ASSOCIATE + BACHELOR’S · ILLUSTRATIVE ECONOMIC ROI

Best ROI majors

Compare degree fields using reported earnings, college-wide average net price, expected study time and earnings forgone while enrolled.

Field familyAll fieldsSTEM & ComputingHealth & ClinicalBusiness & ManagementSocial & Behavioral SciencesEducationArts, Media & HumanitiesLaw & Public ServiceTrades & Applied Fields
Degree levelAssociate + bachelor’sAssociateBachelor’s
Business & Management20 qualifying field-and-credential categories
1Construction ManagementBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,163/yr+92%2InsuranceBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,610/yr+72%3Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,818/yr+48%4Management Information Systems and ServicesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $17,880/yr+42%5Real EstateBachelor's Degree · institution price context $22,987/yr+42%6Business/Managerial EconomicsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,338/yr+32%7Finance and Financial Management ServicesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,214/yr+25%8General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing OperationsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,448/yr+16%9International BusinessBachelor's Degree · institution price context $22,729/yr+6%10Accounting and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,050/yr+6%11Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, OtherBachelor's Degree · institution price context $21,470/yr−5%12Human Resources Management and ServicesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,875/yr−15%13MarketingBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,309/yr−18%14Business/Commerce, GeneralBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,616/yr−21%15Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,829/yr−25%16Entrepreneurial and Small Business OperationsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $21,279/yr−42%17Business/Corporate CommunicationsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $22,811/yr−44%18Hospitality Administration/ManagementBachelor's Degree · institution price context $17,890/yr−57%19Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing OperationsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $23,402/yr−69%20Business Operations Support and Assistant ServicesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $12,029/yr−194%

The ROI scenario compares reported earnings with a $45,000 annual earnings baseline and includes study-time opportunity cost. Annual cost is the average college-wide net price among institutions reporting the field, not program tuition. Certificate and graduate credentials are excluded because that proxy is not reliable enough for those programs.