Performance Metrics
Top Majors by ROI
The highest-scoring major-school pairings in America — combining earnings, AI resilience, job market demand, and ROI into a single comparable score.
#1
Nursing
California State University-Stanislaus · CA
91/100
$119K1-yr earn
38.2xROI
HighAI risk
#2
Information Sciences
University of California-Los Angeles · CA
91/100
$136K1-yr earn
38.8xROI
Very HighAI risk
#3
Construction Management Technology
Utah Valley University · UT
91/100
$74K1-yr earn
39.3xROI
LowAI risk
#4
Management Science
University of Wisconsin-Madison · WI
91/100
$83K1-yr earn
27.3xROI
Very HighAI risk
#5
Finance
Brigham Young University · UT
90/100
$83K1-yr earn
44.7xROI
Very HighAI risk
| # | Major | Score | Earnings | AI Risk | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Accounting Binghamton University · NY | 87 | $74,151/yr | Very High | 22.9x |
| 7 | Sales & Marketing Western Governors University · UT | 86 | $93,151/yr | High | 29.3x |
| 8 | Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences University of Hawaii at Hilo · HI | 85 | $63,776/yr | High | 44.1x |
| 9 | Economics University of California-Berkeley · CA | 84 | $80,446/yr | Very High | 20.2x |
| 10 | Allied Health Professions California State University-Northridge · CA | 83 | $100,724/yr | Moderate | 36.4x |
Career Outlook
Salary, growth & AI exposure by occupation
BLS wage and 10-year growth data for the careers most graduates pursue, layered with the DegreeOutlook AI Impact Model. Every hub maps the education paths that lead to the role.
Physician Assistants
Master's degree · Healthcare
$133Kmedian
+20.4%10-yr growth
12,000openings/yr
LowAI risk
Software Developers
Bachelor's degree · Tech
$133Kmedian
+15.8%10-yr growth
115,200openings/yr
Very HighAI risk
Registered Nurses
Bachelor's degree · Healthcare
$94Kmedian
+4.9%10-yr growth
189,100openings/yr
ModerateAI risk
Mechanical Engineers
Bachelor's degree · Engineering
$102Kmedian
+9.1%10-yr growth
18,100openings/yr
HighAI risk
Financial Analysts
Bachelor's degree · Finance
$101Kmedian
+5.7%10-yr growth
25,100openings/yr
ModerateAI risk
Physical Therapists
Doctoral degree · Healthcare
$101Kmedian
+10.9%10-yr growth
13,200openings/yr
LowAI risk
Dental Hygienists
Associate's degree · Healthcare
$94Kmedian
+7.0%10-yr growth
15,300openings/yr
LowAI risk
Accountants & Auditors
Bachelor's degree · Finance
$82Kmedian
+4.6%10-yr growth
124,200openings/yr
ModerateAI risk
Editorial
Latest Analysis
Data-driven takes on college ROI, AI career risk, and what the federal numbers actually say.
Data Insights
Market Analysis & Academic Trends
Aggregate signals across the full 24,479-program dataset. Earnings, AI exposure, and value patterns from College Scorecard and BLS — refreshed each build, never editorialized.
Avg 1-yr Earnings by AI Exposure
Higher AI-exposure fields (CS, finance, business) currently command higher starting salaries — but face the steepest re-pricing risk over the next decade. Low-risk programs trade upside for resilience.
Earnings : Tuition
2.1x
Average 1-year graduate earnings ($44,494) vs. average in-state tuition ($21,654) across all programs.
AI-Resilient Share
15.8%
Share of programs in the Low or Moderate AI-exposure bracket. The remainder face meaningful task-automation pressure.
Academic Fields
Explore by Major
The most popular fields of study. Click any major to see school rankings, career paths, and salary data.
Business Administration
$46,892/yr61/100
Nursing
$75,274/yr77/100
Psychology
$31,706/yr35/100
Biology
$32,220/yr38/100
Accounting
$53,725/yr69/100
Teacher Education
$41,412/yr52/100
Criminal Justice
$38,544/yr52/100
Communication and Media Studies
$35,147/yr36/100
Health & Physical Education
$31,057/yr38/100
Political Science
$36,685/yr46/100
Institutions
Best Value Schools
Schools with the highest average DegreeOutlook Score across all their programs. Public schools dominate — lower tuition drives higher ROI.
| School | Score | Tuition | Avg Earnings | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Governors University UT · Private NP | 73 | $8,300 | $70,446 | 14 |
| Colorado State University Global CO · Public | 73 | $8,400 | $59,012 | 11 |
| Capella University MN · Private FP | 71 | $14,436 | $64,188 | 10 |
| Columbia Southern University AL · Private FP | 71 | $5,808 | $63,373 | 12 |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus GA · Public | 68 | $11,764 | $68,384 | 19 |
| Franklin University OH · Private NP | 68 | $9,577 | $54,074 | 14 |
| University of Maryland Global Campus MD · Public | 68 | $7,992 | $55,493 | 25 |
| Oregon Institute of Technology OR · Public | 67 | $12,687 | $63,715 | 10 |
| Colorado School of Mines CO · Public | 67 | $21,186 | $72,086 | 13 |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology MO · Public | 65 | $14,278 | $68,162 | 19 |
Future-Proof Careers
Most AI-Resistant Majors
Fields with the lowest AI automation exposure that still earn $35K+. These careers are hardest for AI to disrupt.
| Major | Score | Avg Earnings | AI Risk | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts & Humanities | 33 | $37,173 | Low | 424 |
| Clinical Laboratory Science | 60 | $65,728 | Moderate | 99 |
| Industrial Production Technology | 61 | $60,267 | Moderate | 48 |
| Dental Services | 57 | $60,938 | Moderate | 74 |
| Mechanical Engineering Technology | 62 | $62,227 | Moderate | 59 |
| Allied Health Professions | 57 | $59,453 | Moderate | 195 |
| Rehabilitation Therapies | 38 | $35,098 | Moderate | 57 |
| Fire Protection | 63 | $68,085 | Moderate | 20 |
| Forestry | 43 | $42,703 | Moderate | 29 |
| Food Science and Technology | 58 | $49,845 | Moderate | 25 |
Top Earnings
Highest Earning Majors
Majors with the highest average graduate earnings one year after graduation.
| Major | Score | Avg Earnings | AI Risk | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | 77 | $78,695 | Very High | 174 |
| Electrical Engineering | 69 | $77,517 | Very High | 262 |
| Nursing | 77 | $75,274 | High | 990 |
| Industrial Engineering | 66 | $73,874 | High | 93 |
| Computer Science | 75 | $73,714 | Very High | 345 |
| Aerospace Engineering | 69 | $73,060 | High | 57 |
| Construction Management | 75 | $72,738 | High | 56 |
| Chemical Engineering | 68 | $72,288 | High | 158 |
| Construction Engineering Technologies | 65 | $71,755 | Very High | 45 |
| Materials Engineering | 63 | $71,341 | High | 33 |
Methodology
How DegreeOutlook Scores Work
Four inputs collapse into a single comparable 0–100 number for every program in the dataset. No editorial judgement; the formula is published.
01
Real earnings data
Actual graduate salaries from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard — not self-reported alumni surveys.
02
AI exposure index
Every career path rated for automation risk using peer-reviewed research (Felten AIOE, OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs).
03
Three scenarios
Optimistic, base-case, and pessimistic projections for how AI reshapes each field over the next decade.
04
A single 0–100 score
Earnings, ROI, job-market size, and AI resilience collapse into one comparable metric per program.