In most cases, college majors determine the career and salary of students. Choosing a good major is essential when applying to colleges. “It’s really important that you choose the right major because it is the subject that you are going to specialize in after you graduate,” stated Eloise Barret (9). Here is a list of five college majors that could lead to career paths with high starting salaries,  high growth potential, and high demand in the workforce.  

1. Computer science. With a degree in computer science you have diverse career choices such as, but not limited to, software system developer, business intelligence analyst, computer system engineer,  and computer programmer. The first few years in the workforce, a worker with a computer science degree makes $56,600 per year on average and in the middle of their career make $97,900 on average as reported by Forbes.
2. Architectural engineering. Architectural engineers design and engineer structures. With ten years of experience, the median pay for an architectural engineer is $74,000 and the starting median pay is $52,531.
3. Actuarial mathematics. Actuarial Mathematicians use statistics and theory to help make financial decisions. It is important for actuarial mathematicians to have good financial and mathematical skills. According to Think Advisor, the average starting salary of an actuarial mathematician is $58,800 and the average mid-career salary is $119,000.
4. Statistics. Careers where a statistics degree could be used range from data analysts to data scientists. The average salary for workers with a statistics degree is $60,000, as reported by Glassdoor.
5. Chemical engineering. Chemical engineers alter chemicals in many different substances. Chemical engineers have many work options including improving chemicals in the environment, improving chemicals in food processing, or trying to create chemicals for different reasons. On average, the starting chemical engineer makes $67,982 and an experienced chemical engineer makes $72,718.

Barret stated, “I feel like how much you enjoy your job is more important than the amount you get paid even though it would be good if the job would pay you a good amount of money.”

The careers students can get after receiving a degree in these five college majors are all predicted to be in high demand in the next few years. Salary and growth potential are important things to keep in mind when deciding your college major; however, “money isn’t everything. Many people hope their careers will give them a sense of purpose, too,” stated Kiplinger.