DegreeVerdict
ROI Calculator
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
Social & Behavioral Sciences4 qualifying field-and-credential categories
1SociologyAssociate's Degree · institution price context $7,169/yr−98%2Social Sciences, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,159/yr−107%3Psychology, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,365/yr−160%4Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $9,380/yr−189%

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.