What you major in can have a huge impact in how much you earn. Here are some of the worst paying degrees, according to Wallet Pop. The number in parentheses the average mid-career salary, so you’ll actually be making less than the quoted figures right out of school.
1 – Social work ($41,600)
No surprise here. Social work is a thankless job with pretty bad pay. I understand someone has to do it, but this isn’t a great job for building wealth. I think it takes a very strong person to give up many of the luxuries that come with making more money.
2 – Elementary education ($42,000)
I was surprised to see this on the list. But once I thought about it some more, it makes sense. High school and middle school teachers make more because the subjects they teach are often more difficult – calculus, physics, literature, etc. Of course, part of a teacher’s education is to learn how to manage a classroom full of children, not an easy task.
3 – Theology ($51,500)
I don’t think anyone goes into this field for the cash flow. It’s all about the guy upstairs, right? I personally find religious discussions and concepts really interesting, but have no interest in making it my career.
4 – Music ($52,000)
I’ve always heard that the only job you can get with a degree in music is teaching. This obviously isn’t completely true, but the music field is definitely for those with a strong passion (that doesn’t include money!).
5 – Spanish ($52,600)
Hmmm. I thought Spanish was one of the fastest growing spoken languages? Maybe translating and the like just don’t pay well? I would consider a language minor, but I’d never major in one. To me, one language doesn’t seem broad enough.
6 – Horticulture ($53,400)
I don’t find plants too interesting, and I guess employers don’t either. I’m guessing the non-financial benefits make this job more appealing.
7 – Education ($54,100)
Not for me, but I know quite a few of my classmates who can’t wait to start teaching. I’m somewhat surprised to see this one on the list. Teaching has decent pay, good insurance, summers off (kind of), sick time, etc. Of course, the argument of whether or not teachers are paid what they’re worth is a debate for the ages.
8 – Hospitality and tourism ($54,300)
I think this is a low ball estimate of salary because it doesn’t take into account tips. Being able to see the world for cheap, if not free, isn’t a bad deal.
9 – Fine arts ($56,300)
Definitely not for me! I wouldn’t ever tell someone not to major in the arts, but I wouldn’t encourage them either.
10 – Drama ($56,600)
If you make it big, then drama has a great return on investment. If not, you might be waiting tables for a long time.
Thoughts…
Interestingly, it doesn’t seem like the pay potential for these majors is absolutely horrible. Engineers, doctors, lawyers, etc. will of course make more, but it’s not impossible to make a life by making $40,000-$50,000 per year. If you’re thinking of going into one these fields, you might want to double check that your chosen school is affordable. Spending six figures for a job that pays less than $50,000 probably isn’t the best idea.
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Those salaries don’t look bad at all. I’ve read a lot and the average starting salary for recent college grads hovers in the 20,000-30,000 range. Those numbers almost make it seem worth majoring in something rather…well…useless.
That’s exactly what I thought! They might require someone to be a bit more frugal than their peers, but that’s not a horrible way to live. I’m guessing the “worst” thing about these majors is that there aren’t as many jobs available for them.