Lowest-paying college majors [median salary]
-- Social work
-- Education
-- Animal science
-- Health and physical education/fitness
-- Psychology
-- Human development and related services
-- Criminal justice
-- Hospitality administration/management
-- Criminology
-- Design and applied arts
10 College Majors With the Lowest Starting Salaries
A rewarding career isn't measured in salary alone.
For many students, graduating from college means getting a shot at a full-time job and long-lasting career. Some careers come with low pay, but they can bring satisfaction in other ways such as allowing graduates to help families in need, work toward meaningful changes in society or pursue a passion. Using data from PayScale, here are the 10 college majors with the lowest median salaries for alumni with three years of postcollege work experience whose highest degree is a bachelor's. Also included for each major is the college where alumni were most likely to make the highest median salary in that field, according to PayScale.
Design and applied arts
Median starting salary: $43,122
School with alumni earning the highest salary for this major:Fordham University (NY)
U.S. News rank and category: 66 (tie), National Universities
Median starting salary for Fordham University graduates in this field: $57,100
Criminology
Median starting salary: $42,988
School with alumni earning the highest salary for this major:Marquette University (WI)
U.S. News rank and category: 88 (tie), National Universities
Median starting salary for Marquette University graduates in this field: $50,500
Hospitality administration/management
Median starting salary: $42,931
School with alumni earning the highest salary for this major:Cornell University (NY)
U.S. News rank and category: 18, National Universities
Median starting salary for Cornell University graduates in this field: $62,700
Criminal justice
Median starting salary: $42,729
School with alumni earning the highest salary for this major:Northeastern University (MA)
U.S. News rank and category: 49 (tie), National Universities
Median starting salary for Northeastern University graduates in this field: $59,800
Human development and related services
Median starting salary: $42,400
School with alumni earning the highest salary for this major:Virginia Tech
U.S. News rank and category: 74 (tie), National Universities
Median starting salary for Virginia Tech graduates in this field: $49,100
Psychology
Median starting salary: $42,313
School with alumni earning the highest salary for this major:Stanford University (CA)
U.S. News rank and category: 6 (tie), National Universities
Median starting salary for Stanford University graduates in this field: $67,900
Health and physical education/fitness
Median starting salary: $41,778
School with alumni earning the highest salary for this major:University of Massachusetts--Amherst
U.S. News rank and category: 66 (tie), National Universities
Median starting salary for University of Massachusetts--Amherst graduates in this field: $54,600
Animal science
Median starting salary: $41,080
School with alumni earning the highest salary for this major:Auburn University (AL)
U.S. News rank and category: 97 (tie), National Universities
Median starting salary for Auburn University graduates in this field: $50,800
Education
Median starting salary: $39,543
School with alumni earning the highest salary for this major:University of Maryland--College Park
U.S. News rank and category: 58 (tie), National Universities
Median starting salary for University of Maryland--College Park graduates in this field: $51,800
Social work
Median starting salary: $37,727
School with alumni earning the highest salary for this major:San Jose State University
U.S. News rank and category: 22 (tie), Regional Universities (West)
Median starting salary for San Jose State University graduates in this field: $46,300