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 fields STEM & Computing Health & Clinical Business & Management Social & Behavioral Sciences Education Arts, Media & Humanities Law & Public Service Trades & Applied Fields

Degree levelAssociate + bachelor’s Associate Bachelor’s

STEM & Computing79 qualifying field-and-credential categories

61Computer Systems Networking and TelecommunicationsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $14,803/yr−9%62Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical SciencesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,020/yr−9%63Computer Engineering Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree · institution price context $12,231/yr−12%64ChemistryBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,373/yr−16%65Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $10,385/yr−17%66Microbiological Sciences and ImmunologyBachelor's Degree · institution price context $16,118/yr−17%67Data ProcessingAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,574/yr−23%68Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular BiologyBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,685/yr−24%69Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $16,782/yr−37%70Neurobiology and NeurosciencesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $24,619/yr−40%71Physiology, Pathology and Related SciencesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,068/yr−42%72Atmospheric Sciences and MeteorologyBachelor's Degree · institution price context $21,154/yr−44%73Physical Sciences, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,368/yr−51%74Biology, GeneralBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,497/yr−52%75Computer Software and Media ApplicationsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $25,150/yr−76%76Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population BiologyBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,979/yr−80%77Biology, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,342/yr−98%78Zoology/Animal BiologyBachelor's Degree · institution price context $17,582/yr−103%79Computer 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.