By Clark Howard - ClarkHoward.com
Two new reports provide ammunition to rebut the many complaints you hear these days that college isn't worth the cost.
Highest-paying 2-year degrees...
Monster.com has a report that details the highest paying two-year degrees. They are as follows:- Registered nurse
- Dental hygienist
- Respiratory therapist
- Computer programmer
- Telecom Installer
- Industrial Engineering Technician
- Police officer
- HVAC mechanic
- Paralegal
The reality is there are professions, at all levels of education, where the earning power is higher and the job possibilities are greater. We'd all do well to remember this the next time we hear somebody saying college isn't worth it.
If you're looking for the highest-paid college majors, here's the latest list (expressed as starting salaries) according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers:
- Petroleum Engineering: $93,500
- Computer Engineering: $71,700
- Chemical Engineering: $67,600
- Computer Science: $64,800
- Aerospace/Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering: $64,400
- Mechanical Engineering: $64,000
- Electrical/Electronics and Communications Engineering: $63,400
- Management Information Systems/Business: $63,100
- Engineering Technology: $62,200
- Finance: $57,400
So all those guys (and gals, to a lesser degree) in high school who were math and science nerds that you thought were such losers are the ones making all the dough!
As you can see, the basic idea here is to go with the hard sciences. If they interest you, the hard sciences will afford you career options, career mobility and the greatest earning power.
