Update: I don’t believe earnings prospects should be the major factor in how a teen goes about choosing a college major. They should look to the intersection of their God-given talents and interests, as I’ve explained here and here. That said, studies show that many teens don’t have a realistic sense of their earning prospects when they choose a college major. As a result, they might take on tens of thousands of dollars in student debt, and spend years struggling to pay it off. I’m not suggesting Christians should avoid low-paying careers. But we should decide how to pay for college in the light of day. To that end, the infographic below is interesting.
This NPR report discusses these findings. Note that earnings potential also depends on what field you enter. And passions often (and should) trump earnings potential. But with regard to wages, although we obsess about what college to attend, the choice of major is much more determinative than the choice of college.