuary career, students interested in becoming an actuary may also pursue a specialized degree in actuarial science.

RELATED: What Is the Salary Potential for Someone With an Actuarial Science Degree?

Median Salary

The median salary actuaries earned in 2021 was $105,900, the BLS reported. Actuarial science is such a lucrative career path that the top 10% of earners in the field made upwards of $206,820. The lowest-paid 10% of earners reported salaries below $63,260.

Among the top employment industries for this field, the government paid the most, with a median salary of $110,590. Only 3% of the field works for the government. The finance and insurance industry, which employed 74% of actuaries in the U.S., reported a median salary of $110,000.

Salaries in the professional, scientific and technical services industry and the management of companies and enterprises industry – which employed 13% and 4% of the occupation, respectively – paid very close median salaries of $101,600 and $101,510.

5. Data Scientist

Despite the job title, a data scientist is more a math professional than a scientist, at least compared to scientist jobs that first come to mind. The role of data scientists is to analyze data. This is another role that combines mathematical knowledge, statistical methods of analysis and the knowledge of computers needed to write algorithms that support machine learning.

Median Salary

Data scientists reported a median salary of $100,910 in 2021, the BLS reported. For the best-paid scientists in this career, earnings are in excess of $167,040 per year. At the lowest end of the pay scale are salaries below $59,430.

All of the top employment industries for the data scientist profession paid salaries within the range of $100,000 to $102,000. The scientific research and development services, which employed 5% of the occupation, paid a median salary of $102,750.

The 15% of the field working in the computer systems design industry reported a median wage of $102,600. For both the management of companies and enterprises industry and the management, scientific and technical consulting services – which employed 10% and 7% of the profession, respectively – the median salary for data scientists was $101,000. For the 9% of the profession working for an insurance company, the median salary was $100,360.

6. Statistician

Statistics is a data-centric discipline of analysis. Statisticians can apply methods of statistical analysis to calculate the statistical probability of many different outcomes or events in virtually any imaginable industry. Science, medicine and business are some examples of the fields that rely upon statistical methods.

RELATED: Statistics Jobs: What Kind of Job Can You Get With a Degree in Statistics?

Median Salary

As a whole, statisticians enjoy a near-six-figure median salary of $95,570, the BLS reported. The best-paid 10% of statisticians earned upwards of $157,300 per year, but the lowest-paid 10% of statisticians reported earnings under $50,000.

In the best-paid of the top employment industry – scientific research and development – statisticians earned a median salary nearly $20,000 higher than the median wage for the occupation as a whole. This industry accounts for 14% of employment in the profession and pays a median salary of $114,770. The median salary among statisticians working for federal government agencies, as 15% of the occupation does, amounted to $114,050.

RELATED: What Are the Highest Paying Jobs With a Degree in Statistics?

In the rest of the top employment industries for statisticians, earning potential is significantly lower. Insurance carriers employed 6% of statisticians and paid a median salary of $83,820. The 8% of the profession employed in the healthcare and social assistance industry reported a median salary of $79,060. Nearly one in 10 statisticians worked for colleges and universities, which paid a median salary of $77,750.

7. Personal Financial Advisor

An important area of finance is managing wealth. A personal financial advisor, including those with the Certified Financial Planner credential, helps clients manage, plan, save, invest and grow their wealth.

Personal financial advisors don’t make recommendations based on hunches. Rather, they analyze available financial data and past patterns to predict what will happen in financial markets.

Nearly one-fifth of all personal financial advisors are self-employed, the BLS reported. Self-employed financial advisors may also manage their own financial firms.

Median Salary

Earnings vary a great deal among personal financial advisors, for whom the BLS reported a median salary of $94,170 in 2021. While the best-paid 10% of the field reported earning more than $208,000, the lowest-paid 10% of the occupation reported salaries under $47,570.

Personal financial advisors who worked in the securities and financial investments industry – as 59% of the field does – earned a median salary just shy of six figures, at $99,970. The personal financial advisors employed in the remaining top employment industries earn substantially less, amounting to a difference of $20,000 to $30,000 per year.

The management of companies and enterprises industry employed just 1% of personal financial advisors but paid a median salary of $79,780. Close behind is the credit intermediation industry, which employed 15% of the profession and paid a median salary of $76,620. For the 3% of personal financial advisors working for insurance carriers, the median salary was $69,410.

8. Financial Analyst

As the name suggests, a financial analyst analyzes financial data. There are many types of financial analysts, including:

• Investment analyst
• Financial risk specialist or financial risk analyst
• Fund manager
• Portfolio manager
• Securities analyst
• Ratings analyst
• Buy-side analyst
• Sell-side analyst

Financial analysts often look at past market data and trends and companies’ financial statements. An investment analyst, for example, often develops financial models and advises an employer’s financial team on investment opportunities that are likely to pay off.

Median Salary

The overall median salary the BLS reported for financial analysts in 2021, $95,570, is slightly skewed because this occupation includes two roles with median wages more than $8,000 apart. For financial and investment analysts specifically, the median wage was $91,580, while the median salary for financial risk specialists hovered a bit higher, at $100,000.

The highest-paid 10% of financial and investment analysts earned upwards of $166,560, while the highest-paid financial risk specialists made more than $171,000. Financial and investment analysts in the 10th percentile made less than $57,900, while financial risk specialists in the 10th percentile earned below $59,370.

The securities, commodity contracts and other financial investment activities industry was the highest-paying industry for both financial and investment analysts and financial risk analysts, with median salaries of $100,800 and $127,110, respectively.

For financial and investment analysts, the professional, scientific and technical services industry followed, with a median wage of $96,600. The management of companies and enterprises industry paid a median salary of $83,990, followed by the insurance industry, which paid a median wage of $81,150. In the credit intermediation industry, financial and investment analysts earned a median salary of $79,910.

The management of companies and enterprises industry is the second most lucrative among the top employment industries for financial risk specialists, paying a median salary of $102,750. In the credit intermediation industry, the median salary was $98,320, closely followed by the $98,250 median salary reported for the professional, scientific and technical services industry. Insurance carriers paid financial risk analysts a median salary of $91,770.

9. Operations Research Analyst

An operations research analyst uses mathematical modeling methods and calculations to solve all kinds of practical problems organizations face, from making pricing decisions for goods and services to coordinating the supply chain, production schedules and resource allocation.

Median Salary

The BLS reported a median salary of $82,360 for operations research analysts. The best-paid operations research analysts earned considerably more. For the top 10% of earners in this role, salaries were in excess of $160,850. However, the lowest-paid 10% of operations research analysts made less than $48,690.

Although the federal government employed only 6% of the field, it paid the most, with a median salary of $120,950. The 28% of operations research analysts who worked for the professional, scientific and technical services industry reported a median salary of $99,790.

In the manufacturing industry, where 5% of the profession worked, the median salary was $98,040. For the 8% of the occupation working in the management of companies and enterprises industry, the median salary was $94,070.

The finance and insurance industry, which accounted for one-quarter of the profession, paid a noticeably lower salary of $79,450.

10. Market Research Analyst

A market research analyst uses mathematical and statistical methods to analyze market data. Through their work analyzing economic trends, a market research analyst is able to help organizations make decisions on what products to offer, how to price them and how to market them successfully to consumers.

Median Salary

Market research analysts as a whole earned a median salary of $63,920 as of 2021, the BLS reported. The highest-paid 10% of market research analysts earned more than twice that much, with salaries above $128,320. The 10% of the operations research analyst occupation with the lowest earnings made less than $37,570.

The management of companies and enterprises industry, which employed 7% of the profession, paid the highest median salary among the top employment industries: $79,640. The 4% of the field working for the publishing industries earned nearly as much, with a median wage of $79,450. In the finance and insurance industry, where 10% of the field worked, median pay amounted to $76,650.

The median salary in the wholesale trade industry, which employed 7% of market research analysts, reported a median salary of $64,090. For market research analysts working in the management, scientific and technical consulting services, which amounted to 11% of the occupation, the median salary was $62,650.

What to Expect as a Math Major

If you want to prepare for one of the highest-paying jobs for math majors, you’re going to need to take numerous math courses. Math majors study mathematical theory, methods and applications. In the course of pursuing a four-year math degree, students are likely to study mathematical analysis, linear algebra, abstract algebra, modern algebra, multivariate analysis, calculus, number theory, differential geometry and topology.

RELATED: What Is the Salary Potential for Someone with a Math Degree?

Math majors will also be exposed to methods for applied mathematics. As part of their bachelor’s degree studies, a math major may also complete a minor or elective coursework in an area of interest, such as business or computer technology, to help them develop a knowledge base that will help them in an applied mathematics career.

RELATED: What Kind of Job Can You Get With a Degree in Math?

Other Majors to Consider If You’re Good at Math

Math degrees aren’t the only options for students with strong math skills. If you want to apply your knowledge of mathematical concepts and equations to real-world issues, it might make sense to pursue a bachelor’s degree in an area relevant to the career path you plan to pursue.

Computer Science

If you want to become a cryptographer or work in another role in cyber security, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer science may be the right choice. Computer science and mathematics have more in common than many people realize. In fact, mathematical principles inform the computation theories and methods of statistical analysis that are critical parts of bachelor’s degree studies in computer science.

In a bachelor’s degree program in computer science, students typically take classes in data structures and algorithms, computer programming, computer architecture, systems programming and computational science and theory.

Engineering

If you want to use your knowledge of mathematical equations to design solutions to real problems, a career as an engineer may appeal to you. Engineers work in numerous disciplines – mechanical engineering, civil engineering, chemical engineering and electrical engineering, to name a few – and find employment in environments like engineering firms, technology companies, government agencies, colleges and universities and other settings.

RELATED: Architect vs Engineer: What Is the Benefit of an Engineering Degree Over an Architecture Degree?

Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in engineering take enough math courses, along with basic science courses, to develop a strong math and science background that they can apply to work in engineering design.

Finance

The area of business that is most closely related to mathematics is finance, which revolves around the management of wealth. Students who pursue a bachelor’s degree in finance typically study corporate finance, investment analysis, futures and options, securities analysis and portfolio management, international finance and financial management.

What Level of Education Do You Need for the Highest-Paying Math Jobs?

For most of the highest-paying math jobs, at least some level of college education is required. The BLS lists actuary, operations research analyst and data scientist among the math jobs with a bachelor’s degree required. A bachelor’s degree is also considered the entry-level education needed for many business jobs for math majors, such as financial analyst and personal financial advisor.

RELATED: What Are the Highest-Paying Business Entry-Level Jobs?

Although professionals with strong math skills and a relevant bachelor’s degree can do well in a variety of career roles, there are some positions for which a bachelor’s degree alone may not be enough. Some professionals working in math jobs go on to pursue a graduate degree, such as a master’s degree, or to earn a doctoral degree like a PhD.

Generally, a master’s degree is most likely to come in handy when you are pursuing a high-level role in research and development or in management. Some of the master’s degree programs that may be of interest include mathematics, business administration, finance, computer science, data science and engineering.

RELATED: How Advanced Does My Degree in Math Have to Be to Get a Good Job?

You don’t have to go for your master’s degree straight after completing your bachelor’s degree program. Many students apply to entry-level jobs for math majors after graduation, through which they gain experience and on-the-job training that can help them plan their career trajectory.

For some of the highest-paying math jobs, work experience and on-the-job training are sufficient preparation for advancement on their own, while for other roles, having a master’s degree can be invaluable.

RELATED: What Kind of Business Jobs Can You Get With a Degree in Math?

The Most In-Demand Skills for Math Majors

Any math job requires strong mathematical skills, but there are specific related skill sets that can prove valuable in a high-paying math career.

Analyze Data

Most of the math jobs on our list involve at least some analytical component. Having strong analytical skills is valuable not only for jobs that revolve around analysis specifically but also for jobs that involve any sort of strategic decision-making.

Whether you’re using methods of statistical analysis or simply applying logic and reasoning to better understand and solve problems, your analytical skills are essential to success in a math career. Due the need to analyze not only mathematical equations but also how to apply mathematical methods to real-world problems, math majors develop excellent analytical skills in the course of earning their bachelor’s degree or advanced degrees.

Solve Problems

A math major solves problems, but the types of challenges they overcome aren’t limited to arriving at the answer to a tricky equation or figuring out the value of a variable. The business, financial, risk, cyber security and other problems that are the focus of math jobs are often best addressed in similar ways, such as organizing a problem logically, analyzing each aspect and modeling solutions.

Studying math equips students with strong problem-solving skills – and that’s a skill set that almost every job requires.

Interpret Financial Reports

It takes only basic arithmetic skills and accounting knowledge to prepare financial statements, but making meaning out of financial reports is much more challenging. With their thorough grasp of mathematical concepts and theories, math majors are well-suited to make meaning and glean insights out of financial and economic data.

For Further Reading: 

What Are the 5 Best Careers in Environmental Science?

What Degree Do I Need to Be a Policy Analyst?

The post Top 10 Paying Jobs That Involve Math appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

If you’ve weighed the options and decided that an on-campus program is the right choice for you, you’re in the right place. Our list of the top 10 residential bachelor’s in social work degree programs will tell you the most important information you need to know about taking traditional courses at some of the best undergraduate social work schools in the nation.

1. University of California – Berkeley

The University of California – Berkeley isn’t just the number-one undergraduate social work program in the country, as ranked by USA Today. The university as a whole also happens to be the top public school in America, according to U.S. News & World Report – and that’s not all. The school has earned recognition for its innovative approach to education, and its social work degree programs are considered among the best worldwide.

Undergraduate social work students at the prestigious University of California’s Berkeley campus are part of the UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare, the same branch of the university that offers top-ranked master’s degree programs. The Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare degree program is a joint effort, with undergraduate students studying at the same school as their graduate counterparts but under the jurisdiction of the undergraduate College of Letters and Science. The program has a long and prestigious history, dating back to 1942, and emphasizes the broad knowledge base that comes from a liberal arts education. Residence requirements – referring to taking courses on campus – apply to UC Berkeley undergraduate social work students, as they do to all students in the College of Letters and Science.

Besides completing non-program coursework – including classes in subjects like reading, writing, logic, philosophy, language, literature, science and history – students develop a strong background in social science, social work and related studies. Required core courses include:

• Social welfare policy
• Social work practice
• Social work as a profession
• Current topics in social welfare.

Courses in psychology, sociology, economics, anthropology, political science and a variety of secondary social science departments supplement these courses and allow students to customize their education.

Because so many UC Berkeley students want to major in social welfare, the school recommends declaring the major as early as possible – and no later than the end of sophomore year – to make sure you’re accepted into this in-demand degree program.

Location: Berkeley, California

Enrollment: 27,126 undergraduate students

Tuition: $13,432 in-state; $38,140 out-of-state

2. New York University

The undergraduate program at the NYU Silver School of Social Work, accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, has earned second-in-the-nation status, according to USA Today. The Bachelor of Science in Social Work professional program splits coursework evenly between liberal arts core classes and social work major courses, so students end up with both a breadth and depth of knowledge. Residence requirements apply, but features like on-site experience and individual attention in courses make for a rich on-campus experience.

If you can’t wait to start making a difference, this program is an excellent choice for you. NYU social work students get plenty of real-world experience even as undergraduates. Field experience requirements add up to more than 600 hours of hands-on supervised practice, offering students in the bachelor’s degree program “the kind of social work experience usually found only at the graduate level.” Additionally, the program features small class sizes that allow for personal attention throughout the student’s undergraduate education.

Besides attaining on-site professional experience, students will complete coursework in subjects like social work practice, research methodology, social welfare programs and policies and human behavior in the social environment. The school’s focus on research and clinical practice as well as a liberal arts background prepares students not only to begin entry-level social work jobs, but also to understand the complexities of today’s social problems and the process of solving them. The coursework and field experience requirements are so extensive that many graduates go on to earn their master’s degree in just one additional year of study. Even those who don’t seek an advanced degree have plenty of professional training to make a great start in their social work careers.

Location: New York, New York

Enrollment: 24,985 undergraduate students

Tuition: $46,170

3. Rutgers University

If your interest in a social work career stems from a desire to help marginalized groups like the poor, oppressed and at-risk, why not choose a school that focuses on working with these populations specifically? Rutgers School of Social Work at Rutgers, the State

University of New Jersey, is one such school. The school’s Bachelor of Arts in Social Work program takes a generalist approach to social work education to prepare graduates for a wide range of career opportunities in the field. However, it includes coursework that focuses in on institutional and interpersonal oppression and working with specific high-risk populations.

Students at Rutgers bachelor’s in social work program begin with introductory courses in social work, social welfare policy, research, human sexuality and generalist practice. Throughout their studies, they progress to more advanced work in social welfare services, global health, child welfare services, human behavior in social environments, generalist practice and professional development.

Though the Rutgers undergraduate social work degree is a residential program, the school allows for some flexibility by offering the major at its Newark and Camden campuses as well as its main New Brunswick campus. At every campus, the school guarantees the same quality education that landed it 28^th on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the top public schools and 3^rd on USA Today’s rankings of the best bachelor’s in social work programs in the country. The major has become so popular that Rutgers regularly has significantly more applicants than there are spots in the degree program, so interested students must apply as soon as they complete their prerequisite courses and must stand out from the competition.

Location: New Brunswick, New Jersey

Enrollment: 34,544 undergraduate students

Tuition: $14,131 in-state; $29,521 out-of-state

4. Fordham University

New York City happens to be home to a second school that ranks among the top ten bachelor’s in social work programs. Fordham University, a private institution rated among the best national universities by U.S. News & World Report, is also home to the fourth best undergrad social work program in America, according to USA Today.

Students in Fordham’s Bachelor of Arts in Social Work degree program are also part of the Graduate School of Social Service. After completing their first two years of undergraduate studies, including prerequisite courses, students accepted into the major will begin a two-year plan of study that encompasses all of their social work courses plus extensive field experience.

Fordham allows for both full-time and part-time study options, but students must complete their coursework within two years. The school offers undergraduate social work courses at both the Lincoln Center campus in New York City and the Westchester campus in West Harrison.

During their studies, Fordham undergraduate social work students take eight core courses in subjects such as human rights and social justice, human behavior in social environments, research in social work practice, social welfare policy and generalist social work practice. Students learn how to work with groups, families and individuals through their classroom studies. Then they put their knowledge to the test in the real world as part of the program’s field education requirement.

Students engage in 570 to 600 hours of supervised practice in the setting of a social services agency. As seniors, students also take part in an Integrative Seminar, a small learning community that meets regularly throughout the year to help students integrate and apply the skills they learn in the classroom to real-life social work situations. Upon graduation, students have both the academic knowledge and professional training they need to begin a fulfilling career or start a graduate school program like Fordham’s with Advanced Standing status.

Location: New York, New York

Enrollment: 8,633 undergraduate students

Tuition: $45,623

5. Adelphi University

Do you want an education from a school that’s not afraid to innovate and change with the times? How about one where service learning experiences let you see firsthand what it’s like to work in the field? Adelphi University, ranked fifth on USA Today’s list of the best bachelor’s in social work programs, has granted Bachelor of Social Work degrees for more than 50 years. However, its commitment to offering an innovative curriculum means that the school adds and changes classes whenever necessary so students can learn the information they need for today’s social work careers.

Undergraduate students at the Adelphi University School of Social Work begin their social work studies in their junior years, after completing their general education and liberal arts requirements. They take courses in generalist social work practice and intervention, social services for children, case management, issues in social welfare, human behavior theory, human rights and social work research. To better prepare students for the interdisciplinary demands of a modern social work career, the school launched innovative new courses like Writing for the Helping Professions to Address Social Issues and the Science of Social Issues. Students can also choose to pursue an optional minor or concentration in child development and family studies.

Service learning is a big part of the Adelphi University social work curriculum. Junior BSW students attain 300 hours of supervised field education experience working with various populations, service delivery systems and social work methods. Seniors complete an additional 400 hours of field experience, in which they apply the skills they learn in the classroom to working with individuals and groups in a real-world capacity. Upon graduation, students have the professional training to join the workforce right away, but they can also apply for Advanced Standing in Adelphi University’s MSW program.

Location: Garden City, New York

Enrollment: 5,071 undergraduate students

Tuition: $34,034

6. University of Wisconsin—Madison

Not all social work and social welfare programs cover the same material. That’s why the University of Wisconsin—Madison’s School of Social Work offers two separate undergraduate degree programs, the Bachelor of Social Work and the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science in Social Welfare. Both programs begin with a liberal arts background and delve into an understanding of today’s social welfare problems.

The BSW program is a professional program that prepares students for generalist careers in the field of social work, or for advanced studies in social work specializations. Students take courses in social welfare policy and services, human behavior in the social environment, statistics, research and the social sciences. Seniors complete more than 250 hours of field experience each semester in settings like community agencies, mental health agencies, county agencies, criminal justice institutions, child welfare services and services assisting older adults. By the end of their education, students learn to act ethically and professionally, to engage diversity and to assess, intervene and evaluate practice with the individuals and groups they serve.

Unlike the BSW program, the social welfare major isn’t focused on developing students’ generalist social work skills. Instead, it covers today’s most important social problems and the economic, social and political contexts through which people view social welfare. Students in this program take some of the same courses as their peers in the BSW program, including social policy and services, human behavior in the social environment, research, statistics and social sciences. They also take electives in social welfare specifically. While there are no field experience requirements for this degree path, the school advises students to gain relevant experience on their own through volunteer opportunities.

Besides taking sixth place on USA Today’s list of the best social work majors in America, the University of Wisconsin—Madison is tied for 11^th place among the top public schools and 41^st among national universities, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

Location: Madison, Wisconsin

Enrollment: 31,289 undergraduate students

Tuition: $10,415 in-state; $29,665 out-of-state

7. University of Washington

Since 1934, students at the University of Washington’s School of Social Work have enjoyed an innovative education and plenty of advanced research opportunities at the school’s downtown Seattle campus. The school’s Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare degree prepares undergraduate students for careers as social work practitioners.

Students take courses such as introduction to social work, human behavior in the social environment, community service learning, cultural diversity, social welfare policy, social welfare research and social welfare practice. They also gain hands-on experience through a practicum course that includes 480 hours supervised work with social service agencies. By the time they graduate, students have the thorough knowledge of social problems, policies and practice interventions necessary to start entry-level jobs in generalist practice.

The University of Washington placed seventh on USA Today’s list of the best undergraduate social work programs in America. It also tied for 16^th place on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the top public schools and 52^nd among the best national universities.

Location: Seattle, Washington

Enrollment: 30,672 undergraduate students

Tuition: $12,394 in-state; $33,513 out-of-state

8. Syracuse University

At Syracuse University, the School of Social Work is part of the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. Upon completing a generalist practice program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, undergraduates earn their Bachelor of Science in Social Work.

An undergraduate social work education from Syracuse University includes a focus on five distinct professional foundation areas:

• Social welfare policy and services
• Social work practice
• Human behavior in the social environment
• Research
• Field practicum

Syracuse allows students to begin their social work education early. As freshmen, students have the opportunity to take an introduction to social work course that offers an overview of professional social work practice. Seniors get to put their academic lessons to the test when they gain real-world social work experience through field instruction. During the course of a yearlong, 500-hour internship, students gain supervised experience in practicing social work “at the micro, mezzo and macro levels” – in other words, working with individual clients, mid-sized groups and large-scale communities.

Besides landing a spot among USA Today’s top 10 undergraduate social work programs, the school ranks among the best value schools in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Location: Syracuse, New York

Enrollment: 15,224 undergraduate students

Tuition: $43,318

9. University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas—Austin isn’t just one of the best schools in the country for a bachelor’s degree in social work – it’s also among the biggest colleges nationwide. The undergraduate social work program alone has 300 students enrolled, though class sizes typically range from 30 to 50 students.

Undergrads in the University of Texas—Austin’s School of Social Work start their college careers as pre-social work majors. Once they complete required courses in both social work and liberal arts, they can apply to become social work majors and begin taking the upper-level social work courses that prepare them for professional practice. The curriculum of the University of Texas—Austin’s BSW program focuses on developing a wide range of skills, such as:

• Advocacy
• Assessment
• Case management
• Community organizing
• Community outreach
• Crisis intervention
• Interviewing
• Problem solving
• Program evaluation
• Research Networking
• Service planning

Field experience is also a big part of the BSW program. Students spend 480 hours gaining work experience during a supervised internship program at a social services agency.

Location: Austin, Texas

Enrollment: 39,523 undergraduate students

Tuition: $9,830 in-state; $34,836 out-of-state

10. University of Georgia

Rounding out the top 10 bachelor’s in social work programs in the nation is the School of Social Work at the University of Georgia. The school’s Baccalaureate of Science in Social Work is a professional program that trains students in the values and principles of social work, teaches them to analyze social policies and prepares them to work with clients that range from individuals to large communities. Graduates have gone on to be generalist social work practitioners in state-sponsored, nonprofit and private settings.

Required coursework includes general practice social work, human behavior, social work research, current issues in social work and social welfare policy and services. Seniors complete a 560-hour internship to get hands-on experience in a field agency.

Social work isn’t the only area where the University of Georgia excels. The school as a whole has earned rankings among the top public schools, best national universities and best college for veterans from U.S. News & World Report.

Location: Athens, Georgia

Enrollment: 26,882 undergraduate students

Tuition: $11,622 in-state; $29,832 out-of-state

Editor’s Note:

Many of these schools have residence requirements that mandate students to take a minimum number of on-campus classes. A number of top 10 undergrad social work schools also require hundreds of hours of on-site field placement work. Each school landed a spot on USA Today’s list of the top ranked colleges for a major in social work. College rankings from U.S. News & World Report provided additional information.

For Further Reading: 

Top 10 Graduate Degree Programs in Criminal Justice

Top 10 Highest Paying Social Science Jobs

The post Top 10 Residential Bachelor’s in Social Work Degree Programs appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

The reality is that there are many advantages to studying the field of psychology. The degree can equip you with marketable skills and prepare you for an exciting and well-paid career – or several. You will have the chance to help others overcome their problems or to conduct illuminating experiments into why people think and behave in certain ways. The knowledge you gain from studying psychology can even help you cope with tough situations that arise in your personal life.

To find out more about the many hidden benefits you’ll gain by earning a degree in psychology, read on.

High Earning Potential

Money alone won’t buy you career satisfaction, but the high salary potential of earning a psychology degree is certainly a point in favor of this educational path.

Psychologists earn a median salary of $72,580 per year, nearly double the annual wage for all occupations, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Many psychologists earn even more. Industrial organizational psychologists make a median salary of $77,350 per year, the BLS reported. Psychologists in specialties other than clinical, counseling and school psychology earn a median wage of $94,590, according to the BLS. The kinds of psychologists who may make near-six-figure salaries include developmental, forensic and social psychologists.

Another factor that can impact your earning potential with a degree in psychology is your employer. Psychologists that work at a hospital, rather than a school or an outpatient mental health practitioner’s office, earn a median wage of $81,430 annually. If you use your educational background to get a psychologist job within the government, your median salary rises to $90,620.

Even among psychologist roles, the pay rate can vary substantially. The 10 percent of psychologists who earn the most money in the United States make more than $118,310 per year, according to the BLS.

Positive Job Outlook

Psychology isn’t just a well-paid field – it’s also a growing one. Overall, the BLS predicts job opportunities across all occupations to grow by just seven percent over a decade. Even jobs in the social science, which are seeing somewhat better job growth, are anticipated to grow by just 12 percent.

RELATED: Top 10 Highest Paying Social Science Jobs

However, the BLS expects jobs for psychologists to grow at a rate it calls “much faster than average” – a whopping 19 percent. The number of opportunities for clinical, counseling and school psychologists, in particular, will rise by 20 percent. Many of these added opportunities will be in settings such as hospitals, schools, social services agencies and mental health centers.

A Wealth of Specialization Options

If you think all psychologist roles are the same, think again. The many different areas of interest within the field of psychology offer candidates plenty of chances to specialize. Whether your interests lie in research, criminal justice, child development or helping people who suffer from mental health disorders, you’ll have the opportunity to focus on the aspect of psychology you’re most excited to explore.

Some of these specializations include:

• Clinical psychology, the practice of diagnosing and treating mental health conditions
• Counseling psychology, the branch of psychology that revolves around understanding and managing the problems people face in their home, work and social lives
• School psychology, the application of psychology to the field of education, including learning and behavioral problems
• Developmental psychology, the study of how human thinking and behavior develops and progresses throughout the lifespan
• Forensic psychology, the application of psychological concepts and research to the legal system in cases involving family law, civil law and criminal justice
• Social psychology, the study of how social interactions between individuals and groups affect thinking and behavior

Even within these roles, psychologists may specialize further. What kinds of disorders will a clinical psychologist treat? What sort of problems might a counseling psychologist have experience handling? Does a developmental psychologist want to focus on child development, or the needs of aging adults? What kind of cases will a forensic psychologist develop expertise in assisting with? It all depends on what the psychology student’s interests are and what steps the student takes to prepare for a career in the field.

Versatile Career Preparation

Psychologist isn’t your only career option when you earn a degree in psychology. Understanding how people think and why they behave in the ways they do is a valuable skill in many occupations and industries. In fact, students who earn an undergraduate degree in psychology but don’t go on to earn a master’s or doctoral degree usually find alternative ways to put their psychology knowledge to work.

Careers in sales, education and business administration are among the most common professional paths for students with a psychology degree, according to the BLS. However, your career options with a psychology background are endless. Do you want to work in public affairs, health, computer programming or biological science? Graduates from bachelor’s in psychology degree programs go on to do all of these things, the American Psychological Association (APA) reported. If you’d like to be a writer, an interviewer, a probations officer or an employment counselor, understanding human thought processes and behavior – by studying the topics in a psychology program – can help you on your way.

What makes a psychology degree so versatile? Graduates come away from their education with excellent skills in problem solving, analyzing and evaluating data, researching information and communicating through writing – skills that are invaluable no matter what industry you turn to for employment. It’s no accident that so many psychology graduates use their education to prepare for a wide range of careers outside the realm of psychology. Many of these students never had plans to be psychologists to begin with, according to the APA. They chose the educational path because they recognized how important the broad skills that come from studying psychology would be to their future success in their desired occupation.

Business Opportunities

While a background in psychology can prepare you for careers in industries that range from the sciences to the humanities and everything in between, one discipline that finds knowledge of psychology especially useful is business. Nearly every aspect of business requires workers to make decisions about – or take action based on – human thinking and behavior.

To develop a product or service that will sell, business professionals need to understand what consumers want. To make money off of the item or services, they need to understand what price customers will be willing to pay, how to market those offerings to the right consumers and how to effectively lead customers through the sales funnel.

Managers and administrative support professionals need to know how to interact with employees to lead the organization successfully. Developing and implementing workplace policies and a culture that contributes to efficiency and productivity means understanding how to shape employees’ thinking processes and behavior. The most successful business leaders know what steps to take and decisions to make to positively influence employee morale and improve work habits.

If you’re interested in business and psychology, one career that may be of particular interest to you is industrial-organizational psychologist. These professionals use the psychology concepts and research methods they learned from their psychology education to solve problems that arise in the business world. Industrial-organizational psychologists address issues that range from employee screening to management styles and policy planning.

Like many careers in the field of business, this role can be lucrative. In fact, the BLS lists industrial-organizational psychologist among the highest paying business careers. The highest paid 10 percent of industrial-organizational psychologists earn $158,990 per year.

The Chance to Be Your Own Boss

Have you dreamed of being an entrepreneur – of making the rules and calling the shots? With a psychology degree, you can make the dream of self-employment come true. Almost one-third of all psychologists are self-employed, the BLS reported. So are many workers in fields such as business, counseling and other occupations that you can enter with a psychology degree.

Being an entrepreneur isn’t for everybody, and self-employment isn’t always easy. However, a background in psychology can equip you with the skills you need to make it work – such as how to find and analyze relevant data and how to interact with customers, clients and employees in order to get them to behave in ways that benefit your business efforts. 

An Opportunity to Make a Difference

Many psychology graduates who go into careers in clinical or counseling psychology do so for one reason – to help people. They want to make a difference in the lives of people who are struggling with a mental or behavioral health condition or with a problem that consumes their personal, professional or social lives.

A few of the concerns that clinical and counseling psychologists can help with include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Developmental disorders
• Eating disorders
• Personality disorders
• Learning disabilities
• Substance abuse issues
• Life changes and transitions
• Difficulties adjusting to changes at work and school
• Marriage and family problems
• Grief

Some clinical and counseling psychologists get involved in their respective fields because they have personal experience coping with mental health issues or with difficult life changes. Others choose to get involved because they see how significantly these conditions and situations can affect a person’s life. Either way, what many clinical and counseling psychologists have in common is that desire to help others.

A World of Research Opportunities

If you have a strong thirst for knowledge, a career in psychological research might fit your curious nature perfectly. As much as we know about human behavior, there’s still quite a bit we don’t know. Researchers in the field of psychology are constantly investigating psychological phenomena. The data these researchers obtain from conducting surveys and experiments adds to the ever-evolving body of knowledge that informs psychological principles and practices.

As a unique field of study, psychology has only existed since around the late 1800s. That’s far less time than some of the natural and life sciences, like chemistry, physics and biology, whose roots go back hundreds or thousands of years. Many experts still consider psychology a relatively young science, and the opportunities for research are plentiful even today.

Some of the subjects modern research psychologists are currently studying include:

• Fear
• Stress
• Altruism
• Reading
• Learning
• Memory
• Beliefs
• Multitasking
• Adolescent behavior
• Problem-solving skills
• Social communication signals
• The effect of diet on the brain
• Environmental factors that affect behavior
• The development, diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions

Whether you’re interested in the differences in thought patterns and behaviors between the sexes, how sensory information influences learning and behavior or the benefits of playing video games, there’s plenty of psychological research left to do.

Expanded Soft Skills

Not everything you learn in psychology is about theories and research methodology. A major hidden benefit of a degree in psychology is learning soft skills. These versatile skills include how to learn, think and communicate.

Critical thinking is one of the most important skills you can learn from studying psychology, according to Psychology Today. As you explore the concepts, theories and methods employed in the field of psychology, you will get plenty of practice in thinking about the information you learn. You will develop the analytical skills to evaluate not just whether the information is true, but also the reasons why the phenomenon progresses the way it does. The critical thinking skills you learn by studying psychology are important if you want to work in law or business – or even for the sake of becoming an educated and well-informed person, Psychology Today reported.

Of course, you will also learn other important skills from studying psychology. You will become familiar with research processes, so that you know how to go about finding accurate and reliable information on any topic. You will learn effective ways of communicating through writing, a skill that matters regardless of whether the message you’re sending involves research findings or corporate policy memos. From studying statistics and the scientific method, you will be able to understand fundamental concepts of science – a valuable asset that, unfortunately, not every college graduate develops.

Personal Growth

Earning a psychology degree can come in handy in your personal life as well as your professional life. We all form interpersonal relationships with our family members, colleagues, people in our social circles and even pets. These relationships don’t always go smoothly.

When a psychology graduate encounters a problem in a relationship with a parent, child, sibling, romantic partner, coworker or neighbor, he or she has an advantage. A psychology degree program teaches students about the thoughts and feelings that drive behavior. When you have studied psychology, you can apply those concepts and theories to your own life.

Why did an event lead to a disagreement or dispute? What could cause someone in your relationship to change their behavior? Your psychology background can help you understand what the other person might be thinking or feeling. You can use this understanding to address an interpersonal problem yourself. If necessary, you will know from having studied psychology where to begin looking for outside help in the form of counseling or psychotherapy, according to Psychology Today

Earning a Psychology Degree

With so many reasons to study psychology, it’s no wonder that the field has consistently been one of the most popular undergraduate majors in the United States. Around 117,000 students graduate with a bachelor’s degree in psychology annually, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. Yet, with the rapid increase in job opportunities expected for psychologists and the wide variety of career paths available outside of psychology, you won’t have to worry that the field is oversaturated. The broad nature of a degree in psychology and the versatile skills students gain from studying the discipline offer plenty of freedom and flexibility to graduates in search of a career.

RELATED: What Is the Fastest Way to Become a Psychologist?

If you think a degree in psychology is the right choice for you, be prepared to take coursework in research methodology and statistics as well as many kinds of psychology. The core courses of an undergraduate psychology degree program often include topics such as abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, intercultural psychology and physiological psychology, according to U.S. News & World Report. Even as an undergraduate student, you may have the option to specialize in a niche such as addiction, criminal justice, child and adolescent psychology, applied psychology and business and workplace psychology. Often, you will spend at least some time gaining hands-on experience in psychology through a practicum or internship experience.

In some instances, you might want to continue your psychology education beyond the bachelor’s degree. To become a fully licensed psychologist, you will most likely need to earn a doctoral degree in psychology. Depending on what you want to do with your psychology education, you might choose to pursue the research-based Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree or the professional Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree. For students who want to go into a field like counseling psychology, clinical psychology or industrial/organizational psychology, a master’s-level terminal degree – that is, the highest level of degree available – could be a viable option, as well.

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The post The Hidden Benefits of a Degree in Psychology appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Bachelor’s degrees and above tend to give graduates a higher earning potential compared to an associate degree. However, an associate degree can also put students on the path to a career with a high median salary.

Associate degrees in the right fields can help you get a job with earning potential way above the national average salary for an associate degree or even a four-year degree. If you have been thinking that you can’t earn much with only a two-year degree, the highest-paying associate degree jobs can land you a job with a median annual wage well above what you would expect.

What Are Associate Degrees?

Commonly called a two-year degree, an associate degree is an undergraduate degree usually awarded by community colleges and junior colleges. An associate degree is the first level of college degree a student could earn after getting their high school diploma. Typically, an associate degree requires just 60 credits of college coursework, compared to the 120 credits needed to earn a four-year bachelor’s degree.

RELATED: How Long Does It Take to Get an Associate Degree?

Associates degree programs offered by a community college can prepare you for direct entry into the job market or for further study at a four-year college or university. Some of the types of associate degree programs available are Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS) and Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees. Associate degree jobs exist in all fields, including highly technical areas like healthcare, engineering and computer technology.

How Much Can I Earn in Associate Degree Jobs?

Your income potential with an associate degree varies according to the subject you study and the job you pursue with it. The best-paying associate degree jobs pay significantly more than the average job you can get with any old associate degree.

As of 2021, the median weekly earnings for full-time American workers with an associate degree was $963, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. This weekly wage translates to a median salary of $50,076 per year. That’s considerably more than workers with only a high school education made – $809 per week, or $42,068 per year. However, it’s still significantly less than the $1,334 per week, or $69,368 per year, median annual wage for workers with a bachelor’s degree.

These figures only represent the overall midpoint salaries for workers with each level of education, not the upper limits of your earning potential with an associate’s degree. Some of the highest-paying associate degree jobs correspond to median salaries that approach or even exceed the median wage for workers with a bachelor’s degree.

RELATED: 50 Highest Paying Associate Degrees 

The lowest-paying associate degree job on our list still has a median salary in the mid- to high-$50,000 range. Most of the jobs listed below have a median yearly salary in the $60,000 to $80,000 range, and a couple of these well-paying associate degree jobs pay even more. In fact, one particularly high-paying associate degree job reported a six-figure median wage. In terms of median annual wage, job prospects and job satisfaction, these well-paying associate degree jobs can constitute a rewarding career.

What Are the Highest Paying Associate Degrees?

Your ability to earn particularly good money with an associate degree depends on the field you study and the career to which you apply your education. If you want the best earning potential, you need the best associate degrees for top-paying job roles.

High-paying associate degree options include healthcare degrees that don’t require an advanced education, such as several types of medical technology and imaging programs. Other tech-related degrees can prepare workers for several of the best associate degree jobs.

Can You Earn an Associate’s Degree Online?

Associate’s degrees are widely available online. Studying online can add flexibility and convenience to your educational pursuits, especially if you don’t want to quit working to go back to school. Online associate degree programs often allow students to pursue their degrees on their schedule, although some schools do offer online options that include real-time virtual class meetings for students who prefer the feel of face-to-face interactions.

RELATED: 24 Fastest Online Associate’s Degrees 2021

However, not all programs of study are easy to find in fully online formats. Some of the best-paying associate degree jobs require a good deal of clinical experience or field experience. If you choose one of these associate degree programs, you may need to pursue a degree through a traditional in-person program. If you do find online associate degree programs in majors that require in-person experience, you may be able to complete coursework online and hands-on experiences in-person at field placement sites.

The Top Paying Jobs With Associate Degrees

High-paying jobs with an associate degree are out there – if you know what subjects to study and what path to pursue. The 10 associate degree jobs listed below offer exceptional earning potential.

1. Air Traffic Controller

If you’re not intimidated by the stress of coordinating the paths and movements of planes and other aircraft to prevent collisions (and close calls), you could put your associate degree to work in the role of air traffic controller. This high-paying path is one of the best associate degree jobs you could earn.

The vast majority of air traffic controllers work for the Federal Aviation Administration, the government agency that is responsible for enforcing aircraft regulations and keeping air travel safe bFy delivering landing instructions to approaching planes. Air traffic controllers may work as tower controllers or approach and departure controllers, typically in and near major airports, or as en route controllers at facilities that aren’t adjacent to airports.

An associate degree is one of several potential paths to a career as an air traffic controller. However, not just any degree will prepare you for this profession. Aspiring air traffic controllers should look for an Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative, or AT-CTI, program that is approved by the FAA. There are more than two dozen active FAA-approved AT-CTI programs across the United States. Since AT-CTI programs may award either an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree, students should do some research before applying to make sure that the AT-CTI program they’re pursuing is the right fit for their planned career path.

RELATED: How to Become an Air Traffic Controller: What Degree Do I Need?

In addition to an associate degree from an AT-CTI program, air traffic controllers must complete FAA academy training before age 31, pass both an FAA pre-employment test and the Air Traffic Controller Specialists Skills Assessment Battery and meet other qualifications.

Yearly Salary for Air Traffic Controllers

Based on median annual wage, air traffic controller is the highest-paid of all associate’s degree jobs.

The median air traffic controller salary in 2021 was $129,750, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For the 91% of air traffic controllers working for the federal government, the median annual salary was $137,380. However, air traffic controllers earn much lower (though still well above average) salaries when they work in support activities for the air transportation industry , with a median annual wage of $79,580.

2. Medical Technician or Technologist

You probably think of most medical professionals as having an advanced degree, but there are jobs in the medical field with only an associate’s degree. In fact, nearly half of the highest paying associate degree jobs on our list fit into the healthcare field in some way, including the second-most lucrative job group, medical technicians and technologists.

Medical technologists and technicians is an occupational group that includes radiation therapists, nuclear medicine technicians, diagnostic medical sonographers, radiologic technologists and more.

RELATED: What Associate’s Degrees Are Good for a Career in the Health Care Industry?

You can’t be a doctor with an associate degree, but you can work in several roles that require less extensive knowledge of medicine and confer less autonomy. Aside from the other healthcare-related roles on our list, most of the associate’s degree jobs in the medical field are technician- and technologist-level jobs.

Medical technician and technologist jobs often involve using specialized medical equipment for clinical purposes. Medical technologists and technicians may perform X-rays, care for patients recovering from heart attacks, provide assistance to those with difficulty breathing and use special equipment to administer tests physicians use to diagnose patients for the purpose of treating their medical conditions.

Radiation Therapist

Radiation therapists operate machines that administer radiation treatments. Radiation therapy is most commonly used in the treatment of cancer patients but may also be used in certain diagnostic tests. In their associate degree program, a radiation therapist studies the procedures used to safely and effectively administer radioactive drugs and the underlying scientific theories of how radiation works in disease treatment.

Nuclear Medicine Technologist

Another high-paying associate degree job in medicine is nuclear medicine technician or technologist. Nuclear medicine technologists prepare radioactive drugs and medications and administer these drugs to patients in clinical settings. These radioactive drugs may be used for special diagnostic imaging tests or to treat known medical conditions. Most nuclear medicine technologists work in hospitals.

Diagnostic Medical Sonographer

Diagnostic medical sonographers, also called ultrasound technicians, operate imaging machines that use sound waves to produce pictures of the inside of the body. A diagnostic medical sonographer may work in a variety of medical specialties. Diagnostic medical sonographers may perform imaging scans for diagnostic purposes or for the purpose of assisting with medical interventions, like biopsies, injections and surgical procedures.

Cardiovascular Technologist

Cardiovascular technologists perform imaging and testing that involves the patient’s heart and lungs. Performing electrocardiogram (EKG) tests is one job duty that cardiovascular technologists might perform. Cardiovascular technologists may also prepare patients to undergo open-heart surgery and other heart-related procedures. During cardiac procedures, cardiovascular technologists may help physicians monitor patients. Cardiovascular technologists need an associate degree in cardiovascular technology.

Radiologic or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technologist

Diagnostic medical sonographers aren’t the only technologists and technicians who use special imaging equipment. Radiologic and MRI technologists also conduct imaging tests, but they use different types of imaging equipment.

Radiologic technologists, also called radiographers, perform imaging in the form of X-rays and computed tomography (CT) scans, which involve radiation waves. MRI technologists produce images using magnetic resonance imaging machines.

These diagnostic tests both let physicians see what’s going on inside the body, but the specialized medical equipment utilize different types of imaging technology and show different structures of the body. Magnetic resonance imaging equipment uses magnets and radio waves to produce images of structures in the body that don’t appear well in X-ray images. Radiologic and MRI technologists both play a critical role in the health care system.

Respiratory Therapist

You can also use an associate degree to become a respiratory therapist or a medical equipment repairer.

Respiratory therapy refers to therapeutic medical intervention to help patients who suffer from difficulty breathing. A person with a serious lung illness or injury, for example, may be in need of respiratory care that only trained respiratory therapists can provide. Respiratory therapists perform diagnostic tests to determine the cause and extent of a patient’s difficulty breathing. As part of the patient’s treatment plan, respiratory therapists also administer treatments to patients who need assistance with breathing.

Medical Equipment Repairer

Medical equipment repairers do the work to install, test, calibrate, maintain and fix medical equipment used in hospitals and doctors’ offices. Aspiring medical equipment repairers commonly pursue an associate degree in biomedical technology or a related field. In an Associate of Applied Science degree in biomedical technology, students spend two years learning about the electrical equipment, electronics and computer technology used in medical procedures and diagnostic testing. Students of biomedical technology programs learn the proper procedures for testing equipment and performing routine maintenance work as well as cultivating the skills to repair equipment when it isn’t working properly.

Medical Technicians and Technologists’ Salary

Radiation therapists are probably the best-paid technologists and therapists with an associate’s degree. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median radiation therapist salary of $82,790 in 2021.

For nuclear medicine technologists, the median annual salary in 2021 was $78,760. Diagnostic medical sonographers earned a median annual salary of $77,740 in 2021 – only very slightly more than MRI technologists. MRI technologists reported a 2021 median annual salary of $77,360.

The median annual respiratory therapist salary was $61,830 in 2021. Radiologic technologists earned a median wage of $61,370 as of 2021. For cardiovascular technologists and technicians, the median annual salary in 2021 was $60,570.

Medical equipment repairers reported earning a median annual salary of $49,910 in 2021.

3. Dental Hygienist

Another lucrative healthcare field you can work in with just an associate degree is dental hygiene. If you have ever been to any dental office or clinic, you have probably seen a dental hygienist. In fact, patients often spend more time with their dental hygienists than they do with their dentists. These dental health professionals examine, clean, polish and take X-ray images of patients’ teeth. During the examination, these healthcare professionals also check for signs of oral diseases.

An associate’s degree in dental hygiene isn’t your average associate degree. While most associate degrees are two-year degree programs, an associate degree for dental hygienists typically takes three years of study, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and it includes a great deal of clinical coursework. Aspiring dental hygienists should choose one of the more than 300 dental hygiene programs that has earned accreditation from the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation.

RELATED: Best Major for Dentist: What Major Do You Need to Be a Dentist?

In addition to a dental hygiene associate’s degree, dental hygienists need a state license to start cleaning teeth in a professional position. Earning this license typically requires passing scores on both written and clinical licensing tests.

Dental Hygienist Salary

The median salary for dental hygienists in 2021 was $77,810 per year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. However, for dental hygienists who work for the government – only about 1% of the occupation – the median annual wage is considerably lower, at $64,110.

4. Registered Nurse

Registered nurses, or RNs, are a critical part of the healthcare system – and another of the highest paying associate degree jobs. RNs work in just about every medical specialty and every type of medical facility. They provide direct clinical care to patients using the nursing model of care, which emphasizes holistic patient care over the disease-focused medical model used by doctors and physician assistants.

An RN’s exact job duties may vary considerably depending on their specialty and work setting. However, registered nurses commonly perform tasks such as monitoring and observing patients, administering medications and other types of treatments and answering questions and educating patients on their care and treatment plan. If you have ever been in the hospital, it’s likely that you have relied on nurses to administer the medication your doctor has prescribed, check on your wellbeing throughout your state, keep your notes and charts up to date and otherwise help you as needed, while your doctor may have only seen you when making certain rounds or performing certain procedures.

RNs can approach the career from a few different educational paths, ranging from non-degree diploma or post-secondary certificate programs to bachelor’s degree programs. Education is becoming increasingly important for RNs. Many students see an Associate Degree in Nursing, or ADN, as a good middle ground that will allow them to prepare for the career quickly but will offer more extensive training and education than a diploma program. Some nurses get started by pursuing an associate’s degree, getting their nursing license and then going back to school – often taking advantage of employer tuition benefits – to complete their bachelor’s degree through an RN-to-BSN program.

Like other healthcare and medical professionals, nurses need a license to practice. Only once they attain their nursing license are they qualified as a registered nurse. Generally, becoming an RN requires passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN), as well as meeting all state licensing requirements.

Annual RN Salary

For registered nurses in 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median annual salary of $77,600. On the high end of the salary range, nurses who work for the government – about 5% of the occupation – earned a median annual salary of $85,970. Hospitals, which employ more than 60% of nurses, paid a median annual salary of $78,070. The lowest paying industry for registered nurses was educational services, which accounted for 3% of the occupation and paid a median annual salary of $61,780.

5. Web Developer

Everyone has an Internet presence nowadays, and that’s good news for one of the highest-paid associate degree jobs. Web developers are the computer and information technology professionals who design and implement the technical architecture and features of a website.

While developers may concentrate on either the back-end framework of the website or the front-end layout, features and content, a good web developer possesses both computer and technology skills and skills in creative design. Web developers create websites using computer programming languages. They may build the technical construction of the website from scratch or go into the code of existing websites to make minor or major changes.

Unlike the other associate’s degree jobs that have appeared on our list so far, the web developer occupation isn’t regulated. You don’t need a license to work as or call yourself a web developer, and the education requirements that can lead to this career is also a lot more flexible. It isn’t so much that the position requires two-year degrees, in a strict sense, as it is that professionals working in this field need strong computer skills.

What you really need to be a web developer are the skills required to perform the technical work of building websites and sufficient qualifications – which can range from degrees and formal professional certifications to a portfolio of sites you have designed and developed – to convenience a prospective employer or client to hire you.

Some website developers have only a high school diploma but have cultivated extensive knowledge of computer programming independently or through non-degree courses. Teaching yourself to code isn’t easy, however. Having some formal education, like an associate degree, is still popular among website developers. Potential majors for an aspiring web developer include computer science, computer programming or web design or digital design specifically. Some students even approach the field as graphic arts majors. Whatever major you choose, you should focus on developing your knowledge of popular programming languages, including HTML, SQL and JavaScript.

Web Developers’ Salary

For web developers, the median annual salary the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported for 2020 was $77,200. Website developers in some industries earn a great deal more money. In the publishing industry, excluding Internet publishing, the median annual salary was $123,870. Unfortunately, this industry accounts for less than 10% of the profession as a whole. The good news is that even the lowest paying of the top employing industries for web developers, the management, scientific and technical consulting services industry, still paid a median annual salary of $70,790.

6. Engineering Technician

Engineering refers to the use of scientific and mathematical concepts in the design of a variety of different types of solutions to real-world problems. While you need a bachelor’s degree to be an engineer, an associate degree is sufficient to become an engineering technician. Just as engineering jobs are some of the most lucrative job prospects with a four-year degree, engineering technician jobs are some of the highest paying jobs with associate’s degrees.

Technicians work alongside fully qualified engineers and assist them in the work needed for the design process. For example, engineering technicians might set up and run tests, examine and assemble equipment, compile data, analyze construction and design plans and draft lab reports that contain the findings of their tests.

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There are many different disciplines and subdisciplines of engineering, and there are also different kinds of engineering technicians. Earning potential for engineering technicians varies according to the branch of engineering in which they work. Engineering technology professionals work closely with fully qualified engineers in their respective fields.

Aerospace Engineering Technician

Aerospace engineering is concerned with engineering vessels, systems and processes for aircraft and spacecraft. Aerospace engineering and operations technicians install instruments and equipment in aircraft and spacecraft and facilitate tests of craft and their systems and equipment. These instruments and equipment systems are developed by aerospace engineers.

Electrical Engineering Technician

Electrical engineering technology has to do with electrical and electronic equipment and systems of all kinds, from computers to medical monitoring devices. Electrical engineering technicians often build electrical components and systems, appliances and instruments and handle matters of writing product design specifications and checking for quality control.

Electronics engineering technicians focus on the work needed to support the design of electronic units, equipment and components. For example, an electronics engineering technician might assemble electronic circuitry, use machine and power tools to create the components of electronic equipment and build prototypes.

Mechanical Engineering Technician

Mechanical engineers apply the principles of engineering design to any machine, process or system that moves. Similarly, mechanical engineering technician is a broad occupation in which the technician may work on projects that range from engines to tools and medical devices. Mechanical engineering technicians run tests, create computer-designed drawings of parts and their assembly process and assemble mechanical components.

There are also electro-mechanical engineering technicians who bring to their work a combination of knowledge of both mechanical and electrical technologies.

Industrial Engineering Technician

Industrial engineers focus on the efficiency of production processes. Industrial engineering technicians support these efforts by gathering data, recommending changes that could improve efficiency and creating charts, diagrams and other materials to plan and illustrate layouts and processes.

Civil Engineering Technician

Civil engineering technicians play important roles in the design of infrastructure of all kinds. Civil engineers are responsible for developing everything from roads and bridges to airports and water treatment facilities. Civil engineering technicians may handle job duties like conducting field surveys, using computer-aided design software to create project plans and drawings and testing construction materials.

Environmental Engineering Technician

Environmental engineers apply engineering principles to the design of environmental solutions. Environmental engineering technicians support these efforts in a variety of ways. Some of the job duties environmental engineering technicians may perform include collecting samples of environmental specimens in the field and preparing and operating field equipment to support the work of environmental engineers.

Technicians in other areas also assist engineers in their work. For example, geological and petroleum engineers may rely on the assistance of geological and petroleum technicians, who help install equipment and gather and test samples of natural resources for the purpose of identifying deposits of natural gas.

It’s important for prospective engineering technicians to choose a major that fits their specific area of career interest. For example, you might major in civil engineering technology if you want to assist with the design and construction of roads and bridges or in environmental engineering technology if you want to apply your work to the solutions of environmental problems.

Engineering Technicians’ Salary

Earning potential for engineering technicians depends on the discipline of engineering technology in which you work. Aerospace engineering and operations technicians earn the most money, with a median annual salary of $73,580 in 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Electrical and electronics engineering technicians have the next highest earning potential, with a median annual salary of $63,640.

Engineering technicians and technologists in three disciplines earn median salaries right around the $60,000 mark. The median annual salary for mechanical engineering technicians and technologists was $60,460, while the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a $60,360 electro-mechanical technician salary and a $60,220 industrial engineering technician salary.

For civil engineering technicians, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median annual salary of $58,320. The lowest paying of the major disciplines that employ engineering technicians and technologists is environmental engineering, for which the median annual salary in 2021 was just $48,390. For geological and petroleum technicians, who the Bureau of Labor Statistics actually classifies as part of the life and natural sciences occupational group rather than the engineering occupation, the median annual salary was $48,390.

7. Avionics Technician

One of the best associate degree jobs revolves around the maintenance and repair of aircraft. An avionics technician is a maintenance and repair professional who addresses the specific needs of airplanes, helicopters and other types of aircraft and their parts – including engines, electrical systems, and hydraulic systems. An avionics technician may be a generalist, performing maintenance and repairs on all types of aircraft and all systems, or a specialist who focuses on one type of aircraft or system within a craft.

Some of the responsibilities of an avionics technician include repairing or replacing parts and components when they malfunction or when they are due for regularly scheduled maintenance under the regulations imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration. It’s important that avionics technicians maintain detailed and accurate records of all maintenance and repair work they perform on an aircraft.

Avionics technicians perform work that includes installing instrument panels and putting together electrical control components. To check for and diagnose problems in aircraft, avionics technicians perform tests of a plane’s electronic instruments and analyze flight test data. An avionics technician must be comfortable working with various kinds of installation tools. Installing and running computer software is part of the job, but so is using hand tools and power tools to install instrument panels and applying voltmeters and circuit testers to check the function and performance of a craft’s electronic instruments.

An associate’s degree is the most common entry-level education for avionics technicians, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You should look for a specialized degree if you want to work in this field. For example, you might major in aircraft electronics, aviation maintenance, avionics technology or electronic engineering technology with a specialization in avionics.

Avionics Technician Salary

The median yearly salary the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported for avionics technicians as of 2021 was $69,280. The highest paying industry for avionics technicians, the aerospace product and parts manufacturing industry, paid a median yearly salary of $78,700, while the median salary for the lowest paying of the top employing industries, support activities for the air transportation industry, reported a median wage of $60,460.

8. Computer Network Support Specialist

You want to work in the computer field, but you want to do more than just provide tech support to users who aren’t so tech-savvy. A career as a computer network specialist may be the right fit. In this computer support role that is one of the highest-paying associate degree jobs, your focus isn’t on the technical issues that individual users encounter but rather on the maintenance and performance of entire computer networks.

RELATED: What Is the Benefit of a Degree in Cybersecurity vs. Network Security?

Your work in computer network support encompasses everything from undertaking regular maintenance tasks that keep computer networks running to testing and troubleshooting network problems when they arise.

RELATED: What Degree Do I Need to Be an Information Technology Specialist?

The best associate degrees for working in a computer network support specialist role include computer science, information technology (IT), information security, computer networking systems and system administration. However, since this career isn’t one that requires a license or a particular major, you may qualify for this role if you have taken a few computer courses in these areas, even if you majored in another field of study.

Learn more about what degree you need to be a computer technician.

Computer Support Specialists’ Salary

For computer network support specialists, the median wage as of 2021 was $62,760, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The telecommunications industry, which accounted for 12% of the computer support specialists profession, paid the highest median annual salary, $76,910. The computer systems design and related services industry, which is the single largest employment industry for the role and makes up 20% of jobs in this occupation, paid the lowest median annual salary of all top employing industries, at $61,390.

9. Physical or Occupational Therapy Assistant

Another high-paying career in health care with an associate’s degree is physical or occupational therapy assistant. In either of these roles, you would do the fulfilling work of helping to rehabilitate patients who have suffered injuries or illnesses.

Most people have heard of physical therapy. Physical therapists provide therapeutic treatment of injury to restore function and mobility using exercise and other physical methods of intervention instead of pharmaceuticals or surgical procedures. Another form of rehabilitative therapy, occupational therapy, is somewhat less well-known but is just as important.

Generally, physical therapy pertains to exercises and treatments intended to improve strength and mobility and reduce pain, while occupational therapy emphasizes the skills for daily living. Since physical therapy has more to do with movement in general, this rehabilitative therapy tends to focus more on gross motor skills, or using large muscle groups. On the other hand, occupational therapists work closely with patients to develop the fine motor skills used for daily life activities like eating, bathing and dressing oneself.

You can’t become a physical or occupational therapist with an associate’s degree, but you can get a job as a physical therapy assistant or an occupational therapy assistant. In these roles, you provide direct support to patients in their physical or occupational therapy by observing and helping them with exercises. Both physical and occupational therapy assistants use and teach patients how to use equipment, such as walkers and modified dining utensils, respectively, under the direction of licensed physical and occupational therapists.

There are specially accredited associate’s degree programs for both physical therapy assistants and occupational therapy assistants. Although these roles are related, their areas of focus and the coursework required for the distinct associate degree programs are different. Both of these careers are regulated and typically require some form of state licensure.

Physical or Occupational Therapy Assistant Salary

The median annual salary for occupational therapy assistants in 2021 was $61,730, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. The 7% of occupational therapy assistants working in the home healthcare services industry had the best earning potential, with a median yearly salary of $75,070. For occupational therapy assistants in the educational services industry – approximately 5% of the profession – the median wage was only $49,920.

Among physical therapy assistants, the median wage reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2021 was $61,180. Again, the home healthcare industry pays the best, with a median wage of $76,600 reported for this industry that employs 9% of the profession. For the 5% of physical therapy assistants who work for physicians’ offices, the median yearly salary was $58,190.

10. Legal Assistant

Legal assistants and paralegals aren’t lawyers, but they are an important part of the legal industry. If you’re not ready to commit to going to law school and taking the bar exam – and you don’t love the idea of making arguments in a courtroom – this paraprofessional career may give you the best aspects of legal work without all the obligations.

Paralegals and legal assistants work under the guidance of licensed attorneys to investigate cases, conduct research, compile files of evidence and draft and file legal documents. Generally, these legal professionals aren’t authorized to give legal advice in the formal capacity that an attorney is, but they also aren’t required to be licensed.

An associate’s degree in legal studies typically covers the foundations of legal writing and conducting research, as well as ethics in the legal industry and the practice and procedures in civil and criminal areas of law.

Salary for Legal Assistants

The median annual salary for legal assistants and paralegals in 2021 was $56,230, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The best-paid legal assistants were the 5% of the field that worked for the federal government, for which the median annual salary was $69,680. For the legal services industry, which employed nearly three-quarters of paralegals and legal assistants, the median wage was only $48,270.

Boosting Your Earning Potential

Any of the high-paying jobs listed above offers strong earning potential, especially when they only require an associate degree. If you want to earn even more money, though, some options to consider are pursuing a bachelor’s degree, attaining formal professional qualifications and cultivating specialized and in-demand skills.

Go Back to School

Just because you started your career with only an associate degree doesn’t mean that you’re locked into this level of education for life. If you feel like you have gone as far as you can with “only” an associate’s degree, it may be time to go back to school. Earning a bachelor’s degree can help you increase your salary as well as your opportunities for career advancement.

Typically, you can transfer the credits you earned for your associate degree to the four-year college where you’re pursuing a bachelor’s degree and graduate in as little as two years. An accelerated degree completion bachelor’s degree program may allow you to finish school even faster.

Pursue Professional Certification or Specialized Skills

In some professions, a professional certification is as valuable or even more valuable than a bachelor’s degree. Certification may require taking a course or an examination. Certification from a professional organization demonstrates not only your competency as established by an outside party but also your commitment to the field.

There’s no doubt that formal qualifications like a bachelor’s degree or a professional certification can help your earning potential. However, having proven skills in specialized areas – especially highly technical and relatively rare skills – can also help you earn more, even without these formal credentials. Take opportunities to develop specialized and in-demand skills, and your value in the job market will rise.

Related Resources:

Easiest Online Associate’s Degrees

50 Best Online Associate’s Degrees 2021

Will Only Having an Associate’s Degree Allow Me to Get a Nursing Job?

What Is the Demand for an Associate’s Degree in Engineering?

For Further Reading:

What Are the 5 Best Careers in Environmental Science?

The post Top 10 Paying Jobs With an Associate’s Degree appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

However, some universities do an extraordinary job educating undergraduate students. These schools often offer the most important things students should look for in an undergraduate degree program: a wide array of majors to choose from, impressive research opportunities and undergraduate core curricula that equip students with a breadth and depth of knowledge. When you choose one of the 20 best degree programs for undergraduates, you won’t just get a bachelor’s degree – you’ll get a well-rounded, comprehensive education that will help you achieve whatever personal and professional goals you pursue.

1. Princeton University

The best national university for education at the undergraduate level is Princeton University in New Jersey. The Ivy League institution didn’t just top U.S. News & Report’s list of the best undergraduate programs. It also earned recognition as the best national university overall, the second best value in education in the country and a number of its undergraduate engineering programs, along with more than 60 of the school’s graduate-level programs. Princeton University’s history dates back to 1746, when the institution was founded in Elizabeth, NJ, as the College of New Jersey. The school kept this name for 150 years, during which it moved twice, first to Newark and then to its present location in Princeton. Princeton University is one of the most selective schools to make the list of the best degree programs for undergraduates, accepting just seven percent of applicants. Princeton University confers two types of degrees on its undergraduate students. Students at the School of Engineering and Applied Science graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E.) degree. The other 75 percent of Princeton University students earn an Artium Baccalaureus, or A.B. degree. Princeton University used the Latin term for its Bachelor of Arts degree when it was first founded 270 years ago and has since decided to keep the designation, in part because it required students to study Latin through 1930.

Students pursuing an Artium Baccalaureus at Princeton University can choose from more than 30 majors, including foreign languages, architecture, music and physical and social sciences. There are also 53 interdisciplinary certificate programs available to undergraduate students. All A.B. undergraduate students at Princeton start off their academic careers with two years of general education courses, cultivating a breadth of knowledge at the collegiate level, before choosing a concentration or major. B.S.E. students also take a range of general education courses, but they focus primarily on coursework in science, mathematics and computing. They choose from six engineering concentration options in the second half of their freshman year and spend the later semesters of their undergraduate education taking advanced coursework and working on independent research. Princeton University’s exceptionally small student to faculty ratio – five to one – means that undergraduates at the school can look forward to small class sizes and personal attention, no matter which degree they’re pursuing. Around 98 percent of undergraduates at Princeton live on campus.

Location: Princeton, NJ

Enrollment: 5,402 students

Tuition: $45,320

2. Miami University—Oxford

Landing the second spot on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the best universities for undergraduates is a larger and much more accessible Ohio institution. Miami University—Oxford is a public university that admits 65 percent of applicants. The school was founded in 1809 and named for the nearby Miami Indian Tribe. The school has several claims to fame, including being the founding place of four popular fraternities, the alma mater of former President Benjamin Harrison and the home of many athletes who have gone on to coach collegiate and professional sports. Miami University—Oxford has earned recognition from many publications, including repeated placements on the annual President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, features in Princeton Review’s The Best 381 Colleges, spots on Forbes magazine’s America’s Top Colleges lists and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine’s 100 Best Values in Public Colleges ranking. U.S. News & World Report has also ranked the school highly on lists of the top public schools, the best undergraduate business programs, the best undergraduate engineering programs and the best colleges for veterans.

Undergraduate students at Miami University—Oxford can choose from more than 100 majors and 100 minors to study. Academic programs at the bachelor’s level run the gamut from technical, like accountancy and biological physics, to the creative, like theatre and music composition. Whatever subject Miami University—Oxford students choose to study, they’re sure to graduate with a strong and well-rounded educational background thanks to the school’s core curriculum, which makes up about 30 percent of their academic work. This program, called the Global Miami Plan, includes coursework in English composition, natural and social sciences, mathematics, humanities, technology, fine arts, reasoning and global perspectives. Students also delve into a thematic sequence of courses outside their major as well as a capstone seminar, workshop or project. To help fight the rising cost of a college education, the institution makes first-time undergraduate students Miami’s Tuition Promise, guaranteeing that the cost of attendance – tuition, fees and room and board – will not increase over the four consecutive years the student remains at the school. Given that the median time to graduation is just 3.7 years at Miami University—Oxford, that offers students plenty of time to earn their degrees without worrying about cost increases.

Location: Oxford, OH

Enrollment: 16,387 students

Tuition: $31,592 (out-of-state), $14,288 (in-state)

3. Yale University

Third on the list of national universities that excel at teaching undergraduates is another Ivy League institution. Yale University, originally known simply as the Collegiate School, was founded in Saybrook, CT, in 1701. The institution became Yale College in 1718, shortly after moving to its present home in New Haven. In 1732, the school became the first college in America to offer scholarships. Over the course of its more than 300 year history, the institution has continued its tradition of innovation. A number of Yale alumni played integral roles in the American Revolution, signing the Declaration of Independence and serving in the Continental Congress. The school remains revolutionary today. Yale University began pioneering online education options in 2001 and now features a variety of online learning offerings that range from open non-credit classes to for-credit courses and entire certificate programs. U.S. News & World Report has ranked the institution highly on several best colleges lists, including the Best Value Colleges. With an acceptance rate of just seven percent, gaining admission into Yale University isn’t easy – but the top-notch undergraduate education it provides is well worth the effort.

Though the institution as a whole now goes by Yale University, undergraduate education takes place at Yale College. Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree from Yale will start off their liberal arts education taking distributional requirements in the arts and humanities, the sciences, the social sciences, a foreign language, quantitative reasoning and writing. Completing this coursework helps students develop a broad range of knowledge. Undergraduate students must also select a major program of study from the more than 70 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degree programs available. Students in every major will complete a senior requirement, which could take the form of a project, essay or exam. Students pursuing their B.A. or B.S. at Yale University can also take advantage of extensive research opportunities not often offered to undergraduates. The school encourages all undergraduate students at Yale College to consider spending a summer, a term, or a year studying abroad sometime during their college careers, and 64 percent of students do so.

Location: New Haven, CT

Enrollment: 5,532 students

Tuition: $49,480

4. Brown University

Ivy League school Brown University is next on our list of the top degree programs for undergraduate students. The institution became the seventh-oldest college in America when it was founded in 1764. Brown University has a generous financial aid policy, meeting 100 percent of demonstrated student need, and 65 percent of students who receive aid have no student loans. This policy is, in part, what landed Brown University a top ten spot on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the best value schools. The publication also ranked Brown University highly on additional lists, including its Most Innovative Schools ranking. The private college boasts a 7-to-1 student to faculty ratio, and upwards of 70 percent of classes have few than 20 students enrolled. More than three-quarters of the student population at Brown University lives on campus. With an average freshman retention rate of 98 percent, it’s clear that the students who make it into Brown University – a selective school that admits just nine percent of applicants – want to stay there throughout their education.

Brown University is a particularly excellent choice for undergraduate students who value academic freedom and want to customize their education. Unlike many of the schools recognized for their outstanding undergraduate teaching practices, Brown University does not have a required core curriculum of general education courses every student must take. Instead, the school features an open curriculum, one that invites undergraduate students to compile a unique mix of courses that forms their educational core. Brown University also extends this freedom to the selection of a major. Rather than forcing students to choose from a small number of possible degree programs, the school allows students to develop their own individualized program, choosing from more than 2,000 courses offered each year. There are more than 80 concentrations, or majors, that students can explore and customize at Brown University. As a research university, Brown is able to offer undergraduate students research and teaching opportunities beyond what most students at the bachelor’s level can expect.

Location: Providence, RI

Enrollment: 6,652 students

Tuition: $51,367

5. Rice University

Tied for fifth place on U.S. News & World Report’s list of national universities that excel at educating undergraduates is Rice University in Texas. Rice University’s history dates back 125 years, but the story of its founding is somewhat unusual. A businessman named William Marsh Rice chartered the school – then to be called the William Marsh Rice Institute for the Advancement of Literature, Science, and Art – in 1891, but stipulated that only after his death could work on the school begin. Rice was murdered in 1900. The school officially opened as Rice Institute in 1912, on the twelfth anniversary of Rice’s death. Rice University has also earned coveted spots on U.S. News & World Report’s lists of the best colleges for veterans, best value schools and most innovative schools. The student to faculty ratio at Rice University is just six to one, and the median class size at the undergraduate level is just 14 students.

Like other colleges that made this list, Rice University makes it a priority to provide its students with a comprehensive education that includes knowledge in a broad range of subjects. To achieve this goal, students take four courses in each of a set of distribution requirements. These requirements include coursework in the applied sciences, the social sciences and the humanities. At the undergraduate level, students can chose from more than 50 possible majors spread across six varied divisions: Engineering, Architecture, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Music and  Humanities. Degree program options range from bioengineering to medieval and early modern studies and everything in between. Students can also pursue one of 18 minors or one of four interdisciplinary programs. The school offers online learning options in the form of free massive open online courses (MOOCs) through RiceX and paid certificate programs through Coursera. To help make an undergraduate education affordable, Rice University offers payment plans that allow students to make their tuition payments in installments rather than as one large chunk at the start of the semester.

Location: Houston, TX

Enrollment: 3,910 students

Tuition: $43,918

6. Wake Forest University

Another institution where undergraduate education goes above and beyond is North Carolina’s Wake Forest University, a private college that combines a liberal arts education with outstanding research opportunities. Wake Forest University tied for fifth place on U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of the best colleges for an undergraduate education and also earned high rankings on the publication’s list of the best value schools, best undergraduate business programs and top national universities. Since its founding in 1834 as a manual labor institution, the college, originally located in Wake Forest, N.C., has offered students a top-notch education. Students at Wake Forest University live on campus through their junior year of school, enjoying the close-knit community of a residential college. Wake Forest University is known for small class sizes, with a 10 to one student to faculty ratio and an average class size of just 21 students. The institution accepts about 29 percent of applicants.

Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Wake Forest University are part of the Undergraduate College or, if pursuing a business degree, the School of Business. Wake Forest University awards both Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees. Students in the School of Business can pursue a B.S. in Business degree in accountancy, business and enterprise management, finance or mathematical business. Undergraduate core requirements at Wake Forest University include a first-year seminar, a writing seminar, a foreign language course and two health and exercise science classes. Students must also complete coursework in the divisions of humanities, literature, fine arts, social sciences and math and natural sciences. However, motivated students at the Undergraduate College can apply to the school’s open curriculum, giving them the flexibility to customize their education more extensively. Undergraduate students can choose from more than 40 majors or create an interdisciplinary major that combines studies in two or more academic departments.

Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Enrollment: 4,871 students

Tuition: $49,308

 7. Dartmouth College

Taking seventh place on U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of the best national universities for an undergraduate education is New Hampshire’s Dartmouth College. The Ivy League school’s history dates back to 1769, when a reverend founded the institution primarily to education Native American youth but also students from other heritages. Today, Dartmouth College continues its commitment to diversity, and 35 percent of its undergraduate students are people of color, while eight percent of students seeking a bachelor’s degree are international students. Dartmouth College also ranked fifth on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the best colleges for veterans and seventh among the best value schools in the nation. The school’s graduate programs, too, have received national recognition. Dartmouth College accepts just 11 percent of applicants. The student to faculty ratio at Dartmouth College is just seven to one, and more than 63 percent of classes offered have fewer than 20 students. Notable alumni of Dartmouth College include politician Daniel Webster and author Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss.

Undergraduate students at Dartmouth College follow a quarter-based academic calendar, rather than semester-based one. This means they learn during four ten-week terms spread throughout the year and take classes in the winter and summer as well as spring and fall. A flexible study plan allows Dartmouth College students to customize their education not just based on which courses they take, but when they choose to study. Students can set their study schedule so that they have an entire year off of classes to focus on attaining hands-on experience through an internship or research opportunity – without falling behind in their education or taking time off from college. Dartmouth College offers more than 50 possible academic majors, which students declare during their sophomore years. Students can also personalize their degree path with a modified major or special major, or by selecting academic minors that add breadth and depth to their knowledge. Undergraduate students who begin their academic careers at Dartmouth College like the experience so much that the school boasts a 98 percent freshman retention rate.

Location: Hanover, NH

Enrollment: 4,307 students

Tuition: $51,438

8. University of Michigan—Ann Arbor

Tied with Dartmouth College on U.S. News & World Report’s ranking is a much larger public college, the University of Michigan—Ann Abor. Notably, the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor’s School of Education ranked 12^th nationally among graduate education programs, and all of the institution’s graduate education specializations rank among the top six programs in the country. The institution has also achieved high rankings on lists of the Top Public Schools, Most Innovative Schools and Best Colleges for Veterans. At the undergraduate level, the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor has earned recognition for its exceptional business and engineering programs, including numerous concentrations within those programs. At the graduate level, the school’s business, education, engineering, law, medical, nursing, social sciences, health, sciences, fine arts, public affairs and library and information sciences programs have all placed highly on the relevant college ranking lists. The University of Michigan—Ann Arbor was founded in 1817 and today has more than 28,000 undergraduate students and upwards of 3,200 acres of land.

The University of Michigan—Ann Arbor has 14 different undergraduate colleges and schools, These colleges specialize in teaching education, architecture and urban planning, engineering, art and design, business, information, medicine, kinesiology, nursing, pharmacy, public policy, natural resources, music and performing arts and literature, science and the arts. The University of Michigan—Ann Arbor offers more than 265 degree programs, the most popular of which are business administration and management, economics, political science and psychology. The school also features residential Learning Communities in which students pursuing degrees in similar subjects live in designated residence halls together, and more than one-third of the college’s sizable population of students choose to live on campus. Despite being such a large school with a large undergraduate enrollment, the class sizes at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor are surprisingly small. The student to faculty ratio is just 15 to one, and more than 57 percent of courses have fewer than 20 students enrolled. An impressive 97 percent of students who start their college education at the University of Michigan stay their throughout their undergraduate studies.

Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Enrollment: 28,312 students

Tuition: $43,476 (out-of-state), $13,856 (in-state)

9. University of Notre Dame

Also tied for the seventh place spot on U.S. News & World Report’s ranking is the University of Notre Dame, a well-respected private institution located in South Bend, Indiana. The university has also placed highly among lists of the best value schools and the best colleges for veterans and been recognized for its excellent undergraduate programs in engineering and business. Since its founding by a French priest in 1842, the University of Notre Dame has provided students an outstanding Catholic college education, and it retains that Roman Catholic affiliation today. The University of Notre Dame’s commitment to meeting 100 percent of student financial need means that more than three-quarters of students at the school receive aid, averaging more than $37,000 per student.  The student to faculty ratio is just 10 to one at the University of Notre Dame. More than 60 percent of courses have fewer than 20 students enrolled, and more than 90 percent of classes are smaller than 50 students.

Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame can choose from more than 75 academic majors offered by the College of Science, the College of Engineering, the School of Architecture, the Mendoza College of Business and the College of Arts and Letters. University of Notre Dame’s freshmen students kick off their college education with the school’s liberal first year curriculum. The requirements include studies in subjects like mathematics, science, foreign language and writing. They also include specially-design University Seminar courses and a two-semester sequence of college transition and orientation courses known as the Moreau First Year Experience. Completing this coursework early ensures that students start off their college education on the right foot, developing a strong background in a breadth of academic subjects and cultivating versatile thinking and communication skills. The University of Notre Dame is a residential school. While the institution only requires students to live on campus during their freshman year, so many students choose to live there throughout their education that four out of five total University of Notre Dame students live in the on-campus residences. Students overwhelmingly also choose to finish their undergraduate education at the school, which maintains a 98 percent freshman retention rate.

Location: Notre Dame, IN

Enrollment: 8,462 students

Tuition: $49,685

10. Stanford University

Tied for 10^th place on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the top national universities with the best undergraduate degree programs is Stanford University in California. Stanford University took second place among the most innovative schools in the nation and fourth on the list of the best value schools. The school has also earned recognition as the best college for American veterans. Its undergraduate engineering programs also rank second in the nation. As the most selective school on our list, Stanford University accepts just five percent of applicants, and its current enrollment is just shy of 7,000. Stanford University celebrated its 125^th anniversary of educating students this year, having opened in 1891 after being established in 1885. Personal attention isn’t a problem at Stanford University, as the school boasts an astonishingly small student to faculty ratio of four to one and more than 70 percent of its classes have fewer than 20 students enrolled.

Undergraduates at Stanford University study at the schools of engineering, earth sciences or humanities and sciences. Students can choose from dozens of departmental and interdisciplinary academic majors, the most popular of which include biology, engineering, computer science and the interdisciplinary Science, Technology and Society degree program. No matter which major students at Stanford University choose, they’ll graduate with a comprehensive liberal arts background. Programs offered to help undergraduate students build their skills include introductory seminars, the Oral Communication Program, the Program in Writing and Rhetoric, the Thinking Matters course, the Ways of Thinking/Ways of Doing Applied Quantitative Reasoning course and Special Focus programs. Stanford University also offers residential programs for students interested in participating in learning communities in the arts or sciences or in general studies during their freshman and sophomore years. For undergraduate students who are looking forward to excellent research opportunities, Stanford University is a strong choice. The school has a total research budget of $1.22 billion, with 5,500 externally sponsored active research projects in progress.

Location: Stanford, CA

Enrollment: 6,999 students

Tuition: $47,940

11. Vanderbilt University

Also tying for 10^th place on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Undergraduate Teaching list is Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. Vanderbilt University also ties for sixth place on the U.S. News Best Colleges for Veterans list, ties for 15^th place among national universities overall and ties for 23^rd place among the most innovative schools. Vanderbilt University has also achieved recognition from other publications, like the Princeton Review. The school ranked highly on several lists, including first on College City Gets High Marks, second on the Happiest Students list, fourth on Great Financial Aid, seventh on Best Quality of Life, seventh on Best Financial Aid and 11^th on the Most Beautiful Campus list. The private research university’s history dates back to 1873. Though founded with the help of a Methodist bishop, who won support – and funding to the tune of $1 million – from 79-year-old Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt University no longer reflects any religious affiliation. It does, however, consider an applicant’s character to be a strong factor in its admissions process, and accepts just 12 percent of applicants.

The College of Arts and Science, the Blair School of Music, the School of Engineering and the Peabody College of education and human development at Vanderbilt University all offer bachelor’s degree programs. Students can choose from nearly 70 academic majors in disciplines like the arts, natural and social sciences, humanities, engineering and education.  At the undergraduate level, Vanderbilt University’s student to faculty ratio is just eight to one. Nearly 99 percent of undergraduate students at Vanderbilt University study full-time. Only freshmen at Vanderbilt University must live on campus, residing in the Martha Rivers Ingram Commons as part of a first-year learning community. However, many students choose to stay on campus even after their freshman year, and 93 percent of all undergraduate students currently reside in campus housing.  Vanderbilt University meets 100 percent of demonstrated student financial need without loans, allowing many students to graduate debt-free. Nearly two-thirds of students at Vanderbilt receive financial aid of some kind.

Location: Nashville, TN

Enrollment: 6,883students

Tuition: $45,610

12. College of William & Mary

Twelfth on U.S. News & World Report’s ranking is Virginia’s College of William & Mary. U.S. News & World Report ranked the College of William and Mary sixth on its Top Public Schools list, tied for 19^th place among the Best Colleges for Veterans, 32^nd on the National Universities list and tied for 43^rd among undergraduate business programs. Founded in 1693 by King William III and Queen Mary II of England, the public school happens to be the second oldest college in the United States. Founding Father and former President Thomas Jefferson is just one of the College of William & Mary’s distinguished alumni. The research university is one of only eight institutions in America considered to be a “Public Ivy” school – public institutions that offer an education and college experience on par with prestigious private Ivy League schools. The College of William & Mary accepts about 34 percent of applicants.

Undergraduate education at the College of William & Mary begins at the Arts & Sciences program, which awards nearly 90 percent of the school’s bachelor’s degrees. During their studies, students seeking a bachelor’s degree will develop a strong liberal arts foundation as they complete coursework required by the College Curriculum. Some of these course requirements focus on first-year learning, while others, like an original research requirement, aren’t completed until the senior year of studies. Business, management, marketing, biological sciences, psychology and the social sciences are among the most popular undergraduate majors offered at the College of William & Mary. Students can also pursue an interdisciplinary major or earn a degree in a unique self-directed major. Undergraduate students at the College of William and Mary enjoy small class sizes, with a student to faculty ratio of just 12 to one and fewer than 20 students in 49 percent of courses offered. The school maintains a high freshman retention rate of 96 percent.

Location: Williamsburg, VA

Enrollment: 6,301 students

Tuition: $41,718 (out-of-state), $18,687 (in-state)

13. Purdue University—West Lafayette

Another public institution, Purdue University—West Lafayette, occupies the 13^th spot on U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of the best national universities for undergraduate studies. The school has also earned recognition as one of the Most Innovative Schools, Top Public Schools and Best Colleges for Veterans. Purdue University—West Lafayette’s undergraduate business and engineering programs, in particular, have been recognized for excellence. A survey published by The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education recently rated Purdue University the fourth best public college in the United States. With an in-state tuition cost of just over $10,000 per year, Purdue University—West Lafayette is the most affordable college on our list for in-state students – and its $28,804 out-of-state tuition cost isn’t bad, either. Purdue University was founded in 1869, but the land-grant college’s history dates back to 1862, when President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the Morrill Land Grant Act.

Undergraduate students at Purdue University—West Lafayette can choose from hundreds of possible academic majors in a range of disciplines. This wide variety of bachelor’s degree programs is offered by Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management, College of Liberal Arts, College of Science, College of Engineering, Purdue Polytechnic Institute, College of Agriculture, College of Education, College of Health and Human Sciences, College of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine and Exploratory Studies. One thing that makes Purdue University—West Lafayette’s undergraduate education stand out is its commitment to learning communities for first-year students.  With a student to faculty ratio of 12 to one, undergraduates at Purdue can enjoy small class sizes and personal attention. Purdue University—West Lafayette accepts 59 percent of applicants, making it one of the most accessible schools on our list. Once students get into Purdue University—West Lafayette, they stay there. The college’s freshman retention rate is 92 percent.

Location: West Lafayette, IN

Enrollment: 29,497 students

Tuition: $28,804 (out-of-state), $10,002 (in-state)

14. Duke University

Next on our list is private Methodist college Duke University. U.S. News & World Report ranked Duke University in a four-way tie for 14^th place on its list of the best national universities for earning a bachelor’s degree. The publication also awarded Duke University high rankings in categories like the Best Colleges for Veterans, the Best Value Schools, the Most Innovative Schools and the best undergraduate biomedical engineering degree programs. Duke University’s history dates back to 1838, when Union Institute opened in what was previously Brown’s Schoolhouse in Randolph County, North Carolina. The institution was rechartered as Normal College in 1851 and then became Trinity College in 1859. The school moved to Durham, N.C. – its current location – in 1892. Not until 1924 did the college take on its current name in honor of its benefactors, the Duke family. Small class sizes are common at Duke University, where the student to faculty ratio is just six to one and 73 percent of courses offered have fewer than 20 students enrolled.

There are two main paths of study for undergraduate students at Duke University: the liberal arts and engineering. Around 80 percent of students pursuing a bachelor’s degree from Duke University study at the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, where they can chose from 48 different liberal arts majors. However, most students here don’t choose just one program of study. Close to 83 percent of undergraduate students at Duke University earn a complete a minor, certificate or dual major in addition to their intended major. Students also complete a required core curriculum. This curriculum includes studies in five areas of knowledge: civilizations, quantitative studies, natural sciences, social sciences and arts, literatures. It also requires a focus on a variety of modes of inquiry, including writing, research, foreign language, cross-cultural inquiry, ethical inquiry and inquiries in science, technology and society. Duke University undergraduates who choose the engineering path are part of the Pratt School of Engineering, though many students complete a double major in non-engineering disciplines. Though engineering students don’t follow the same core curriculum as liberal arts students, the first-year engineering experience covers a breadth of topics in engineering opportunities.

Location: Durham, NC

Enrollment: 6,639 students

Tuition: $51,265

15. Georgia State University

Another institution included in the four-way tie for 14^th place on U.S. News & World Report’s list is a public school, Georgia State University. With upwards of 25,000 undergraduate students, Georgia State University is one of the larger schools on our list. It’s also one of the more inclusive, accepting 58 percent of applicants. At around $10,600 for in-state students and $28,900 for out-of-state students, Georgia State University is among the most affordable schools to make the list. In addition to excelling at teaching undergraduate students, Georgia State University was named fourth on U.S. News & World Report’s Most Innovative Schools list and has earned national recognition for its quality undergraduate business degree programs. Since its founding in 1913, Georgia State University has awarded 227,705 degrees. As a research university, Georgia State University offers plenty of research opportunities – including high-tech facilities and more than $120 million in research funding – to undergraduate students as well as graduate students.

Undergraduate students at Georgia State University have more than 70 academic major options to choose from as well as more than 50 possible minors. Students can choose to pursue up to two minors per major. Some of the most popular undergraduate degree programs at Georgia State University include biological sciences, business, management, marketing, psychology, social sciences and art. In addition to completing the required coursework for their selected major, students seeking a bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University must satisfy the school’s core curriculum requirements. These include courses in English composition, mathematics, natural science, social science, art, humanities and foreign language. Students must also take classes known as Institutional Foundations, which include studies in critical thinking, human communication, and interdisciplinary courses in cultural, scientific, and human expression perspectives. The school also offers optional Freshman Learning Communities to help students transition into college life and make friends with fellow students who have similar academic interests.

Location: Atlanta, GA

Enrollment: 25,160 students

Tuition: $28,896 (out-of-state), $10,686 (in-state)

16. University of Wisconsin—Madison

With more than 31,600 undergraduate students, the University of Wisconsin—Madison is the largest school on our list. The public institution is also among the most affordable colleges on the list. U.S. News & World Report ranked the University of Wisconsin—Madison among the top public schools in America and praised its undergraduate business and engineering degree programs as well as placing it tied for 14^th place on the Best Undergraduate Teaching list. The institution was founded in 1848 and currently has 428,257 living alumni. The University of Wisconsin—Madison is a research university that spends $1 billion on research every year. Though the University of Wisconsin—Madison offers programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels, 65 percent of the degrees it awarded last year were bachelor’s degrees.  Despite its large size, the University of Wisconsin—Madison has a student to faculty ratio of 17 to one, and more than 45 percent of courses at the school have fewer than 20 students enrolled.

Students find plenty of academic variety at the University of Wisconsin—Madison. The school offers 232 majors and certificate programs at the undergraduate level and a total of 4,769 courses to choose from, so it’s easy to customize your education. The University of Wisconsin—Madison places a priority on educating undergraduate students in a breadth of academic subjects. The general education requirements include coursework in social studies, natural science and Literature, arts and the humanities as well as classes designed to improve communication and literacy, enhance quantitative reasoning skills and develop an understanding of other cultures and ethnicities. With a 49 percent acceptance rate, the University of Wisconsin—Madison is more inclusive than many of the schools on our list. Once students get into the college, they tend to stay there for the duration of their education. The University of Wisconsin—Madison has an average freshman retention rate of 95 percent.

Location: Madison, WI

Enrollment: 31,662 students

Tuition: $32,738 (out-of-state), $10,488 (in-state)

17. Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University in St. Louis is yet another school that tied for 14^th place on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Undergraduate Teaching list. The private Missouri institution has been educating students since 1853 and has earned recognition as a best value school, best college for veterans and top-ranked national university, as well as a college with outstanding undergraduate business and engineering programs. The Princeton Review has also ranked Washington University in St. Louis highly on lists like Best College Dorms (ranked number one), Best-Run Colleges and Best Quality of Life. The student to faculty ratio at Washington University in St. Louis is just eight to one, and more than 63 percent of undergraduate courses contain fewer than 20 students. Washington University in St. Louis has a 96 percent freshman retention rate and an 86 percent four-year graduation rate, which shows that students who pursue a bachelor’s degree from this institution want to stay there until it’s time to graduate – and that the majority of students will graduate on time.

The majority of undergraduate students at Washington University in St. Louis – 4,117 of them, to be precise – study in the School of Arts & Sciences. The School of Engineering follows with an undergraduate enrollment of 1,291, while 942 undergrads are part of the School of Business. The School of Art is home to 294 undergraduates, and 197 students attend the School of Architecture. The College of Arts & Sciences now follows the Integrated Inquiry, or IQ, Curriculum. Through this curriculum, students develop core skills in writing, numbers (Applied Numeracy) and social differentiation as well as studying a breadth of academic subjects that include the humanities, social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences and mathematics and language and cultural diversity. Around 80 percent of undergraduate students at Washington University in St. Louis pursue more than one academic major or minor, and close to 40 percent fit a study abroad experience into their college education.

Location: St. Louis, MO

Enrollment: 7,504 students

Tuition: $49,770

18. University of California—Berkeley

One of three schools tied for 18^th place on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the Best Undergraduate Teaching National Universities is the University of California—Berkeley. The large institution is the best public school in America, as well as one of the best colleges for veterans and most innovative schools, according to U.S. News & World Report. The University of California—Berkeley’s undergraduate business degree program tied for second place in the nation, and its undergraduate engineering degree is third in the nation. The State Constitution of California, which was ratified in 1849, expressed hope for the establishment of a college that would “contribute even more than California’s gold to the glory and happiness of advancing generations.” In 1868, that aspiration became a reality with the founding of the University of California. UC Berkeley is the oldest – and one of the most highly praised – University of California campuses

The University of California—Berkeley offers more than 120 academic majors for undergraduate students, ranging from molecular biology to theater and performance studies. Six of the University of California—Berkeley’s 14 colleges educate undergraduate students: the College of Letters and Science, the College of Chemistry, the College of Engineering, the College of Environmental Design, the College of Natural Resources and the Haas School of Business. While undergraduate graduation requirements for University of California—Berkeley students vary depending on the specific college and degree program they’re pursuing, there are a few requirements all UC Berkeley students must meet. The University of California as a whole requires students to satisfy an entry-level writing requirement and an American History and Institutions requirement, either prior to enrolling or during their college studies. The Berkeley campus requires all students to take an American Cultures course, but with more than 50 departments offering courses from different frameworks that fulfill this requirement, there’s a class that’s relevant to every major and every student.

Location: Berkeley, CA

Enrollment: 27,496 students

Tuition: $40,191 (out-of-state), $13,509 (in-state)

19. University of Maryland—Baltimore County

Also tied for 18^th on U.S. News & World Report’s list is the University of Maryland—Baltimore County (UMBC). A public honors university with an affordable price tag (especially for Maryland residents), UMBC is also the youngest school on the list, having been founded in 1963. U.S. News & World Report has ranked the institution the fifth most innovative school in the nation, tied for 83^rd place among the top public schools and tied for 159^th place among national universities. UMBC operates on a 4-1-4-based academic calendar, which means the school fits in a month-long term in January in between the traditional fall and spring semesters. The institution offers excellent research opportunities at the undergraduate level in subjects that range from the technical to the creative and provides research funding of up to $1,500 through its Undergraduate Research Awards. UMBC is among the more inclusive schools on our list, accepting 59 percent of applicants.

Undergraduate students at the University of Maryland—Baltimore County can choose from more than 40 possible academic majors in subjects that range from art and the humanities to mathematics and the natural sciences. Among the most popular programs of study at the undergraduate level at UMBC are psychology, the social sciences, engineering, biological sciences and computer and information sciences. UMBC awards Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degrees. Required general education courses at UMBC include studies in physical education, writing, English composition, mathematics, arts and humanities, sciences, social sciences, culture and a foreign language. The honors university requires that students take 45 college credits – more than one-third of their undergraduate education – in upper level courses in order to graduate. The student to faculty ratio at UMBC is 19 to one, and more than 38 percent of courses offered have fewer than 20 students enrolled.

Location: Baltimore, MD

Enrollment: 11,243 students

Tuition: $24,492 (out-of-state), $11,264 (in-state)

20. Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Completing our top 20 list is Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. When you think of national universities that provide an exceptional undergraduate education, you might not think of a technical institute. However, education in technology and the applied sciences isn’t the only thing Worcester Polytechnic Institute excels at. The institution is a prominent private research university that dates back to 1865. U.S. News & World Report ranked the Worcester Polytechnic Institute tied for 18^th place on its Best Undergraduate Teaching list as well as in coveted spots on the Best Colleges for Veterans list, the Best Value Schools list, the National Universities list, the Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs list and the Best Undergraduate Business Programs list. Worcester Polytechnic Institute accepts 49 percent of applicants, and students at the institution have a four-year graduation rate of 76 percent. The school boasts a student to faculty ratio of 13 to one, and more than 64 percent of courses at Worcester Polytechnic Institute have fewer than 20 students.

A bachelor’s degree program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute isn’t your typical undergraduate education. For one thing, the school follows a unique academic calendar, with four seven-week terms during the traditional school year and two additional terms during the summer. These shorter but more frequent terms allow full-time students to take just three intensive classes at a time and focus their full attention on these studies. Undergraduate students follow the WPI plan, which focuses on attaining hands-on experience early through project based learning. While the majority of the school’s dozens of majors are based in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), Worcester Polytechnic Institute strongly encourages students to pursue passions of all kinds. Around 80 percent of students there play a sport, and the curriculum is such that 100 percent of undergraduate students will complete the equivalent of a minor in the humanities and arts. The school also offers a teacher preparation program that allows STEM students to expand their career options by preparing for a role as a middle or high school educator.

Location: Worcester, MA

Enrollment: 4,299 students

Tuition: $46,994

Editor’s Note: This list of the 20 universities that provide the best undergraduate education is meant to be used solely as a guide to aid students in their college search. Data such as enrollment figures, acceptance rates, tuition costs, school history and ranking information were provided by U.S. News & World Report, the Princeton Review and the official websites of the above ranked institutions. Students should use this information as a starting place for their own research as they determine which college is right for them.

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As an extrovert, your outgoing nature and people skills will make you an excellent candidate for a wide range of career paths in sought-after industries like healthcare, finance, education, legal, communication and business. With our Top 10 Careers for Extroverts list, you can discover a profession that will be as personally fulfilling as it is financially and professionally rewarding, one that fits your personality as well as your goals.

Remember, though, that no one is a complete extrovert. If none of these options appeal to you, take a look at our Top 10 Careers for Introverts – you might not be as much of an extrovert as you think.

 1. Lawyer

Lawyers represent individuals, organizations, businesses and government agencies in legal matters that range from criminal trial proceedings to drawing up contracts and wills. They inform and guide their clients in legal matters ranging from business to personal. While television portrayals typically show attorneys at trials, lawyers don’t spend every moment of their time locked in real-life courtroom battles. They do a lot of their work behind-the-scenes, communicating with clients, investigating legal matters and collecting evidence, interpreting laws and drafting legal documents. They must communicate facts both in writing and verbally – and that’s where the career appeals to extroverts.

When a lawyer goes to trial, he or she must be comfortable speaking in front of an entire courtroom full of people. Lawyers need to have the confidence to argue legal matters in court, in front of judges and juries, and to question witnesses and defendants. They must make their arguments compelling. For an introvert, this could be a daunting task, but an extrovert like you might find this to be the most exciting and rewarding part of the job.

Experienced Median Annual Salary: $113,530

Education Level: Law school degree (Doctoral degree)

Projected employment growth: 10 percent

2. Physical Therapist

Physical therapists are healthcare professionals who work with patients to improve their mobility and decrease pain. When patients suffer an illness or injury that restricts their ability to move, it can affect every aspect of their lives. Physical therapists rehabilitate these patients through the use of exercise, hands-on therapy, stretches, heat and cold applications, electric stimulation, assistive devices for walking and other modalities and equipment. A physical therapist’s job is to help patients function better.

A wide variety of patients requires physical therapy. Young people and even babies must see a physical therapist for help with developmental delays. Among older patients, strokes are a common cause of mobility issues that call for physical therapy. Patients may also come to a physical therapist at any age to help with conditions caused by sports injuries or accidents. Sometimes patients need therapy for recovering from a one-time but acute injury, while other times they’re seeking solutions for coping with chronic conditions. A physical therapist must be comfortable interacting with a range of patients. Like other medical professionals, they need to be able to educate and explain treatment plans to patients. More so than many other healthcare workers, physical therapists must motivate and encourage patients, some of whom may feel depressed as a result of their injury and limitations or discouraged by progress that is slower than they would like. An outgoing, extroverted physical therapist can inspire these patients and help them make the best possible recovery for their condition.

Experienced Median Annual Salary: $79,860

Education Level: Doctoral degree

Projected employment growth: 36 percent

 3. Dental hygienist

Dental hygienists are healthcare professionals who clean and examine patients’ teeth. They work in dentists’ offices, where they spend most of their workdays interacting directly with patients. When patients visit the office for a cleaning or for other preventive dental care, the dental hygienist is the one who actually cleans and polishes their teeth, using manual, power and ultrasonic equipment to eliminate stains, plaque and tartar. They are often responsible for taking x-rays of the mouth, administering fluorides, applying sealants to teeth and examining patients’ mouths to detect any signs of dental problems or oral diseases.

While patients are in the chair, they typically can’t do much talking themselves, since the dental hygienist is hard at work on cleaning their teeth. It takes an extrovert to feel comfortable doing most or all of the talking, helping to put the minds of sometimes nervous patients at ease. Dental hygienists also advise patients on ways to enhance their dental health, such as the right way to brush and floss and the impact of diet on their teeth and gums. For someone with a compassionate nature and an outgoing personality, the opportunity to interact frequently with patients and to educate them on improving their health can be energizing and fulfilling. 

Experienced Median Annual Salary: $70,210

Education Level: Associate’s degree

Projected employment growth: 33 percent

4. Financial Advisor

Financial advisors use their knowledge of the world of finance to guide clients in choosing the right investment opportunities, decreasing their tax burdens and making insurance decisions to protect their interests. Successful financial advisors are knowledgeable about a wide range of finance topics, from tax laws to stocks, bonds and other types of investments. However, they do more than offer general advice. They interact with clients directly and learn about their personal situations, including their goals and financial situations. Financial advisors then talk with their clients about the different options available to them and the financial risks involved. They research different investment opportunities to discuss with their clients, keep an eye on how clients’ investments are performing and answer any financial questions their clients have.

The people and speaking skills necessary to interact well with clients are among the most important qualities a financial advisor can have, which makes this career an excellent choice for extroverts. After all, financial advisors need to understand their clients’ goals and their current financial situations. They must establish a rapport with clients that will help them discuss important matters that are both financial and personal, such as when the client wants to retire and how to plan financially for life changes like having children. Financial advisors also need strong sales skills to market their own services, especially if they are self-employed.

Experienced Median Annual Salary: $67,520

Education Level: Bachelor’s degree

Projected employment growth: 27 percent

5. Nurse

Nurses care for patients in a variety of settings, from hospitals and doctors’ offices to nursing home facilities, prisons and schools. Registered nurses fulfill many roles in patient care. They write down medical histories, symptoms and their own observations. Nurses work with other healthcare professionals to coordinate treatment plans, perform diagnostic tests, use medical equipment and interpret test results. Within the healthcare facility, nurses dispense treatments and medicines.

One thing nearly all of a nurse’s many job duties have in common is their interaction with others. Obviously, nurses interact with the patients with whom they work directly. They need to have good people and communication skills to connect with patients, some of whom may be nervous about test results or uncomfortable procedures, and to put their minds at ease. Good nurses draw upon these same skills to explain to patients what to expect and what they must do, including how to take medication. They must also have and express compassion for their patients. Since nurses often work with doctors and a variety of other healthcare professionals, they also use their strong communication and interpersonal skills collaborating with other members of their team.

Experienced Median Annual Salary: $65,470

Education Level: Associate’s degree

Projected employment growth: 19 percent

6. Mediator

Mediators are legal professionals who work with the parties involved in a legal dispute to help them resolve the problem outside of the court system. They are neutral or impartial with regards to the case, meaning that they aren’t on the side of either the plaintiff or defendant. Instead, they meet with both parties simultaneously and work to help them communicate effectively to reach an agreement without having to go to trial. Though they do their work in private hearings rather than in the courtroom, mediators are an important part of the legal system. Resolving disputes outside of court means that the parties involved can avoid the cost, time and hassle of a trial and that fewer cases are clogging up an already overburdened court system.

While mediators must know and understand the laws that relate to the cases they mediate, much of their success is based upon skills that are common among extroverts. Mediators must be good listeners and communicators, and they must be able to interact well with others to help them communicate more effectively, too. They have to talk to plaintiffs, defendants and witnesses to learn the background of the case and the events that led to the legal dispute.  They must make sure that everyone involved understands the process and sort out each party’s interests and concerns. Mediators need excellent critical thinking and people skills to get parties on opposite sides of a dispute to put aside their differences and work toward resolving the issue without having to resort to a trial or further litigation. For extroverts who naturally enjoy being surrounded by and interacting with people, the challenge of getting parties on opposite sides to work together can be as exciting as it is rewarding.

Experienced Median Annual Salary: $61,280

Education Level: Bachelor’s degree

Projected employment growth: 10 percent

7. Human Resources Specialist

In the business world, human resources professionals play an important role: helping companies and organizations hire their employees. Workers are an important asset in every industry, and it’s a human resources specialist’s job to screen and hire quality workers and to handle matters such as training and orientation, employment paperwork, payroll and benefits.

When dealing with new and prospective new employees, human resources specialists will spend a lot of time interacting with people they don’t yet know. They must be comfortable meeting and interviewing new people from a wide variety of backgrounds, and they need to communicate well by being both good listeners and good speakers. Human resources specialists need to be confident in their own decision-making skills when it comes to determining which candidate is the best fit for the position they are trying to fill. Even after the hiring process is complete, human resources specialists guide new employees in filling out paperwork and understanding their job duties and benefits as well as conducting employee orientations. For extroverts, the opportunity to meet and interact with new people isn’t just a necessary part of the job, but may very well be the best part of the job. With experience and ambition, human resources specialists can advance to human resources manager positions. Not only does a management job allow extroverts to put their considerable leadership skills to work, but it also comes with substantially higher pay – a median salary of $99,720 per year.

Experienced Median Annual Salary: $55,640

Education Level: Bachelor’s degree

Projected employment growth: 8 percent

8. Public Relations Specialist

Public relations specialists are professionals in the field of media and communication who work toward a specific goal: managing the public image of an organization. Some public relations specialists, media specialists or communications specialists work in-house within a government entity, healthcare facility, educational institution or other organization, while others work in firms that handle public relations campaigns for a variety of external clients. Regardless of their work environment and situation, public relations specialists use the same strategies to create and perpetuate a positive image among consumers, investors and the media for the organizations they represent. They draft press releases announcing news concerning their organizations and distribute the information to a network of relevant contacts in the print and broadcast media. They field requests for information from media representatives and coordinate interviews with company spokespeople so that the information can be used in a newspaper or magazine article, a radio broadcast or a television news segment.

Strategy – and skilled implementation of that strategy – is an important part of success in public relations, but being a good problem-solver and writer isn’t enough. Public relations specialists must have excellent interpersonal skills to cultivate a network of relevant media contacts and maintain strong working relationships with those contacts. They must be comfortable not only initiating contact with reports, editors and other members of the media, but also speaking for the organization they represent. Where introverts might shudder at the thought of putting themselves and their company in the public eye and constantly courting the attention of the media, true extroverts will thrive in a busy, fast-paced career like public relations. Experienced public relations specialists can move into management positions, where they can earn a median annual salary of $95,450 and have the opportunity to lead teams and campaigns.

Experienced Median Annual Salary: $54,170

Education Level: Bachelor’s degree

Projected employment growth: 12 percent

9. Teacher

Teachers are the professionals responsible for educating young people in a variety of subjects and grade levels. Whether teaching very young children at the preschool, kindergarten and elementary school level or teenagers and young adults at the middle school or high school level, teachers must be able to connect with their students and find ways to make learning interesting. They create and carry out lesson plans that illustrate course material. They may procure or develop worksheets and tests. Teachers assign and grade classwork, homework and projects that help students learn not only the material, like a history lesson or science lecture, but also help them develop skills such as critical thinking. They grade tests and assignments and work with struggling students to help them grasp lessons.

Teachers are often the only adult, or one of the only adults, in a classroom full of students. They must not only be comfortable with public speaking, but also getting to know and communicate with each individual student. Successful teachers have the interpersonal skills to interact and communicate with a variety of people, from their young students to fellow adults. Teachers have to discuss students’ progress, including their strengths and weaknesses, with parents and guardians during conferences or when an academic or behavioral issue arises. They also have to work with colleagues, including other teachers, school counselors and administrators. Whether a teacher is standing up in front of a class giving a presentation, facilitating a group discussion or assigning work, he or she must lead students and manage the classroom – tasks that extroverts, who thrive in environments full of people and interaction, will often be comfortable doing. 

Experienced Median Annual Salary: $53,090 – $55,050 per year

Education Level: Bachelor’s degree

Projected employment growth: 6 to 12 percent

10. Event Planner

Event planners are the business professionals who organize a wide variety of events that range from weddings and parties to professional conferences, conventions and meetings. They work directly with both clients and professionals in the hospitality, transportation and professional services industries. Prior to the event, planners coordinate all of the details, including the date and time, the venue, transportation and catering or food service. They seek out locations and services that will fit the client’s needs, negotiate prices and coordinate all services required, making sure to keep the cost of the event under the agreed-upon budget. The job doesn’t end once the planning is complete. While the event is going on, planners are busy managing equipment, guest registration and other logistics and resolving any problems that emerge.

As an extrovert, you probably enjoy going out and experiencing events, from weddings to business conventions. What career could be more interesting than planning those events yourself? Event planners spend much of their time interacting with other people. They talk to clients to discover their needs and ideas. Then they work with the appropriate vendors and suppliers to fill those needs and negotiate contracts and prices. Because event planning is such a fast-paced industry, the professionals in it must be composed under pressure and comfortable thinking on their feet to solve problems.

Experienced Median Annual Salary: $45,810

Education Level: Bachelor’s degree

Projected employment growth: 33 percent

Related Resources:

20 Non-Law Firm Jobs with a Law Degree

What Degree Do You Need to Be a Lawyer?

What Degree Do I Need to Be a Mediator?

How Many Jobs Are Available in Finance?

What Are the 5 Best Careers in Environmental Science?

Exciting Jobs: The Top 15 Jobs for Adrenaline Seekers

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Our list of the top 10 accounting degree programs draws from national rankings, achievements and reputations to present you with everything you need to know about the best accounting schools in the United States. The list includes public schools to private schools, institutions with various religious affiliations, and schools at every price point from $5,000 to $50,000 per year. Each of these colleges and universities is accredited and highly accomplished, so the real question is, which school is right for you?

1. University of Texas–Austin

One of the largest universities in the United States holds the distinction of being the nation’s best accounting school, according to U.S. News & World Report. The University of Texas at Austin is a public institution that has repeatedly earned recognition from publications like Forbes and Kiplinger for providing a great education at a great value – especially for in-state students. It’s held the top spot on U.S. News & World Report’s undergraduate accounting programs list for seven years now.

Not only are UT’s accounting programs ranked the best in the nation at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, but its undergraduate and graduate business programs as a whole earned high marks, too. The accounting department at the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business offers degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. levels.

The typical undergraduate degree is the Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting degree. Through a minimum of 21 credits of accounting coursework, this program prepares students for work in the private sector or with government agencies. Students in this program take undergraduate accounting classes in accounting foundations and fundamentals, managerial and financial accounting, financial statement analysis, auditing, taxation and accounting career options. They can also conduct independent research and gain hands-on experience through practicum and internship opportunities. The school also offers a finance degree program that includes an emphasis in accounting, with both corporate and financial institution tracks available. Beyond the undergraduate degree, students can pursue a Master in Professional Accounting (MPA) degree or a Ph.D.

Location: Austin, TX

Enrollment: 39,523 undergraduate students

Tuition: $10,738 in-state or $38,126 out-of-state

2. University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign

Another public institution, the University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign, takes the second-in-the-nation spot on U.S. News & World Report’s rankings, and on our top 10 list. The College of Business at the University of Illinois offers four accounting degrees at various levels of study:

• The Bachelor of Science in Accountancy
• The Master of Accounting Science
• The Master of Science in Accountancy
• The Master of Science in Tax (Chicago-based)
• The Ph.D. in Accountancy

All programs offered under the University of Illinois Department of Accountancy emphasize a number of factors, such as:

• Active learning methods
• Accounting classes that work in conjunction with general education coursework
• Broad-based introductory courses
• Integrated conceptual framework
• Up-to-date research findings
• Soft skills like communication and interpersonal skills
• The real-world experience to put all of this knowledge into practice

The four-year Bachelor of Science in Accountancy program includes coursework in subjects such as:

• Accounting measurement and disclosure
• Accounting decision-making
• Accounting control systems
• Accounting institutions and regulations
• Auditing standards
• Assurance and attestation
• The principles of taxation
• Advanced financial reporting
• Advanced income tax problems.

For students who aspire to take the certified public accountant (CPA) exam, the one-year Master of Accounting Science (MAS) program provides the required fifth year of study and expands students’ foundational accounting knowledge. MAS students can choose a concentration to pursue in detail, such as finance, taxation, supply chain management, business and public policy, corporate governance and information technology.

Location: Champaign, IL

Enrollment: 32,579 undergraduate students

Tuition: $15,636 in-state or $30,796 out-of-state

3. Brigham Young University–Provo

The school that ranks third on U.S. News & World Report’s undergraduate accounting rankings list also happens to be the most affordable of the top 10 schools. Brigham Young University at Provo is a private, religious institution. The school’s affiliation with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its strict honor code mean it’s not the right fit for every student. However, an annual tuition rate of just $5,150 for members of the Mormon Church and $10,300 for non-members makes the university a great value.

The BS Accountancy program at Brigham Young University is part of the Marriott School of Management and, more narrowly, the School of Accountancy. Students in the undergraduate accounting program take courses in accounting, business, management and economics, such as:

• Principles of Accounting
• Cost and managerial accounting
• Financial accounting
• Fundamentals of taxation
• Financial statement auditing
• Business and accounting information systems
• Business law in the environment
• Supply chain and operations
• Organizational effectiveness
• Communication in organizational settings
• Financial management
• Marketing management
• Management information systems
• Ethics for management
• Managerial finance
• Strategic management
• Economic principles and problems

For graduate students, Brigham Young University also offers a Master of Accountancy (MAcc) program. Students of this program can choose from a variety of emphasis options, including Professional Stem or Tax Stem, an Accounting Information Systems track, a Ph.D. prep program and a dual degree option that awards a Juris Doctor (law school degree) along with the MAcc.

Location: Provo, UT

Enrollment: 26,674 undergraduate students

Tuition: $5,150 for members of the Mormon Church or $10,300 for non-members

4. University of Notre Dame

Another private, religious institution with a top-ranked accounting program is the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. The school, tied for fourth place on U.S. News & World Report’s undergraduate accounting programs list, is known for its Catholic affiliation and “Fighting Irish” sports teams, particularly football. Bloomberg Businessweek has repeatedly ranked the University of Notre Dame’s undergraduate business program the best in the nation.

Accountancy is one of five majors offered by Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and one of 65 total undergraduate majors. Accounting students take introductory through advanced courses in accounting, including classes like:

• Accounting measurement and disclosure
• Audit and assurance services
• Business law
• Corporate financial reporting
• Ethics in accounting
• Federal taxation
• International accounting
• Strategic cost management

A unique Decision Processes in Accounting course helps students develop their problem-solving skills. Students also attain hands-on work experience preparing tax returns as part of the school’s Tax Assistance Program for low-income individuals. Besides the technical, analytical and business skills necessary for accounting success, the accountancy program at Notre Dame also emphasizes soft skills necessary for success, including communication, teamwork and professional responsibility. Despite it being a four-year program, the majority of Notre Dame undergraduate accounting students are able to strategically use “AP credits and overloads” to meet the 150 semester hours requirement to attain a CPA license without having to spend another year in school.

If you begin your education at Notre Dame, chances are good that you’ll want to stay their throughout your studies. The school has a 98 percent freshman retention rate, U.S. News reported, which means very few students transfer to another school or drop out. The University of Notre Dame also had one of the best six-year graduation rates of all schools on the list, with 96 percent of students attaining their degrees.

Location: Notre Dame, IN

Enrollment: 8,448 undergraduate students

Tuition and fees: $47,929

5. University of Pennsylvania

Tied with Notre Dame for fourth place on U.S. News & World Report’s accounting rankings list is the University of Pennsylvania. This Philadelphia-based Ivy League school known for its famous founder, Benjamin Franklin, is another institution with extraordinarily high freshman retention and six-year graduation rates – 98 and 96 percent respectively.

Accounting studies at the University of Pennsylvania fall within the territory of the Wharton School, which happens to be the first collegiate business school in the world. Students at the Wharton School graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Economics degree. Instead of “majors,” students pursue “concentrations” within that broader economics program, which they usually don’t declare until the end of their sophomore years of study. Students in the accounting concentration complete coursework in subjects such as:

• Financial accounting
• Cost accounting
• Auditing
• International accounting
• Taxes and tax planning
• Business strategy
• Managerial accounting
• Accounting for mergers and acquisitions
• Corporate valuation
• Accounting for decision-making and control

If this school sounds like the right choice for you, make sure your application shines. The University of Pennsylvania happens to be the most selective school in the top 10 accounting programs list, accepting just 10.4 percent of applicants. This selectivity allows the school to have a faculty to student ration of just five to one, which translates to personal attention and small class sizes for non-lecture hall courses.

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Enrollment: 10,406 undergraduate students

Tuition and fees: $49,536

 6. University of Southern California

The University of Southern California (USC), sixth on U.S. News & World Report’s undergraduate accounting programs list, is another school with a high freshman retention rate – 97 percent. Accounting students at the private research university are part of the Leventhal School of Accounting, itself part of the Marshall School of Business. The curriculum emphasizes technical proficiency, real-world style teamwork and communication, critical-thinking and analytical skills. Students can learn about global business practices both in the classroom and, if desired, through study abroad opportunities.

For ambitious students who already know they want to go to grad school, USC’s Progressive Master’s Degree program allows undergraduate students to get a head start on earning advanced degrees. In a total of five years, they can graduate with both their bachelor’s degree in accounting and either a Master of Accounting (MAcc) degree or a Master of Business Taxation (MBT) degree.

Besides its top-notch accounting program and its status as top national university, most innovative school and best value school, USC is known for its extracurricular activities. More than 3,500 students take part in Greek life in one of the 60+ fraternity and sorority chapters. All told, the school boasts more than 700 student organizations of various kinds, so there’s something for every student and every interest.

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Enrollment: 19,000 undergraduate students

Tuition: $49,464

7. Indiana University–Bloomington

In spite of the odds, Indiana schools actually snagged two spots on the top 10 list. The Indiana University at Bloomington placed seventh on U.S. News and World Report’s rankings. With in-state tuition at just $10,388 a year, the school is an especially great value for Indiana residents.

Indiana University is home to more than 550 degree programs at every level from bachelor’s to doctoral. All of the university’s five accounting programs – the B.S., M.S., M.B.A., M.P.A. and D.B.A. degrees – are part of IU’s Kelley School of Business. At the heart of a business education at Indiana University is the Integrative Core (I-Core), a group of four courses taken over the course of one semester that emphasize the interrelated aspects of business, real-world decision-making and intensive teamwork experiences. Accounting students, in particular, will take introductory through advanced classes in subjects such as:

• Foundations of accounting
• Cost accounting
• Financial accounting
• Managerial accounting
• Cost management
• Management decisions and financial reporting
• Tax analysis and decision making
• Global business
• Accounting information systems
• Auditing & assurance services
• Research in accounting and auditing
• Communication for accountants

If the Indiana University accounting curriculum sounds like the right choice for you, there’s good news. This university had the highest acceptance rate of any school in the undergraduate accounting top 10, admitting 76.1 percent of applicants.

Location: Bloomington, IN

Enrollment: 38,364 undergraduate students

Tuition: $10,388 in-state and $33,740 out-of-state

8. University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

Eighth on the U.S. News & World Report undergraduate accounting rankings is another school with an extraordinary record of retaining its freshmen students. The University of Michigan has been around since 1817. In addition to being ranked among the top public schools and the most innovative schools, the university prides itself on small class sizes, with a 15-to-1 faculty to student ration and fewer than 50 students in 84 percent of undergraduate classes.

Undergraduate accounting students at the University of Michigan will graduate with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from the Ross School of Business. However, core courses in accounting concepts and financial and managerial accounting provide students with a strong background. Students can then choose to use their elective courses to delve deeper into specific tracks like public accounting, consulting, finance and general management.

As if the highly-ranked academics aren’t enough of a reason to consider the University of Michigan, students are also drawn to what’s outside the classroom. The school is home to upwards of 1,000 research opportunities for students in various fields. There are also 60 sororities and fraternities and more than 1,400 total organizations on campus for students to take part in. Then there’s the location. Ann Arbor is “one of the best college towns in the country,” according to U.S. News & World Report.

Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Enrollment: 27,027 undergraduate students

Tuition: $13,856 to $15,602 in-state and $43,476 to $46,528 out-of-state

9. New York University

Ninth in the nation on U.S. News & World Report’s undergrad accounting list is New York University, the largest private college in the country. Located in the heart of the Manhattan, the school gives students a taste of what it’s like to live and learn in a bustling city like the Big Apple.

NYU’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business houses its undergraduate accounting program. Students in this program choose either a general accounting track or a CPA track. Students who complete the CPA track meet all education requirements necessary to sit for the CPA examination in New York.

Regardless of which track they pursue, undergrad accounting students at NYU take fundamental and advanced coursework in subjects such as:

• Financial accounting
• Managerial accounting
• Auditing
• Business law
• International accounting
• Taxation
• Accounting for mergers and acquisitions

Accounting students at NYU often choose to double major or co-major in related fields like finance and information systems. Graduates of the NYU undergraduate accounting program find work in the public and private sectors, including with the “Big 4” accounting firms Deloitte & Touche, Ernst & Young LLP, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Location: New York, NY

Enrollment: 24,985 undergraduate students

Tuition: $48,282

 10. University of Florida

Rounding out the top 10 undergraduate accounting programs in the nation is the University of Florida. Besides being the oldest university in the state, the school is also known for its size. The 2,000 campus houses more than 900 buildings, 170 of which contain classrooms and laboratories. With an in-state tuition of just $6,310, this school is a particularly great value for Florida residents.

Accounting is one of more than 100 undergraduate majors available to University of Florida students. The Fisher School of Accounting, which hosts the undergraduate program as well as four graduate-level options of study, is part of the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. After four years of study, students will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting (BSAc) degree. They will take a combination of accounting, business core, general education and elective courses.

Required business core classes include coursework in subjects like:

• Marketing
• Operations
• Supply chain management
• International business
• Business finance
• Statistics for business decisions
• The legal environment of business

Classes required for the accounting major include:

• Financial accounting,
• Managerial accounting
• Cost accounting
• Financial reporting
• Auditing
• Taxation
• Business processes and accounting information systems

Students who want to attain a graduate education can speed up the process of earning their degree with the University of Florida’s “3/2 Program.” This program allows students to begin their graduate studies early and earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in just five years. Students in the 3/2 Program can choose from auditing, taxation and generalist accounting tracks as they pursue their Master of Accounting (MAcc) degree.

Location: Gainesville, FL

Enrollment: 33,720 undergraduate students

Tuition and fees: $6,310 in-state and $28,588 out-of-state

The post Top 10 Accounting Degree Programs appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

RELATED: Highest Paying Degrees in Computer Science – Majors & Careers

Planning and designing new systems and computer programs, overseeing and maintaining existing networks and databases and solving hardware and software problems are some of the job duties the highest-paying computer science jobs entail. On our list of the top 10 highest-paying computer science jobs, we explore the most lucrative careers available with a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree in computer science.

RELATED: Top 10 Highest Paying Science Careers

What Are the 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Computer Science Field?

Among non-management jobs in the field of computer science and information technology, the highest-paying computer science jobs by median annual salary are:

1. Computer and information research scientist

2. Database architect

3. Computer network architect

4. Software developer

5. Information security analyst

6. Computer systems analyst

7. Software quality assurance analyst

8. Database administrator

9. Computer programmer

10. Network and computer systems administrator

For all information technology and computer science jobs, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported a median annual salary of $97,430 as of 2021. Most of the high-paying computer science jobs on our list reported median salaries above that figure, some of which amounted to 20%, 30% or even close to 35% more than the median wage across the IT and computer science industry.

1. Computer and Information Research Scientists

The highest-paying computer science jobs fit into the category of computer scientist.

What Do Computer and Information Research Scientists Do?

A computer scientist is a professional who applies scientific principles and methods to computing and computation, conducting abstract research or developing practical solutions to computing problems.

While most IT and computer science professionals focus on applications of existing software, computer programming languages and technology to business and consumer needs, computer and information research scientists may create new methods and technologies.

For example, computer scientists might study and develop new algorithms for machine learning and artificial intelligence, create new programming languages that can accomplish outcomes existing computer languages can’t or design novel computer architecture.

The 20 Best Artificial Intelligence Degree Programs Online

Because they are working on the cutting edge of science, experimentation is a significant part of computer scientists’ jobs. Computer science research isn’t always academic in nature. In fact, 95% of computer and information research scientists work outside of academia (college and university environments), with the federal government, computer systems design and scientific research and development industries employing two-thirds of the field.

However, serious computer scientists follow scientific methods in their research, from designing experiments that will test their theories and hypotheses to analyzing their findings using statistical methods. As such, these computer science jobs are best-suited for professionals who are interested in the scientific aspects of computing and computation.

Among the highest-paying computer science jobs, this is one role where a bachelor’s degree may not be enough. Computer research scientists may need a master’s degree or even a doctorate to develop the skills and scientific knowledge needed for this career. 

Earning Potential for Computer Scientists

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists computer and information research scientist as the highest-paid career within the computer and information technology occupations. The median annual salary reported for this role by the BLS amounted to $131,490 in 2021.

Certain industries pay better than others in computer scientist roles. Generally, the highest-paying computer science roles for researchers and scientists are in the computer systems design and related services industry. This industry, which employed 20% of the computer scientist workforce, paid a median salary of $161,870.

The next most lucrative industry is the software publishers industry, which employed just 6% of the occupation but paid a median salary of $152,940. The 16% of the occupation employed in scientific research and development roles were paid a median annual salary of $132,810, right in line with the overall median wage for the field.

The 31% of computer scientists who worked for the federal government earned less, with a median salary of $112,310. Colleges and universities were the least lucrative of the top employment industries for computer and information research scientists. The 5% of computer scientists working in this field earned much less than their counterparts in other industries, with a median salary of $79,510.

2. Database Architects

Another of the highest-paying computer science jobs with a six-figure average annual salary is database architect.

Why Are Databases Important?

Databases are the computer systems that store and organize data, or information, so that users can access, update and make meaning of this information.

Today, just about every organization collects and stores some sort of data as part of its normal business operations. Medical facilities keep records of patients. Schools keep records of students. Retailers maintain consumer data through loyalty programs. Even nonprofit organizations keep records pertaining to donors and volunteers.

What Do Database Architects Do?

It’s because databases are essential to modern organizations that database architect is one of the highest-paying computer science jobs. A database architect is a computer science professional who is responsible for designing databases in which organizations can store and maintain their important data.

The term “architect” in computer science typically connotes responsibilities involving high-level planning, organization and design. Creating and testing the code used to build a database is part of a database architect’s job, but database administrators aren’t merely computer programmers. More importantly, they put in the work to research the needs of the organization and develop and model a design that fits those needs.

Earning Potential for Database Architects

The median annual salary the BLS reported for database architects as a whole as of 2021 was $123,430. The administrative and support services industry, which employed 6% of the field, paid the best. The median salary for database architects working in this industry was $127,690.

The management, scientific and technical consulting services industry, which employed 5% of the occupation, paid a median salary of $127,690. The median salary paid by the finance and insurance industry, which employed 13% of the field, was close behind at $127,240, followed by the $126,900 median salary reported for the 7% of database architects working in the management of companies and enterprises industry.

The largest employment industry for this occupation, the computer systems design and related services industry, employed 29% of the workforce but paid the least among the top employment industries, with a median salary of $116,160.

3. Computer Network Architects

Like database architects, computer network architects – another of the highest-paying computer science jobs – are designing and building something: computer networks.

What Do Computer Network Architects Do?

Computer networks refer to any interconnected computers or computing devices that share information and resources. There are numerous types of networks, such as local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs), which may be large or small.

In building these communication networks, computer network architects develop plans and designs based on organizations’ needs, including data security needs. A computer network architect uses both computer hardware and software to design a data communication network layout and implement that design.

Earning Potential for Computer Network Architects

With an overall median wage of $120,520, the BLS listed computer network architect as the computer science job with the third highest median salary. Among the largest employment industries for computer network architects, insurance carriers pay the most, with a median annual salary of $127,710. Four percent of the workforce was employed in this industry.

The next most lucrative are jobs in the computer systems design industry, which employed 27% of the occupation and paid a median salary of $121,410. Computer network architects working for the management of companies and enterprises industry – 8% of the total occupation – were paid a median salary of $120,710.

The 9% of the profession working in the telecommunications industry earned a significantly lower median salary of $103,110. The 4% of computer network architects working in the educational services industry reported a much lower median wage of $81,060.

4. Software Engineers, Software Architects and Software Developers

Another of the highest-paying computer science jobs is software developer.

What Do Software Developers Do?

To put it simply, software developers are the computer science professionals who develop software solutions.

Much of the way we use computing devices like desktop and laptop computers, mobile phones and tablets relies on software. Software programs are the instructions that computers use to perform tasks.

While hardware components such as chips and circuit boards power computation, software is critical to the effective use of computers. Without software, we couldn’t perform serious work involving databases, spreadsheets, statistical analysis and mathematical modeling. We also couldn’t play mobile games, shop online or browse the Internet.

Some examples of software systems include the following:

• Operating systems: Operating systems are the software systems that allow users to give computing devices commands. Operating systems tend to be largely invisible to consumers since they are already loaded onto the device and don’t need to be installed, but without them, the device couldn’t function.

• Utility software: Utility software programs, such as optimization programs and anti-virus software, supports the computer’s operations but is often in the background.

• Applications software: At the forefront of computing are applications software, the programs you use to perform just about any task you might desire. Whether you’re working, playing, watching, shopping or browsing, you’re almost certainly using application software each time you use a computer, smartphone or tablet.

Software development encompasses the use of programming languages to write the algorithms – or the rules, instructions or processes – that tell a computer what to do.

Software Development vs. Software Architecture vs. Software Engineering

There are different types of software developers who focus on different aspects of the software development process. The software developer occupation includes both software architects and software engineers.

Generally, software architecture emphasizes the planning and organizing of a software program. Software engineering involves the scientific design of the scope, requirements and order of work on a software program that’s in development.

A software architect and a software engineer both approach software development from a high level, focusing primarily on the design over the work of writing the code that will bring the program to life.

How do you decide whether to become a software architect or a software engineer? Either of these roles is commonly open to computer science graduates who gain work experience in software development.

If you think you may want to specialize as either a software architect or a software engineer, consider your skills and interests. Both software architects and engineers need technical knowledge to design computer software, but a software architect is more concerned with planning technical aspects of a program, and a software engineer is more focused on solving problems and devising the process of bringing design plans to fruition.

Earning Potential for Software Engineers and Developers

For software developers as a whole – including software engineers and software architects – the BLS reported a median annual salary of $120,730. Software publishers paid software developers the most, with a median salary of $130,180. One in 10 software developers worked in this industry.

Next most lucrative is the manufacturing industry, which employed 9% of software developers and paid a median salary of $124,950. The 11% of the workforce employed by the finance and insurance industry reported earning nearly as much money, with a median wage of $124,390.

You might expect the management of companies and enterprises industry to be one of the best-paying industries for this occupation, but the 5% of software developers working in this field reported a slightly lower median salary of $120,710. The computer systems design industry, which employed nearly one-third of the occupation, paid a significantly lower median salary of $103,010.

5. Information Security Analysts

In today’s climate of constant cyber threats, computer security is critical. Information security analysts, also known as a data security analyst, can help protect the data in an organization’s possession. This security-focused role is another of the highest-paying computer science jobs.

What Does an Information Security Analyst Do?

The key responsibility of a data security analyst is to analyze potential cyber threats. Information security analysts accomplish this by monitoring the security systems an organization already has in place, looking for potential vulnerabilities that could leave the organization open to cyber threats and investigating if a breach does occur.

RELATED: What Are the Highest Paying Jobs in Information Security?

In general, an information security analyst’s job is to notice weaknesses in existing security systems, employment website Indeed reported. Strong analytical skills and attention to detail are critical for success in a data security analyst role.

If you want to do more than just analyze threats and plan for the possibility of a breach – if, for example, you want to make the changes required to strengthen these weaknesses – you might be better off becoming a security engineer. A security engineer is a professional whose job is to implement security solutions.

Earning Potential for Information Security Analysts

The fifth role on our list is also the last of the computer science jobs for which the BLS reported an overall median annual salary above $100,000 as of 2021. Information security analysts as a whole earned a median yearly salary of $102,600.

The information industry paid information security analysts the most among the top employing industries for this field. The 14% of the profession reported earning a median salary of $128,970.

In the finance and insurance industry, where 15% of this field works, the median salary amounted to $104,790. The 8% of information security analysts working in the management of companies and enterprises industry reported earning a median salary of $101,350, and the computer systems design industry, which employed 27% of the profession, was close behind with a median salary of $101,170.

Among the top employment industries in this field, only administrative support services, which employed 5% of the occupation, paid a median wage under six figures: $95,270.

6. Computer Systems Analysts

Another of the highest-paying computer science jobs that takes the form of an analyst role, computer systems analyst entails assessing a company’s computer systems and proactively looking for potential improvements. Computer technology is constantly changing, so the practices, hardware components and software configurations that were once optimal won’t remain that way forever, especially in specialized areas like engineering computer systems and financial computer systems.

To improve a company’s systems, analysts identify potential upgrades, added functionalities and new technologies that may offer benefits and compare the costs of these improvements to the anticipated benefits.

Earning Potential for Computer Systems Analysts

In computer science jobs, as in other technical fields, strong analytical skills are in high demand. The median annual salary for computer systems analysts as of 2021 barely missed the six-figure mark at $99,270, according to the BLS.

The two highest-paying industries for computer systems analysts paid median salaries that crossed the six-figure threshold. In the management of companies and enterprises industry, which employed one in 10 computer systems analysts, the median wage was $100,340. The median salary for computer systems analysts in the computer systems design and related services industry followed close behind at $100,220.

That’s good news, considering that almost one in four computer systems analysts worked in this role.

For the finance and insurance industry, where 15% of computer systems analysts work, the median salary of $99,340 is on par with the overall median wage for the profession. The 6% of the workforce employed in the information industry doesn’t fare too badly, either, with a median salary of $97,230. However, the median salary for the 7% of the field employed by the government is much lower, at $80,040 per year.

7. Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

Even the best software development professionals aren’t perfect. To ensure that a computer program is working as intended, technology companies hire professionals with strong technical capabilities to test and assess the quality of computer applications. This computer science professional represents another one of the highest-paying computer science jobs. 

Testing computer applications for quality doesn’t mean haphazardly playing around with the software program in hopes of identifying bugs or glitches. A software quality assurance analyst and tester first develops plans and procedures that will allow them to identify issues as efficiently as possible. Software quality assurance analysts may use automation tools and programs as well as manual explorations of a software application to test a program for defects.

Earning Potential for Software Quality Assurance Analysts

Testing computer software programs pays considerably less than developing them yourself, but the median salary the BLS reported for this profession is still near the six-figure mark. The overall median annual salary for software quality assurance analysts was $98,220.

In the manufacturing industry, where 7% of software quality assurance analysts worked, the median salary rose to $102,090. Among the rest of the top employing industries for this field, median wages weren’t just below $100,000 – they were also below the overall median wage.

The 33% of the computer systems design services industry reported earning a median annual salary of $98,000. For the 9% of the workforce employed by software publishers, the median salary was $94,980.

Software testers in the finance and insurance industry – accounting for 11% of the occupation – earned a median salary of $92,660. The administrative and support services industry paid software quality assurance analysts the least among the top employment industries for the field, with a median salary of $86,060.

8. Database Administrators

Database architects aren’t the only computer science professionals whose work revolves around databases. Another of the highest-paying computer science jobs is database administrator, the role that emphasizes the maintenance of and support for the use of existing databases.

A database administrator doesn’t create databases. Instead, they monitor and maintain the computer systems that allow the database to perform as intended. When errors arise or updates are needed, database administrators are the ones organizations call.

Data security is another common responsibility of database administrators. Because the information contained in a database may be sensitive – and allowing it to fall into the wrong hands could lead to issues like identity theft – organizations must take reasonable data security measures to protect the information in their possession from hackers and cyber threats.

Earning Potential for Database Administrators

Among all database administrators, the median annual salary as reported by the BLS was $96,710.

Six-figure salaries are possible in database administrator roles, particularly in certain industries. The finance and insurance industry, which employed 13% of the occupation as one of the largest employment industries for this career, paid a median salary of $102,930.

The management of companies and enterprises industry, which employed 7% of the field, paid a median salary of $101,400, and the computer systems design industry, which employed 13% of the field, paid a median wage of $101,000.

The median salary reported for the information industry, which employed 12% of the workforce, was $99,340. Only in the educational services industry, which employs 9% of the database administrator profession, is the median annual salary significantly lower, at just $77,340.

9. Computer Programmers

Computer programs are made out of code written in special computer programming languages. The work of computer programmers isn’t as high-level as that of architects and engineers, but their competent coding using computer programming languages is what brings to life designers’ visions of how computer programs and applications should work and look. Their importance to the software development process is what makes computer programmer another one of the highest-paying computer science jobs. 

Earning Potential for Computer Programmers

Although the median annual salary for computer programmers was $93,000 as of 2021, according to the BLS, the nearly one-third of the workforce employed by the top employment industry – computer systems design and related services – made just $79,860.

Fortunately, employers in other top industries paid considerably better. The software publishers industry, which employed 5% of the profession, paid a median salary of $102,370. The 7% of the computer programmer occupation working for the finance and insurance industry made a median salary of $99,260. In the manufacturing industry, which employed 6% of computer programmers, the median salary was $98,320.

10. Network and Computer Systems Administrators

Long after a network architect designs a communication network, the network requires maintenance and support. These roles are the primary focus of a network administrator, which is another of the highest-paying computer science jobs. A particular high-paying computer science job role in the network administrator occupation is network security administrator, which focuses on the tasks required to keep the network secure from cyber threats.

Earning Potential for Network Systems Administrators and Network Security Administrators

The $80,600 median annual salary the BLS reported for network and computer system administrators is well below most of the salaries on our list – and, for that matter, below the $85,000 median annual wage the BLS reported for the computer science and information technology field as a whole. Still, the median salary for network security administrators is nothing to scoff at, amounting to upwards of 33% more than the median salary the BLS reported across all fields.

RELATED: Top 20 In-Demand Information Technology Careers  

Network systems administrators and network security administrators working for the management of companies and enterprises industry reported the highest median salaries among top employment industries. The 8% of the network system administrator and network security administrator occupation working in management reported earning a median wage of $98,320.

In the finance and insurance industry, where 9% of the profession works, the median salary was $96,860. The one in 10 network systems administrators who worked in the information industry earned a median wage of $94,980.

From here, earning potential among the top employment industries declines sharply. The 17% of network systems administrators working in the computer systems design industry reported a median salary of $83,760. In the educational services industry, which employed 11% of the occupation, the median salary was $77,620.

The Best-Paying Senior Roles for Computer Professionals

The very best paying computer science jobs aren’t in the computer and information field at all but instead in the management occupations.

How Much Do Computer and Information Managers Earn?

For computer and information systems managers as a whole, the BLS reported a high median annual salary of $159,010. The highest-paying jobs in computer systems management pay upwards of $208,000, and even the 10th percentile of earners reported a salary of $95,220.

All of the top employment industries for computer and information systems management roles paid wages at or above $160,000. The information industry, which employed 13% of computer and information managers, paid the best, with a median salary of $165,940.

Median pay in the finance and insurance industry, where 12% of the occupation worked, was $162,240, closely followed by the $162,150 median salary reported for the computer systems design industry, where 23% of computer and information systems managers worked.

The 9% of the profession working in the management of companies and enterprises industry reported a median wage of $161,630. In the manufacturing industry, which employed 6% of this workforce, the median salary was $160,010.

What Are Computer and Information Systems Managers?

The computer and information managers occupation encompasses any management-level role in which the computer science professional plans and directs a company’s technology use and activities. Numerous job titles fall under the category of computer and information systems managers, including the following:

• Information technology manager (IT department manager)

• IT project manager

• IT security manager

• Technical services manager

• Data processing manager

• Information systems supervisor (IS supervisor)

• Information systems manager (IS manager)

• Information systems director (IS director)

• Information technology director (IT director)

• Computing services director

• Application development director

• Management information systems director (MIS Director)

• Chief information officer (CIO)

• Chief technology officer (CTO)

These computer science management job titles span an array of management roles at different levels. Naturally, the more high-level or complex your role is, the greater your income potential is likely to be.

C-suite executives like CIOs and CTOs can expect to make a great deal more money than project managers. Directors are likely to earn more than supervisors.

Where you fit into the hierarchy at your organization will affect your salary potential, as will the size and profitability of your company. Generally, large companies can afford to pay higher wages than small startups operating on a shoestring budget.

The demand for skilled computer and information managers is also higher in large companies than in small companies. Large companies often employ multiple managers responsible for overseeing different aspects of the company’s technical operations, while in smaller companies, one manager may wear several different hats and manage many different aspects of the organization’s operations.

Earning Potential for Other Computer Jobs

Web Developers

Web developers, for example, earned a median salary of $77,030 in 2021, according to the BLS. As the job title suggests, web developers design and create websites.

Some web developers focus on the back-end, or technical, aspects of building a website, while others focus on the front-end, namely the layout and appearance of the site. A full stack developer, who has the technical skills to create both the front-end and back-end of the website, has a higher earning potential. For full-stack developers across the United States, Salary.com reported an average annual salary of $100,270.

More senior-level roles in web development, like senior web developer, are also more lucrative. For senior web developers, Salary.com reported an average annual salary of $105,596.

Data Scientists

The BLS classifies data scientist as a math occupation, not a computer occupation, but the profession still involves a great deal of computer technology use and capability. Data scientists develop algorithms and use software tools to glean insights and make meaning out of data. For data scientists, the BLS reported a median salary of $100,910.

RELATED: Top 10 Paying Jobs That Involve Math

Preparing for the Best-Paying Computer Science Jobs

No matter which career in computer science most appeals to you, your best path forward toward a lucrative career in computer technology is earning a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study. A computer science graduate will develop the skills needed for a variety of roles in this field.

What About Computer Engineering?

While a computer science degree can prepare you for any of these positions, prospective students might also consider other relevant majors, like computer engineering.

Computer engineering is a subdiscipline of electrical engineering that focuses on the application of engineering design principles to problems and solutions pertaining to computer hardware and software. Generally, a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering is most likely to appeal to you if your intended role in the field of computer science includes “engineer” in the title – such as data engineer, security engineer or site reliability engineer.

Although you don’t necessarily need a full grasp of the engineering design process to work in IT, having this background may be valuable for some roles, including data engineer.

Gaining Work Experience

Recent computer science graduates can’t expect to immediately command a pay rate on par with the average annual salary across the computer and IT occupations. First, they need to gain experience working in entry-level positions, which pay less, before they can move up into more lucrative roles. Any work experience you can acquire in the industry is valuable, including internships and co-op experiences completed in the course of earning your bachelor’s degree.

What Skills Do You Need for the Highest-Paying Jobs in Computer Science?

Success – and average annual salary – in the computer and IT field depends less upon your level of degree than the skills you possess. Some of the most valuable characteristics for aspiring computer and IT professionals include knowledge of the most popular programming languages and best practices for writing algorithms, designing network or software architecture and other technical competencies.

While a computer and IT professional’s technical skills are paramount, certain non-technical skills are also sought after by employers. The most successful computer and IT professionals have strong critical thinking skills and – particularly for those eyeing a management career – project management skills.

For Further Reading:

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What Degree Do I Need to Be an Intelligence Analyst?

Top 10 Highest Paying Engineering Careers

What Is the Benefit of a Degree in Cybersecurity vs. Network Security?

50 Highest Paying Associate Degree Jobs

The post The Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in the Computer Science Field appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Secrets to Getting Accepted Into Top Physician Assistant Schools

Gaining acceptance into top physician assistant programs requires understanding the competitive application process, crafting a compelling personal statement that reveals your passion, and pursuing meaningful experiences in healthcare. You’ll also need to secure letters of recommendation highlighting your strengths and prepare to ace the PA school interview.

Top PA programs seek candidates who exhibit a deep understanding of the PA role and possess a combination of academic excellence, healthcare exposure, and personal attributes that align with their institution’s values. Our insights with this process aim to highlight the pathways prospective students can follow to enhance their chances of acceptance.

Understand the PA School Application Process

To secure a spot in a top Physician Assistant (PA) school, it’s crucial to have a thorough understanding of the application process. Knowing the prerequisites, the timeline, and meeting deadlines are the cornerstones to crafting a successful application.

Prerequisites and Requirements

Research each program’s requirements well before applying to make sure your application showcases the necessary credentials.

• Healthcare experience: Most programs require healthcare experience with a minimum number of hours. It’s essential to accumulate this experience in various roles to display a well-rounded understanding of healthcare.
• Academic criteria: A strong academic background is non-negotiable. Programs typically look for a minimum overall GPA and science GPA, often around 3.0 or higher.
• GRE Scores: Many schools also require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and set specific target scores for applicants, usually a combined score of 300 or higher.

Timeline and Deadlines

Preparing a timeline helps to keep track throughout the application cycle. This ensures you don’t miss any crucial steps or deadlines.

• Application services: The Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) usually opens in late April. Keep your application ready to submit as early as possible.
• Supplemental applications: Following the CASPA submission, schools may have additional requirements or supplemental applications with their own deadlines.
• Interviews: Interviews typically occur between August and November, so be prepared in advance.

Craft a Stand-Out Personal Statement

The personal statement is the heartbeat of your physician assistant school application. It’s where you become more than just numbers and academic records. Here’s what we normally recommend when crafting statements that can resonate with admissions committees and help secure a spot in your desired program.

Key Elements of a Persuasive Statement

Persuasive statements are critical for admissions personal statements because they convince reviewers that you have the passion, experiences, and goals that align with the program. Skillfully making a case for yourself will make your essay more compelling.

• Authenticity: According to an American Psychological Association study, persuasive messages that appeal to a person’s values and emotions can change behaviors and attitudes. Your statement should reflect a genuine passion for the medical field and illustrate your understanding of the PA profession.
• Relevant experiences: Showcase your experiences in healthcare that have prepared you for the rigors of PA school. Make sure they align with the values and specifics of the programs you’re applying to.
• Clarity of purpose: Articulate why you want to become a PA, drawing a clear line from your past experiences to your future ambitions. It’s crucial to demonstrate your clear and rational motivation for entering the profession.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Knowing the common mistakes to avoid in personal statements is crucial for success. Thoughtful self-editing can help your essay avoid pitfalls like an impersonal tone, repetition, grammatical errors, and other weaknesses that undermine impact.

• Being vague: Avoiding general statements. Instead, provide specific examples to support claims about your skills and character.
• Cliches: Steering clear of cliches keeps your statement fresh and engaging. Admissions committees have read countless variations of the same statements.
• Ignoring the school’s vision: Every PA program has a unique set of values and mission. Your personal statement should mirror the specific ethos of the schools you’re applying to.

Communication Skills

Strong communication skills are vital for an effective personal statement. The ability to convey complex ideas clearly while telling your story in an authentic, succinct way is key to writing a memorable essay.

• Clarity and conciseness: Your writing should be clear and to the point. Brevity is the key. This helps convey your thoughts in an articulate manner.
• Engagement: Write in a way that engages readers, making your statement memorable. Strong communication skills here mean crafting an interesting narrative that evokes a positive response from the reader.

Gain Relevant Experience

Gaining relevant experience is essential. A real-world understanding of healthcare greatly improves a candidate’s quality.

• Healthcare experience: Most PA schools necessitate prospective students to have substantial hands-on experience. It often entails working in clinical settings such as hospitals, clinics, or other healthcare facilities. This involves accumulating a certain number of direct patient care hours, often around 1,000 to 4,000 hours.
• Shadow certified PAs: Shadowing certified physician assistants provide an insider’s view of the profession. It exposes you to the daily routines and responsibilities of PAs. It often leads to mentorship opportunities and professional references.
• Volunteer work and community service: Engaging in volunteer work and community service elucidates character traits that PA programs admire, such as empathy and altruism. Volunteering includes providing non-medical support in healthcare settings and participating in public health initiatives or health education programs.

Secure Strong Letters of Recommendation

Strong letters of recommendation are your advocates, painting a vivid picture of your unique qualities and aptitude for the PA program. To start, it’s beneficial to have a diverse set of endorsers. A healthcare provider, a professor, and a work supervisor can provide complementary perspectives on your skills and character.

• Select recommenders who know you well.
• Request letters early to give writers ample time.
• Provide a brief on your achievements and experiences for reference.

Schools look for students who excel academically while also demonstrating integrity, empathy, and resilience — traits essential for healthcare professionals.

Ace the PA School Interview

The key to acing your PA school interview lies in preparedness and presentation. Knowing the types of questions you’ll face and how to conduct yourself can set you apart from other applicants.

Common Questions

One of the best strategies is to familiarize yourself with the typical questions interviewers ask. Here are a few to consider:

• Why do you want to be a PA? They’re looking for genuine passion, not generic answers.
• Tell me about an ethical dilemma you’ve faced and how you handled it. This is to assess your moral reasoning and decision-making.
• Describe a situation where you displayed leadership. This indicates your potential to take initiative.

It’s also wise to review your application thoroughly. Questions often stem from the experiences you’ve listed.

Interview Etiquette and Tips

First impressions are vital, so here are some tips to consider:

• Maintain good eye contact to show confidence and interest.
• Offer a firm handshake. It speaks volumes about your personality.
• Be ready with thoughtful questions to ask the interview panel. It shows you’re proactive and engaged with the process.
• According to 55% of interviewers, applicants respecting dress codes create excellent first impressions.
• Keep the dialogue natural and exhibit qualities like empathy, integrity, and humility.

Related Questions

How Do You Get into a Top Physician Assistant School?

To secure a spot in a top PA school, candidates should have substantial healthcare experience, as most schools prefer applicants with around three years in the field. Aspiring PA students need to showcase a deep understanding of the PA role through personal statements and interviews, an aspect critical to top programs. 

How Do I Stand out on My Physician Assistant School Application?

Standing out means highlighting unique aspects of your healthcare journey while aligning with the values and expectations of the PA program. It also helps to construct a compelling narrative in their personal statements, reflecting your dedication to medicine and the specific attributes you can bring to the PA profession.

How Can I Be Successful in PA School?

One approach to succeeding in physician assistant school centers on developing a proactive study plan and embracing the collaborative culture typical of PA programs. Form study groups and seek mentorship, as mutual support and guidance from peers and professors can be pivotal in navigating the challenging journey through PA school.

Conclusion

By leveraging expert advice, highlighting your passion through your personal statement, pursuing meaningful healthcare experiences, acing the interview, and demonstrating emotional intelligence, you can unlock your potential for acceptance into leading PA degree programs. With grit and strategic preparation, you can join the ranks of successful students at renowned institutions.

The post Secrets to Getting Accepted Into Top Physician Assistant Schools appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

What is America? It’s a nation like so many others, sure, but it’s one with such a complicated and unique history, culture, and personality that you could truly spend a lifetime trying to define and understand it. As a matter of fact, some people do!

American Studies is an entire academic discipline devoted to deeply understanding the remarkable, troubled, and unique thing that is the United States of America, from its folklore and to its urban idioms and ideals, to its place in the modern world. Most of all, this field asks what American culture is all about and what it means to be an American. This interdisciplinary and big-picture thinking makes American Studies a truly broad and fascinating field. And it’s one in which no question is too wild to ask. Scholars in American studies pose questions like “what would society be like if we had lost World War I?” or “How has fast food changed the way American families operate?” or even “What do zombie moves and shows tell us about American political fears?”

If you’re a critical thinker who loves exploring narratives, perspectives, experiences, and histories from America’s past and present, you may be considering a degree in American Studies. And like any American Studies scholar, you’re probably considering the big picture- in this case, by asking, “what can I do with a degree in American Studies?” After all, this is not a degree with a clear-cut career path, or even a straightforward curriculum. Before you jump in, you’ll want to answer questions like, “what jobs can I get with a degree in American Studies?” “What classes will I take for an American Studies Degree?” and “Can I earn a degree in American Studies Online?”

Our comprehensive guide to What Can I Do with an American Studies Degree? has answers to these and other relevant questions, all backed by the latest reports and statistics on the field. Read on to get oriented to one of the most unique and fascinating humanities fields out there.

Jump To:

• What is American Studies?
• How is American Studies Different from American History or Sociology?
• What Degrees in American Studies are There?
• What is American Studies?
• What Will I Learn with an American Studies Degree?
• What Can I do with an Associate’s in American Studies?
• What Can I do with a Bachelor’s in American Studies?
• What Can I do with a Master’s in American Studies?
• What Can I do with a PhD in American Studies?
• Can I Earn a Degree in American Studies Online?
• What Jobs Can I Get with a Degree in American Studies?

What is American Studies?

American Studies is often defined as an interdisciplinary field of scholarship which covers topics in American history, culture, and society. Scholarship in this area draws on the study of American history, literature, society, and critical theory, along with other research methods. American Studies concerns itself with questions of American identity, mythology, and values, both past and present. It views all of these through different lenses, including gender, ethnicity, politics, and class. As an interdisciplinary field, it incorporates studies in English, history, film history, music/art history, sociology, anthropology, and political science.

This discipline is one of the newest major fields in the humanities; the field of American Studies dates back less than 100 years. Vernon Louis Parrington is generally considered to have been the founder of American studies, with the publication of “Main Currents in American Thought.” This large, three-volume treatise combined the methodologies of literary criticism and historical research and won him the 1928 Pulitzer Prize. His work inspired Henry Nash Smith to earn a Ph.D. through the interdisciplinary program at Harvard in “History and American Civilization,” the first of its kind, in 1940. This set a precedent for the modern American Studies program, and thus, Nash and Parrington are considered to be the co-founders of Americans Studies as a discipline.

The field has evolved quite a bit since its (fairly recent) beginnings. Early scholars were focused on the recurring symbols in American literature, culture, and art that seemed to suggest a unique form of myth and imagination in the American experience. Later scholars moved away from this idea of “American Exceptionalism,” or the idea that American occupies a special place in the world that is fundamentally different from other nations. Today’s American Studies scholars are more interested in topics like the impact of race, gender and sexuality, and international and transnational concerns on the American experience and popular culture.

How is American Studies Different from American History or Sociology?

If you’re interested in America and American culture, you may be wondering how American Studies differs from related academic disciplines. This is a common question with interdisciplinary fields, which draw on several areas at once to create a blended program.

The fields most closely related to American Studies are American History and Sociology. American History, of course, looks back at the events that led to the nation’s founding, and what has occurred between then and now. American history also asks about how past events have shaped the present day America and what the future may hold. Sociology is the study of society, including the behavior of communities, the impact of society on the individual, and the forces that shape the values and behaviors of groups. American Studies is focused on American culture, which, naturally, is shaped by the course of history and forces of American society.

American Studies can be seen as occupying the overlap between American History and sociology in America. But this field is more than a blend of these two disciplines- American Studies also draws on English, film/music/art history, anthropology, and political science. Within and related to the larger field of American Studies, there are also more specific areas like African-American Studies, Asian American Studies, Native American Studies, etc., that look more closely at the experiences of specific groups.

What Degrees in American Studies are There?

Over 300 US colleges and universities offer American Studies programs. As with most disciplines, you can earn a degree in American Studies at the associate’s, bachelor’s master’s or PhD level. And, like a degree in Liberal Arts, an American Studies degree is blended and flexible, leading to careers like lawyer, librarian, business exec, journalist, researcher, curator, archivist, professor, and politician.

Needless to say, the degree level you choose to pursue will depend on your own priorities, resources, and goals. A higher degree will take more time and work to earn, and is a great fit if you’re interested in work in academia. An undergraduate degree can be a step on your path to a graduate degree, or you can earn an undergraduate degree in American Studies as a way to enter the workforce with a well-rounded set of critical thinking and communication skills.

Quite a few notable public figures and celebrities have earned a degree in American Studies, from a bachelor’s (Janeane Garofalo) to a PhD (Tom Wolf). The diversity of their high-profile careers goes to show just how flexible this degree can be. A few highlights include:

• Janeane Garofalo (comedian and actress)
• Maria Owings Shriver (activist and journalist)
• Bill Ayers (theorist and activist)
• Tom Pettit (news correspondent)
• Maya Angelou (author and poet)
• Tom Wolfe (author and critic)
• Jennifer Beals (actress)
• Katie Couric (news anchor)
• Kay Hagen (US Senator)
• Mary Chapin Carpenter (singer, songwriter)
• John Sandford (mystery novelist)

What Classes Will I take for a Degree in American Studies?

Plenty of academic disciplines out there have their share of interesting classes. But it’s truly hard to beat the selection of unusual, stimulating and just plain cool course titles you’ll encounter in an American Studies Degree Program. That’s because American Studies is all about looking at American Culture- from past to present, from refined to crass- through an academic lens. In an American Studies course catalog, you’ll find many topics covering critical examination of ethnicity, pop culture, and everyday life in America. Of course, with such diverse and unique offerings, that means a lot of variety in classes exists between colleges, and new ones crop up frequently to address emerging issues.

A few noteworthy Americans Studies classes offered at US colleges include:

• Race, Class & American Film
• Spoken Word & Slam Poetry
• Queer Activism
• The Zombie Films of George Romero
• Black Public Intellectuals
• Conspiracy Theories
• Native Americans in Film
• Disney in America
• Black Popular Music
• The American Vacation
• American Political Humor
• Sport and Inequality
• Gothic America
• The Civil Rights Movement
• Drugs and Popular Culture
• Baseball in America

What Will I Learn with an American Studies Degree?

With all these diverse, fascinating, and sometimes fun classes, you may be wondering what you’ll actually learn with a degree in American Studies. Don’t worry- you won’t just walk away from an American Studies degree program with a ton of trivia and facts about America. As a recent article in The Guardian noted, an American Studies degree program actually trains students in skills that have real-world and workplace relevance.

In an American Studies degree, you’ll gain:

• Critical thinking skills
• Mastery of research methodology
• Experience in solving complex problems
• The ability to perceive the “big picture”
• Clear communication

What Can I do with an Associate’s in American Studies?

An associate’s degree is best thought of as the starting point for an American Studies bachelor’s degree. This two-year program provides a foundation in the basics of American Studies, with introductions to the fundamental theories and historical background of American Culture. An associate’s degree is a stand-alone degree, but the credits earned in an associate’s program can also be applied towards a bachelor’s degree.

In fact, this is how most associate’s degree students in the liberal arts and humanities (which includes American studies) choose to approach their educational path. Unlike an associate’s in a professional field, such as dental hygiene, an associates in the humanities doesn’t provide training in specific hard job skills. And while soft skills like communication and problem-solving have real workplace value, most employers are looking to hire job candidates with these skills for higher-level roles (such as management), and tend to prefer those with a bachelor’s degree.

One reason to start your degree path with an associate’s is to save money. You can earn an associate’s degree at an affordable local community college, then transfer credits to a state or private university to complete a bachelors. Many community colleges even hold articulation agreements with local universities, which makes transferring credits relatively seamless.

What Can I do with a Bachelor’s in American Studies?

A bachelor of arts (BA) in American Studies provides a well-rounded general education, with an emphasis on American Studies. A bachelor of arts is a degree designed to produce well-rounded graduates who are knowledgeable about the world, and who are capable of strong communication, critical analysis, ethical decision-making, and collaboration. This degree includes a robust general education component- required classes in math, science, history, and language, along with classes selected from within the American Studies major.

To earn a bachelor’s in American Studies, you’ll generally need to complete 120 semester hour credits, which works out to around 40 college courses. This typically takes a total of four years (or two if you have already completed an associate’s in American Studies). This pace will be slower if you’re enrolled on a part-time basis, and may be faster if you’re enrolled in an accelerated bachelor’s program.

With a bachelor’s in American Studies, you’ll have the well-rounded knowledge base and soft skills required to excel in positions in media, marketing, political administration, and publishing. You’ll also have the basis in communication, problem-solving, and collaboration required for positions in management.

What Can I do with a Master’s in American Studies?

As The Guardian has noted, some 8% of American Studies graduates went on to pursue higher education degrees in 2009. Of these, the majority chose to study full time, while 2% opted for a teaching qualification and 6.5% combined paid working with studying. A master’s degree in American Studies is an excellent choice for those who want to refine their knowledge, specialize in a particular topic, or eventually move into academia.

To earn a master’s degree in American Studies, you’ll need to hold a bachelors degree, though it need not be in the field of American Studies, and a related bachelor’s like humanities, communication, or history would be perfectly fine. It typically takes two years to earn a master’s degree on a full-time basis. For a master’s in American Studies, you’ll have no general education requirements, and will focus solely on topics in the discipline. You’ll be required to complete a research-based thesis and may have the option to specialize in a particular area of emphasis, such as African American Music or Appalachian folklore.

With a master’s degree in American Studies, you’ll be well-qualified for higher-level positions within fields like publishing, broadcasting, advertising, banking, and librarianship. A master’s degree will also allow you to teach at the elementary, secondary, or post-secondary level as an associate professor.

What Can I do with a PhD in American Studies?

If you ask most people “what can I do with a degree in American Studies?” their answer will be “Teach American Studies!” As we’ve shown, there’s a lot more to the field than that, but there’s a nugget of truth in this punch line as well. Plenty of people do earn an American Studies degree because they want to teach in this field. To teach American Studies at the college level, you’ll really want to earn an American Studies PhD.

A PhD is a terminal degree- you can’t earn anything higher. This degree is required for positions in research and academic, and is the standard for tenure-track positions as an Ameri can Studies professor. This is a rarefied field, of course- there simply aren’t a lot of job openings for university-level American Studies instructors, and you may have to wait around a while for one to open up. In the meantime, you can teach as an associate professor, or in an “alternative academic” career, such as administration, museums, non-profits, and government positions, and sites such as The Versatile PhD offer graduates in this position resources for alternative academic careers.

Can I Earn a Degree in American Studies Online?

It’s possible, and practical, to earn an American Studies degree through online classes. Most students who choose to follow this degree path opt for a bachelor’s in American Studies, and earn theirs while working part-time or full-time. An online American Studies degree is an excellent choice for those with work or family obligations who are looking to avoid spending their limited time on commuting and who would like to complete their courses on a flexible schedule. Most online degrees offer course content through asynchronous (on-demand_ course models like recorded lectures, along with some scheduled components like video conferences, live chats, and group collaborations.

Another common reason to opt for an online American Studies degree is simply availability. Unlike say, English or Nursing, not every school offers American Studies, or has a strong American Studies Department. If you are interested majoring in the subject but live an area where the local school doesn’t offer American Studies, you’ll need to choose between selecting a different major, relocating, or selecting an online American Studies Degree.

What Jobs Can I Get with a Degree in American Studies?

In a professional degree program, it’s easy to tell what you’ll be doing once you graduate. You may gain a certification or licensure that makes your skills easy to market, or even get a job through a school internship. But a degree in American Studies is less about providing students with job-ready skills and more about preparing them to be well-rounded thinkers and problem solvers. Fortunately, there are plenty of jobs that require those abilities, and these span a broad spectrum.

Jobs associated with an American Studies degree include:

• lawyer
• librarian
• business executive
• journalist
• researcher
• curator
• archivist
• fundraiser
• teacher
• college professor
• nonprofit
• entrepreneur
• activist
• diplomat
• politician

In fact, the majority of those with an American Studies degree work in a related area like journalism, law or publishing, rather than in the American Studies field itself. This is the case for most liberal arts degrees, which are flexible by design. If you’re curious about current openings in the field that are specific to American Studies, The American Studies Association maintains a resource page for opportunities and jobs with a degree in American studies.

With this degree, changing between fields may also be easier than if you’ve earned a more technical degree, since your highly-developed soft skills like communication and critical thinking have broader applications. With this degree, you can find work in settings as diverse as:

• university
• library
• museum
• news journal or network
• publishing entity
• private business
• non-profit organization
• government agency

In short, an American Studies Degree offers a broad range of options, but no clear-cut career path. And you may find that you’ll need to help connect the dots for potential employers, helping them to understand how your American Studies degree program has taught you workplace-relevant skills. Depending on your perspective and how much structure you want from your degree, this open-ended quality can be a serious drawback, or a liberating and attractive feature of an American Studies degree.

Further Reading:

• What Can I do with a Liberal Arts Degree?
• Top 15 Liberal Arts Schools in America
• 50 Best Online Associate’s Degrees 2019
• 25 Fastest Online Associate’s Degrees
• 15 Affordable Degrees in Dental Hygiene (Associate’s and Beyond)
• 20 Best Degree Programs for Undergraduates
• 23 Fastest Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs
• Top 50 Affordable Online MBA Degree Programs for 2019
• Top 10 Highest Paying Social Science Jobs
• What Degree Do I Need to Be a Curator?
• Top 25 Fastest Online Doctorate Degrees
• 50 Best Online Degrees for 201
• What Degree Do You Need to Be a Lawyer?
• 20 Non-Law Firm Jobs with a Law Degree

The post What Can I Do with an American Studies Degree? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

What Are the Highest Paying Manager Jobs?

The best management jobs – that is, the ones that pay the highest average salaries – aren’t easy, either to attain or to do. Most of the highest-paid manager jobs require a combination of formal education and years of experience. Holding the highest-paying business management positions can be stressful at times. You may be responsible for supervising personnel, guiding the direction of an organization or managing complex projects.

RELATED: What Are the Highest-Paying Business Entry-Level Jobs?

Average salary for manager positions depends on the level of role they hold, the specific duties they perform and the company and industry for which managers work. By median salary, the top-paying management jobs include the following.

1. Chief Executive Officer

If you really want to be the boss – not just a boss ­– then top executive is the career for you. These management professionals are personally in charge of making sure an organization achieves its goals.

What a Top Executive Does

As the name suggests, top executives are the managers at the top of a company. Given their senior-level status and big responsibilities, it’s no surprise that these top management jobs are also the best-paying manager jobs out there.

A chief executive officer sets goals and procedures for a variety of departments within the company. They decide which personnel will lead those departments. Depending on their position, chief executives may monitor finances and budgets, analyze statements to assess performance and determine ways to decrease costs.

Top executive roles take many forms. In most businesses and organizations, chief executive officers (CEOs) include job titles like the following:

• President
• Vice president
• Executive director
• Chief financial officer (CFO)
• Chief information officer (CIO)
• Chief operating officer (COO)
• Chief sustainability officer

At schools, top executives include superintendents and college presidents. Even cities and states have top executives. The top executives in these environments are known as city managers, county administrators, mayors and governors.

Chief executives are generally more concerned with big-picture strategy than day-to-day operations. In other top executive jobs, like operations manager and general manager, however, the manager would spend much of their time handling daily operations and administrative duties. General and operations managers handle many different administration and management duties.

RELATED: Top 10 Paying Jobs That Involve Math

How Much a Top Executive Makes

Which top executive role you work in can make a huge difference in your pay rate. The median annual salary the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported for chief executive officers as of 2022 was $189,520 per year. The highest-paid 10% of chief executives in America make more than $239,200.

The manufacturing industry is the major employment industry that pays chief executives the most. The median annual salary for chief executives in this industry was $231,640 as of 2022. Chief executives in the professional, scientific and technical services industry also made a median wage above $200,000.

General and operations managers, the other top executives, made considerably less than their C-suite counterparts. Still, the $98,100 median annual salary far outstrips the median wage for all occupations as of 2022. The professional, scientific and technical services industry paid the best for these roles, with a median salary of $131,970.

Becoming a Top Executive

There’s no quick or easy route to a top executive role. A given company or organization only needs so many top executives, and the competition for these high-paying roles is fierce. You are likely to need some combination of education, experience and an exceptional reputation if you want to become a chief executive.

Many top executives start from the bottom and gradually advance through the ranks within their organization. Others develop their management skills and cultivate enough experience to get hired from outside the organization. Either way, you need to work hard and prove that you’re the best at what you do to cultivate the kind of reputation that gets you considered for chief executive positions.

In addition to gaining experience in management roles, candidates for top executive positions must develop excellent communication skills and leadership abilities. They need to become proficient – and confident – in making decisions and solving problems.

2. Computer and Information Systems Manager

If you want to work in technology, a career as a computer and information systems manager will allow you to make great money in a field you love. This is one of the best manager jobs in the tech field.

What a Computer and Information Systems Manager Does

Nearly all businesses and organizations today rely on computers to handle some aspect of their work. Computer and information systems managers play a crucial role in an organization’s computer systems.

Computer and information systems managers are sometimes called information technology (IT) managers or IT project managers. These professionals are responsible for figuring out what computer and IT professionals the organization needs on staff. They oversee the work of other IT professionals. Computer and information systems managers also manage the organization’s computer systems and technology. When its time to put in place new systems and technologies, computer and information systems managers are responsible for tasks like the following:

• Planning
• Installation
• Implementation
• Upgrades
• Security measures

The responsibilities of specific computer and information systems managers depend on their exact job titles, in addition to other factors.

For example, C-suite computer and information systems managers include chief information officers (CIOs) and chief technology officers (CTOs). A chief information officer will devote most of their time to devising the organization’s technology strategy. A chief technology officer will focus more on what new technology can do for the organization.

At a somewhat less senior-level of management are IT directors. IT directors lead IT departments. They often serve as the immediate supervisors for the organization’s IT personnel. IT security managers, on the other hand, focus more on the organization’s information security policies and safety measures designed to thwart a security threat.

How Much a Computer and Information Systems Manager Makes

Computer and information systems managers earned a median salary of $164,070 as of 2022, according to the BLS. The best-paid 10% of the IT manager field earned more than $239,200. All of the top five industries of employment report median annual salaries between $165,000 and $175,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The information industry paid the best, with a median annual salary of $173,540.

Becoming a Computer and Information Systems Manager

If you want to become a computer and information systems manager, you will need a strong background in computer technology. Usually, this means a formal college degree, at least at the undergraduate level. Prospective IT managers often pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer or information science. This education provides you with the technical skills for the role, but you need more than just tech knowledge to be a good manager. Gaining some knowledge of the business world is valuable if you want to become an expert in business applications of technology. Stacking a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree on top of your computer science undergraduate degree can help prove your capabilities.

3. Architectural and Engineering Manager

Another of the highest-paying management jobs is architectural and engineering manager. A lot of work goes into engineering and architecture projects, and someone has to oversee this work and supervise those who undertake it. That someone is an architectural or engineering manager.

What an Architectural and Engineering Manager Does

On any architectural or engineering project, there are various team members with different skill sets to hire and oversee. There are schedules to coordinate and budgets to set and follow. Without doing this work, projects won’t get done correctly, on time or within budget. Companies in industries like manufacturing and architectural and engineering services rely on experienced professionals to handle these big responsibilities.

As supervisors, architectural and engineering managers naturally oversee their employees, checking not only their work but also their methods. They also handle tasks like determining what materials, equipment and employees they need for a project and coordinating the work of various teams. However, these professionals aren’t completely removed from their engineering and architectural roots. Often, they create the overall concepts and designs for a product or project. They may lead the research and development teams whose findings inform the final design concepts. When problems arise, architectural and engineering managers need to solve them.

How Much an Architectural and Engineering Manager Makes

The median salary the BLS reported for architectural and engineering managers in 2022 was $159,920. The highest-paid 10% of the architectural and engineering manager profession made more than $221,550 per year. The scientific research and development services industry paid architectural and engineering managers the best, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting a median annual salary of $175,670. The management of companies and enterprises industry wasn’t far behind, with a median salary of $169,140.

Becoming an Architectural and Engineering Manager

Architectural and engineering managers typically begin their careers as either architects or engineers. They may start in entry-level roles, but they don’t stay there long. They learn as much as they can on the job.

With time, these ambitious architects and engineers take on more and more responsibilities. They step up to solve problems, make decisions, lead teams and work on complex projects. In doing so, they get noticed and develop the skills an architectural or engineering manager needs.

To begin, aspiring architectural and engineering managers need the education that will land them their first job as an architect or engineer. This usually means a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a professional degree in architecture. Graduate school is a common path for aspiring managers in these fields. Depending on your skills and areas of interest, you might pursue one of the following graduate degrees:

• Master’s in Engineering Management
• Master’s in Technology Management
• Master of Business Administration

4. Natural Sciences Manager

Don’t think high-paying management jobs only belong in the business world. If science is your calling, you can put your leadership skills to use as a natural sciences manager.

What a Natural Sciences Manager Does

Natural sciences managers oversee employees, research projects and administrative policies in scientific research capacities. They collaborate with their organization’s senior executives to develop research goals. Then they determine how to best achieve those objectives through actionable steps.

Natural sciences managers figure out what personnel, equipment, materials and training are necessary for a particular project. They are also responsible for establishing a budget for that project. They oversee and assist the scientists and technicians in their research team.

Some natural sciences managers spend all or most of their time on administrative and supervisory duties. Their work keeps them largely out of the lab. Other natural sciences managers, known as working managers, conduct research of their own in addition to overseeing other scientists’ work. Laboratory managers focus particularly on managing the supplies needed for research.

Most natural sciences managers spend years working as scientists – chemists, biologists, physicists – before they advance to the highest-paying business management positions. During their careers, they gradually take on more responsibilities, such as overseeing teams of researchers and guiding the direction of research projects and experiments. The more experience scientists have, the greater their opportunities for independence.

How Much a Natural Sciences Manager Makes

The median salary the BLS reported for natural sciences managers as of 2022 was $144,440. The 10% of natural sciences managers with the highest earnings made more than $239,200. The median wages for natural sciences managers by industry varied considerably. Natural sciences managers in research and development in the physical, engineering and life sciences earned a median annual salary of $178,830, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. In the manufacturing industry, the median salary was $170,220.

Becoming a Natural Sciences Manager

Natural sciences managers must have a thorough foundation in their field of science. A scientific background is more important than formal management training or education for these high-paying manager jobs. Prospective natural sciences managers need at least a bachelor’s degree in a field like the following:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Natural science
• Engineering

A bachelor’s degree may be enough to land some entry-level jobs in natural sciences research. However, even for non-managerial roles, you will likely need to advance your education beyond the undergraduate level. Most natural sciences managers have a master’s degree or a PhD. Considerable experience working in laboratory research is also a requirement for most natural sciences manager roles.

5. Marketing Manager

Companies spend a fortune persuading consumers to buy their products or use their services. Marketing managers, another of the highest paying management jobs, play an important role in how companies use this money effectively to make the most sales possible and bring in revenue.

What a Marketing Manager Does

Marketing managers stay abreast of market trends to determine how much demand there is for a product or service and what markets that product might fit into well. A marketing manager uses data from market research surveys to predict who will purchase the product and what price they will be willing to pay.

Of course, marketing managers also perform a number of other job duties. Often, they are even involved in the product development process. They may lead teams of marketing personnel and oversee collaboration between teams of salespeople and public relations staff. In some roles, they may also handle responsibilities such as:

• Developing marketing plans
• Planning promotions or advertising campaigns
• Setting marketing department budgets
• Choosing advertising opportunities
• Negotiating prices

How Much a Marketing Manager Makes

For marketing managers, the BLS reported a 2022 median annual salary of $140,040. The best-paid 10% of the marketing manager profession made upwards of $239,200. The best paying-industries for marketing managers, management of companies and enterprises and finance and insurance, paid median salaries of $162,870 and $161,040, respectively.

Becoming a Marketing Manager

Marketing managers typically start out in lower-level roles in marketing and work their way up. Most marketing managers have at least a bachelor’s degree in a field like marketing or marketing management.

6. Financial Manager

Another of the highest-paying management jobs is financial manager. Every business and organization needs to be vigilant about its financial health. That’s what makes the work of a financial manager so critical.

What Does a Financial Manager Do?

Financial managers are the professionals who report on current finances, make decisions about investments and establish future goals and strategies. They prepare financial statements, summaries, reports and forecasts of all kinds for many different uses. They also weigh in on the organization’s financial decisions. These decisions include how the company can cut costs, increase profits, expand and acquire other businesses.

Like other types of managers, financial managers oversee lower-level workers. These managers supervise the work of less senior finance employees. Today’s financial managers now spend more of their time analyzing data and using those analyses to advise top-level executives on making financial decisions than they do simply creating reports.

There are several kinds of financial managers:

• Credit managers handle credit and collections.
• Cash managers oversee the organization’s cash flow.
• Risk managers work to minimize the likelihood that the organization will suffer a financial loss.
• Insurance managers decide what kinds of insurance, and how much coverage, is necessary to reduce any such losses.
• Controllers are primarily concerned with generating financial reports, especially special reports for government use.
• Treasurers and finance officers deal with budgets, mergers and investments.

How Much a Financial Manager Makes

The BLS reported a median annual salary of $139,790 for financial managers as of 2022. The highest-paid 10% of financial managers earned more than $239,200. The two top-paying industries, management of companies and enterprises and professional, scientific and technical services, both paid a median wage of more than $164,000 per year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.

Becoming a Financial Manager

All kinds of financial managers need plenty of experience in the field. Most financial managers have spent at least five years gaining business and finance experience. Before they advance into a management role, they often start in positions like the following:

• Accountant
• Auditor
• Financial analyst
• Loan officer
• Securities sales agent

Financial managers usually start with a bachelor’s degree in a field like finance, accounting, business administration or accounting. At the graduate level, they may pursue a Master’s in Finance degree or a Master of Business Administration.

7. Sales Manager

You need the right personality to excel in another of the highest-paying management jobs, sales manager. If you enjoy the challenge of sales and the opportunity to motivate others, a career as a sales manager will let you earn a six-figure salary with your natural salesperson personality (and the right education and experience, of course).

What a Sales Manager Does

Industries like retail, wholesale trade, manufacturing and finance and insurance depend on sales managers. Sales managers typically oversee their company’s salespeople and sales strategies.

Sales managers don’t just establish goals for product sales. They also develop the strategies and plans to meet those sales goals. When conflicts arise, they resolve customer complaints.

They hire and train their organization’s sales personnel. Their role is to recruit strong candidates to the sales department and help them to perform at their full potential. Sales manager positions also have a quantitative side, with tasks that include:

• Overseeing budgets
• Establishing quotas and sales goals
• Appointing sales representatives to specific territories
• Analyzing sales data
• Predicting sales volumes and profits

How Much a Sales Manager Makes

A median salary of $130,600 is what makes sales managers one of the highest-paid management jobs. The BLS reported that the highest-paid 10% of sales managers made more than $239,200 as of 2022. The highest-paying jobs for sales managers were in the finance and insurance and the professional, scientific and technical services industry, both of which paid median salaries above $160,000.

Becoming a Sales Manager

Most sales managers have a college degree. Fields like accounting, economics, finance, business management, marketing and math are good majors for aspiring sales managers. However, it’s sales experience that really gives candidates for the highest-paying business management positions a competitive edge. Sales managers typically have at least one to five years of experience as sales representatives, purchasing agents or other similar roles.

8. Human Resources Manager

Next on our list of the highest-paying management jobs is HR manager. Workers play an integral part in every industry. Someone needs to recruit, train and communicate with those workers.

What Human Resources Managers Do

Human resources managers are the professionals who oversee an organization’s use of, and interactions with, employees. They interview job candidates and hire the most qualified workers. Human resources managers strategize to make the best possible use of employees’ skills. To do so, they ensure those employees have the training and tools to succeed. They resolve conflicts between workers and handle disciplinary actions when necessary.

Human resources managers also serve as the point of communication between employees and administration. They have input into organization policies and deliver employee services such as benefits and payroll. A human resources manager’s responsibilities include motivating and retaining great employees.

How Much a Human Resource Manager Makes

HR managers earned a median annual salary of $130,000 in 2022, according to the BLS. The top 10% of earners in the HR manager profession made upwards of $224,360. HR managers in the professional, scientific and technical services industry reported the highest median wage, $153,830, followed by those in the management of companies and enterprises industry, where the median salary was $144,640.

Becoming a Human Resource Manager

HR managers often have a bachelor’s degree in human resources or business administration. Graduate-level degrees like an MBA, a Master’s in Human Resources or a Master’s in Labor Relations are also common.

Experience, particularly in leadership roles, is a necessity for high-paying management jobs in a human resources department. Many HR managers begin as human resources or labor relations specialists. Over several years in the field, they develop – and display – the organizational, decision-making and management skills they need to advance to this career.

9. Public Relations Manager

An organization’s image matters – especially when it comes to fundraising for nonprofit organizations. Public relations managers are professionals who strategize how an organization, nonprofit or otherwise, will communicate with members of the public.

What Public Relations Managers Do

Public relations managers oversee the material organizations use to build and improve the public perception of their organization or client. They create content like press releases to get information out to the media and garner media coverage for stories and events.

They act as or designate a spokesperson who will act as the public face and voice of the organization. PR managers work with this spokesperson to provide information and support for media inquiries.

Public relations managers single out the audiences most crucial to the organization’s mission. That may mean choosing a target audience to sell to or potential donors to appeal to for fundraising purposes. They figure out which methods of communication are most likely to be effective at reaching these groups. With this in mind, they plan promotional and advertising campaigns to get their audience’s attention.

Everything a public relations manager does is to improve their organization’s image and public identity. PR managers also supervise the work of other public relations personnel.

In nonprofit organizations, in particular, professionals called fundraising managers play an important part in securing donations, grants and other forms of funding. They plan and implement new strategies to reach their organization’s fundraising objectives. Fundraising managers direct strategies to acquire more funds. They reach out to past donors and new potential donors to ask for contributions. They choose from a variety of fundraising techniques for different fundraising events and campaigns and submit applications for grants from the government and other sources.

How Much a Public Relations Manager Makes

What makes PR manager one of the highest-paying management jobs is its median salary of $129,430. The highest-paid PR managers made more than $239,200 per year as of 2022. Fundraisers make considerably less money, but this can still be a lucrative role. The median annual salary the BLS reported for fundraisers in 2022 was $107,390, and the highest-paid fundraisers made more than $205,230.

Becoming a Public Relations Manager

If your ultimate career goal is to become a public relations and fundraising manager, expect to be in it for the long haul. These professionals usually begin their careers in entry-level public relations specialist or fundraiser positions. A few years of work experience in the field, with increasing responsibilities, may be enough to qualify candidates for lower-level management positions. For roles like public relations director and fundraising director, though, candidates often need a minimum of five to 10 years of relevant work experience.

10. Training and Development Manager

Completing our list of the top 10 highest-paying management jobs is training and development manager. Across all industries, organizations want their workers to be as productive as possible. To perform at their best – and add the most value to their company – employees need the right training and the opportunity to develop their skills.

What Training and Development Managers Do

Training and development managers are the professionals who plan and oversee training opportunities. In addition to supervising lower-level training and development specialists, they determine what training and skills employees need to achieve the company’s goals and create and coordinate those experiences. Part of training and development managers’ job duties is to use resources well. That includes making and sticking to a budget.

Employee training can take many different forms. Training and development managers may be responsible for teaching classes themselves, or they may teach other instructors or managers how to effectively train employees. They acquire training materials from vendors but might also develop their own materials, including online learning materials.

How Much Training and Development Managers Make

Like the other best-paying management jobs, the training and development manager role pays a median wage well over $100,000. The BLS reported the median annual salary for this role as $120,000 as of 2022. The highest earners in this business management profession made more than $210,470 per year.

Becoming a Training and Development Manager

Like other management careers, training and development manager is not an entry-level position. A bachelor’s degree in human resources or business administration is helpful, but the degree alone won’t land you this job. You’ll need experience working as a training and development specialist, human resources specialist or teacher. You’ll also need some form of management experience.

Money isn’t everything. You need to consider other factors besides pay when choosing a career. If you have the ambition and leadership skills to manage projects and other workers, though, why not shoot for one of the top 10 highest paying management careers?

Editor’s Note: The source for the employment, education, training and salary information presented in this article is the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). While this federal agency is responsible for monitoring the labor market, including the many professions in it, students will find that job requirements, responsibilities and wages differ depending on employer, region and industry. This article is meant as a guide to help students start their own research into potential career paths.

For Further Reading:

Top 10 Paying Jobs With an Associate’s Degree

Top 10 Highest Paying Engineering Careers

What Salary Can I Expect With a Human Resources Management Degree?

How Long Does It Take to Become an Accountant?

What Are the 5 Best Careers in Environmental Science?

Highest Paying Jobs With a Biology Degree – Degrees in Biology – Majors & Careers

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1. Purchasing Manager  

Virtually any business that deals in manufacturing or sales has to get their supplies and products from somewhere. Purchasing managers are the high-level business professionals responsible for buying supplies to use or products to sell. They compare the cost, quality and delivery speed of merchandise and suppliers and choose the items and vendors most appropriate for their organization’s needs. Often, this requires establishing and maintaining contact with vendors, interviewing them and even visiting their supply plants to learn more about the company, its practices and its costs. Purchasing managers negotiate prices and coordinate delivery schedules with their suppliers. They keep organized records of the organization’s purchase from all suppliers and handle problems, like working with vendors to address defective products, any failures to comply with contracts and any discrepancies in pricing. A successful purchasing manager must understand not only their products, but also industry trends and the inventory and sales records within their organization.

In addition to managing an organization’s purchasing operations, purchasing managers may also oversee people – the buyers and purchasing agents who work underneath them. At some organizations, purchasing managers may be primarily responsible for supervising and coordinating the work of lower-level purchasing employees, but they still handle particularly complicated purchasing contracts themselves.

Median Salary: $100,170
Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Business or a Field Relevant to the Industry, Like Engineering, Manufacturing or Applied Science

2. Management Analyst

Regardless of industry, efficiency is an important concern of all organizations, from high-powered corporations to local government entities. Wasted time and resources cost organizations money, taking away from company profits or limited government or donor funding. Management analysts, sometimes known as management consultants, are experienced business professionals who work with organizations to boost efficiency and productivity. Some management analysts work in-house in organizations like federal and local governments and insurance companies, while others work for consulting firms or as self-employed, independent contractors.

First, management analysts must learn about the problems they are to fix. They research problems and inefficient procedures within the organization by talking to the employees involved in the work and visiting the worksite to understand what workers, tools and equipment and procedures are used. Then management analysts assess financial data like revenue and expenses. They devise alternative procedures that could help companies streamline processes, improve productivity and cut costs, and they work with management to implement these new procedures.

Median Salary: $78,600
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Management, Economics or a Related Field, or a Master of Business Administration (MBA) 

3. Financial Analyst

In banks, insurance companies, mutual funds, pension funds and securities firms, financial analysts help investors manage their portfolios, or their collective group of investments. They are the business professionals who analyze investment opportunities to help individuals and companies make the right financial decisions. They determine which investments are likely to be profitable by studying trends in the economy, current and past financial performance and the financial records of individual companies they are considering as potential investment opportunities. Sometimes financial analysts will even meet with a company’s representatives in person to learn more about the company’s internal workings and why it might be a suitable investment option. They then convey their recommendations to investors both in writing and through in-person meetings.

Some financial analysts work in buying investment options like stocks and bonds, while others work in selling. Specialized positions within the field of financial analysis include fund manager, portfolio manager, ratings analyst and risk analyst.

For financial analysts, field of employment can make a big difference in salary potential. The median annual wage for the position is $76,950, but the more than 20 percent of financial analysts who work in financial investments like securities and commodity contracts earn $90,560 per year.

Learn more about what degree you need to be a financial analyst.

Median Salary: $ $76,950
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, or Statistics, or a Master’s Degree in Finance or MBA  

4. Financial Examiner

At both the state and federal level, laws exist to govern the business world, including financial institutions like banks and financial transactions, like loans. These regulations would be useless without someone in place to make sure they are being followed. Financial examiners are the business professionals who check for compliance of all relevant laws among banks and other types of financial institutions.

To find out if a bank is complying with federal and state laws, financial examiners must look over the bank’s finances and financial statements, including balance sheets, operating income reports and expense account statements. To determine how risky the loans provided by the bank are, financial examiners review loan documentation. Financial examiners continually observe and report on the bank’s financial health. They pay attention to the management of the bank, including what is discussed at meetings among bank management staff and bank directors.

Because the laws are constantly changing, financial examiners must keep abreast of new regulations and understand how those regulations apply to individual banks and financial institutions. These professionals are also responsible for creating new procedures to meet changing legal responsibilities.

Nearly one-quarter of all financial examiners work for the federal government, and another 12 percent work for state governments. Others find employment in industries like credit intermediation or financial investment. Often, financial examiners concentrate on either risk scoping, which focuses on determining how financially sound the financial institution is, or consumer compliance, which reviews how banks treat consumers, particularly when it comes to loaning money.

Median Salary: $75,800
Education:  Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Economics or Finance  

5. Logistician

Are you good at solving problems and organizing the details of projects? Logisticians are the business professionals that manage the supply chain, or the movement of supplies and resources to consumers. They handle the process of attaining, dispensing and transporting items like raw materials and finished manufactured products. Logisticians coordinate the purchasing, transportation and storage of supplies and track inventory.

It’s not enough for logisticians to coordinate supply chain movements effectively – they must also improve these processes to make them more efficient. Logisticians use cutting-edge computer software to analyze the supply chain process to determine ways organizations can decrease the financial cost and the time it takes to transport supplies.

Logisticians play an important role in a wide range of industries. Their work can include managing the transport of supplies as simple as consumer products or as complex as deploying military personnel. One quarter of all logisticians work in the general manufacturing industry, with nearly another quarter of these professionals working for the federal government. Other industries that frequently employ logisticians include professional and technical services, transportation equipment manufacturing and aerospace parts manufacturing.

Median Salary: $72,780
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Process Engineering or Supply Chain Management 

6. Budget Analyst

Establishing – and sticking to – a budget is difficult enough when it comes to personal or household finances, but for major businesses and organizations, it’s essential that someone is always managing the financial plans. Budget analysts are professionals who make sure public and private sector entities are following a budget and keeping their funds and spending records organized. Most budget analysts work in federal and state government agencies and educational services, but many also find employment in industries like manufacturing and technical services.

Before an organization can adhere to a budget, it first needs to establish a reasonable financial plan. This, too, is part of a budget analyst’s responsibility. Budget analysts work with the managers in every department of the organization to compile a full, accurate budget for the entire organization to follow. When a program leader or department manager requests or proposes additional funding, the budget analyst must determine if the requested funds are available and if the request is worthwhile. Budget analysts observe the organization’s spending practices and report on whether the company or entity is adhering to the established budget.

Median Salary: $69,280
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Finance or Accounting

7. Personal Financial Advisor

If you make good financial decisions and understand the science of analyzing financial opportunities, a career as a personal financial advisor might make sense to you. These professionals advise clients on how to manage their money, including choosing the right investments and insurance coverage and minimizing their tax burden.

While it’s important for personal financial advisors to thoroughly understand the world of finance, it’s also important that they have the interpersonal skills to establish a rapport with their clients. Personal financial advisors meet with their clients in person to learn about their financial needs and goals, and they must find the right financial decisions to help clients meet those needs and achieve those objectives, whether the goals are short-term or long-term. In addition to advising the client and helping them make the right decisions, personal financial advisors invest the client’s money according to those decisions and regularly report on the investment’s progress and profitability.

Most personal financial advisors work in financial investment, credit intermediation and securities and commodity contracts. Others find employment in the insurance industry or in professional services. Some personal financial advisors even work for a single, exceptionally wealthy individual or family. Because everyone is interested in increasing their personal finances and making better financial decisions, opportunities are expected to grow rapidly in this career field – 27 percent over just a decade, more than twice as fast as the growth expected for all occupations.

Median Salary: $67,520
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Business, Economics or Accounting

 8. Accountant and Auditor

Accountants and auditors are the business professionals who create financial documents, like balance sheets and income statements. They check financial records for accuracy and maintain those records in an organized fashion. Accounting professionals often prepare tax returns and other documents and determine the amount of tax dollars owed.

The core of accounting may be creating financial reports, but today’s accountants do more than crunch numbers. They evaluate financial practices and find ways to help companies and organizations improve these practices, including ways to raise profits and cut expenses.

There are many types of accountants. Public accountants work with clients like individuals, businesses and government entities to create legally required financial reports, such as tax documents. One particular kind of public accountant, the certified public accountant (CPA), is especially in-demand and is likely to earn a higher salary and have a greater selection of job opportunities. Management accountants create the financial statements companies need for internal use, while internal auditors review how a company is using its money to detect any instances of fraud or waste of funds.

Median Salary: $63,550
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting 

9. Insurance Underwriter

Assessing risk is an essential part of insurance of any kind, from medical and life to auto and homeowner’s. To remain profitable, insurers of all kinds must bring in more money in premiums – and the investments they are able to make with those premiums – than they pay out in claims. Minimizing risk is a prevailing strategy of accomplishing this goal. Insurance underwriters are the business professionals who evaluate the risk an insurance company will take by agreeing to provide coverage to an applicant.

When an insurance company receives an application for coverage, insurance underwriters compare applicants’ information to a pre-established set of criteria that helps them identify risk factors. They use computer software to analyze the risk of an applicant. Insurance underwriters play an important role in the insurance industry. They determine whether an insurer will offer coverage to that applicant at all, and if so, what amounts of coverage to offer and what premiums to charge. For insurance underwriters, it’s important to find a workable middle ground between accepting applicants with too much risk and rejecting so many applicants that the insurance company has no policyholders left to insure.

Unsurprisingly, the overwhelming majority of insurance underwriters work directly for insurance carriers. Others work for insurance agencies and brokerages, credit intermediation services or company management. Many insurance underwriters specialize in assessing risks for a particular type of insurance coverage, such as life insurance or health insurance.

Median Salary: $62,870
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Economics or Mathematics 

10. Market Research Analyst

To achieve success, a business must know its market. It must be able to make decisions about what products or services to provide, what to charge for them and who to sell them to. They do this with the help of market research analysts, who investigate sales trends and history in the market.

To understand the market, market research analysts must first collect data to analyze. Market research analysts review current and pasts sales trends. They figure out the best methods to learn what they need to know and amass relevant information from surveys and polls of potential customers and competitors. With the help of statistical software, these professionals can glean important insights into what consumers want and what price they are willing to pay and predict how well a product or service will sell. They convey these insights through written reports, graphs and tables and face-to-face presentations.

Market research analysts can also assist with marketing products and services. They use their understanding of the product’s target audience to devise plans and promotions that help sell the product or service. They also put their analytical skills to work to determine how effective a marketing campaign or sales plan was in generating sales and attracting customers.

Median Salary: $60,300
Education:  Bachelor’s Degree in Market Research, Statistics, Computer Science or Business

Editor’s Note: The salary and job outlook data, job descriptions and educational requirements conveyed in this article originated with the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. This federal agency is responsible for reporting on activity in the ever-changing U.S. labor market. Students should consider this article a resource to guide further research into their intended career paths, not a guarantee that a particular educational path will result in a job or that a position will pay the median annual wage.

For Further Reading: 

Top 10 Highest Paying Engineering Careers

Top 10 Paying Jobs That Involve Math

Top 10 Paying Jobs With an Associate’s Degree

What Are the Highest-Paying Jobs With an Associates Degree in Accounting?

How Many Jobs Are Available in Finance?

What Are the 5 Best Careers in Environmental Science?

What Are My Degree Choices in Fraud Analysis?

How Long Does It Take to Become an Accountant?

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