ASSOCIATE + BACHELOR’S · ILLUSTRATIVE ECONOMIC ROIBest ROI majors
Compare degree fields using reported earnings, college-wide average net price, expected study time and earnings forgone while enrolled.
STEM & Computing23 qualifying field-and-credential categories
1Physical Science Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $6,852/yr+349%2Engineering Technologies/Technicians, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,744/yr+231%3Engineering ScienceAssociate's Degree · institution price context $7,396/yr+199%4Engineering, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $7,621/yr+187%5Industrial Production Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,088/yr+158%6Electromechanical Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,276/yr+156%7Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $12,754/yr+107%8Civil Engineering Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,069/yr+105%9Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $13,835/yr+84%10Computer ScienceAssociate's Degree · institution price context $9,941/yr+75%11MathematicsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,306/yr+55%12Information Science/StudiesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $15,027/yr+50%13Computer ProgrammingAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,261/yr+30%14Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $11,193/yr+29%15Environmental Control Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $15,564/yr+0%16Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementAssociate's Degree · institution price context $13,472/yr−2%17Computer Systems Networking and TelecommunicationsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $14,803/yr−9%18Computer Engineering Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $12,231/yr−12%19Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $10,385/yr−17%20Data ProcessingAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,574/yr−23%21Physical Sciences, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,368/yr−51%22Biology, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,342/yr−98%23Computer Software and Media ApplicationsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $15,221/yr−155%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.