These College Majors Barely Earn More Than High School Grads

By Eliana Dockterman

February 19, 2015

Parents will be relieved to hear that the job market is improving for recent college graduates. But how likely grads are to get a job after school highly depends on their major.

An annual report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and Workforce found that college is still worth the cost for most students in the current economy. Unemployment rates for recent graduates in most majors declined last year. No matter the major, young professionals who graduated from college were more likely to be employed than their high school educated counterparts—except for those who majored in architecture or the social sciences.

Unsurprisingly, those who majored in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math) had the best wage advantage over their high school educated competitors. Engineering majors earned on average $57,00 per year, almost twice that of the average high school graduate in the same field.

But some majors aren’t so lucrative. The study found that college was the least economical for graduates who majored in arts, psychology or social work. They earn only $31,000 per year on average—only $1,000 more than the average high school educated worker.

Read next: Why States Are Fighting About American History Class

See Photos of Barack Obama in College

<b>Chance Encounter</b> In 1980, when Obama was a freshman at Occidental College in Los Angeles, he was approached by an aspiring photographer named Lisa Jack, who asked him if he would be willing to pose for some black and white photographs that she could use in her portfolio.

Chance Encounter In 1980, when Obama was a freshman at Occidental College in Los Angeles, he was approached by an aspiring photographer named Lisa Jack, who asked him if he would be willing to pose for some black and white photographs that she could use in her portfolio.

Lisa Jack

<b>Handsome</b>
Of her first meeting (in a campus eatery) with Obama, Jack remembers only that "He was really cute. But what else does a 20-year-old girl remember?"

Handsome Of her first meeting (in a campus eatery) with Obama, Jack remembers only that "He was really cute. But what else does a 20-year-old girl remember?"

Lisa Jack

<b>Styled</b>
In the photos, Jack says, "You can see he is just posing, initially, but as the shoot goes on, he starts to come out. He was very charismatic even then."

Styled In the photos, Jack says, "You can see he is just posing, initially, but as the shoot goes on, he starts to come out. He was very charismatic even then."

Lisa Jack

<b>Prop</b>
Jack never realized her dream of becoming a photographer and is now a psychologist.

Prop Jack never realized her dream of becoming a photographer and is now a psychologist.

Lisa Jack

<b>Pose</b>
Jack and Obama would see each other only a few more times while students. But in 2005, while on a tour, she spotted Obama on Capitol Hill and yelled hello. "He knew exactly who I was after all this time," Jack says. "I was amazed."

Pose Jack and Obama would see each other only a few more times while students. But in 2005, while on a tour, she spotted Obama on Capitol Hill and yelled hello. "He knew exactly who I was after all this time," Jack says. "I was amazed."

Lisa Jack

<b>Doubt</b>
On a dare from a skeptical friend, Jack decided to track down her negatives from the shoot.

Doubt On a dare from a skeptical friend, Jack decided to track down her negatives from the shoot.

Lisa Jack

<b>Searcher</b>
Initially, before she dug the film out from her basement, Jack never thought her pictures would have much life beyond her own darkroom.

Searcher Initially, before she dug the film out from her basement, Jack never thought her pictures would have much life beyond her own darkroom.

Lisa Jack

<b>Smile</b>
When she found them, the images of Obama "blew me away," she says. "I had no idea I'd taken a whole roll of film."

Smile When she found them, the images of Obama "blew me away," she says. "I had no idea I'd taken a whole roll of film."

Lisa Jack

<b>Charm</b>
For a while, Jack put the negatives in a safety-deposit box, so that they could not be used until after the election, when there would be no chance they could be used for a political purpose.

Charm For a while, Jack put the negatives in a safety-deposit box, so that they could not be used until after the election, when there would be no chance they could be used for a political purpose.

<b>Thoughtful</b>
Today, Jack says, she hopes the photos reveal a "spirit of fun and thoughtfulness."

Thoughtful Today, Jack says, she hopes the photos reveal a "spirit of fun and thoughtfulness."

Lisa Jack

<b>The Man Who Would Be President</b>
"I'm not political," Jack says, "(But) these are historic photos and they should be shared."

The Man Who Would Be President "I'm not political," Jack says, "(But) these are historic photos and they should be shared."

Lisa Jack

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Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com.

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