When deciding on a college major, it’s natural to have many questions. When it comes to determining the highest salary potential the top question is: ‘How much money can I earn with a college degree?’
Weighing the Salary Factors Based on Location 
There are many factors that can determine how much you make with a college education. Location is a big part of it. If you’re living in a big metropolitan area where there are plenty of businesses and corporations thriving, then you’re most likely going to find more career opportunities there. On the other hand, you could be employed by a small company in a big city and not earn as much as you could working for a larger corporation. However, living in a large city has large expenses—the cost of living is going to be much higher, so what could be considered a generous salary in some areas of the country might be just enough to make ends meet.
You could also work for a successful company in a small town earning top dollar for your position and because the cost of living is minimal, your net earnings could be quite lucrative.
What are the Top-Earning Degrees?
According to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, here’s how much money you can make with the following degrees:
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Business Administration
There are hundreds of job positions that you can work in with a business administration degree. For an Administrative Services Manager, you could earn up to $90,050 a year. A lot of his or her responsibilities include developing processes, planning, coordinating, and of course, managing. Pursuing a career with a business administration degree appears to be a wise investment as it is projected to grow 10% by the year 2026. FNU has a stellar Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program that you can enroll in that’s also available online.
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Accounting
Earning a bachelor’s degree in Accounting seems like a sure thing since it’s a profession that’s considered to be the foundation of most successful business. Without proper accounting, a business will not have any idea of what their earnings are. Without proper checks and balances, they won’t have the accurate data to execute any solid business plan. A bachelor’s degree in accounting can reportedly earn you up to $68,150 annually.
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Nursing
Here’s a profession you won’t ever have to worry about fading away. The healthcare profession is alive and kicking. Even with all of the technological advances with artificial intelligence, we still need human hands to treat and care for patients. A Registered Nurse can earn as much as someone with a bachelor’s degree in accounting at $68,450 a year. Nursing is more of a hands-on kind of profession. However, both professions tend to have more flexibility in terms of relocating if necessary.
Degrees That Require More Education
The next two professions certainly offer the potential for higher earning, but in order to achieve this, further education is needed. FNU offers bachelor degrees for the following programs that can help propel a student’s college career toward a rewarding profession.
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Psychology
To work as a licensed psychologist, you’ll need to first get a bachelor’s degree and then move on to a masters, and lastly, a doctorates. FNU offers a regionally accredited Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree program that you can earn 100% online. Earning your undergraduate from this 4-year program will prepare you for higher levels of learning in the industry. Once you complete all of your academic and licensing requirements, you may be able to earn up to $75,230 a year.
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Legal Studies
If you’re aspiring to become a lawyer, you’ll first need to earn a bachelor’s degree, next a masters, then a doctorates—similar to becoming a psychologist—just in that respective field. You can earn your Bachelor of Arts degree in Legal Studies from FNU. This is another degree that you can earn 100% online. Legal occupations can earn up to $118,160 a year.
Always the Potential to Earn More!
The reported annual salaries earned are the median salary as stated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There is potential to earn more than this—but here again, certain factors will determine the salary cap.
The bottom line is whatever career path you choose, we encourage you to choose something that you love to do. When you do something that you love, it won’t seem like work! Florida National University is dedicated to helping students get a college education and realizing their dreams as a professional. Our goal is to help you choose a degree program that you are passionate about—something that’s going to interest you and pique your interest.
Do Your Research. Learn About the Profession
While high salary earning is certainly an end goal for most aspiring college students, we encourage you to do the research about the professions that interest you the most. Learn more about what kind of work they do, where are they most likely to work and where in the country are these jobs most heavily available. You may discover that where most of the jobs are is a place where you’d rather not live. You also may discover that the job requirements don’t line up with what you want to do as a professional. Our academic advisors are here to help you figure it all out!
Use Professional Online Platforms to Learn About a Profession
While we’re providing you with a quick overview of this, we encourage you to go a little further. Talk to real life professionals in the field. If you’re shy, used LinkedIn and connect with professionals that way. You can Inbox them questions. You’ll be surprised at how many will respond! This is also a great way to make professional connections that could possibly turn into an internship and maybe even a job!
We encourage you to use the salary potential information we’re providing you as just one of the aspects to weigh when choosing a college major.
To learn more about your career goals and the potential of other professional occupations, contact an FNU advisor online today!
