There’s a certain energy in the air when you walk through the campus of any aerospace company in Southern California or Seattle; it’s somewhere between focused ambition and quiet confidence. It wasn’t by accident that the engineers who entered those buildings each morning earned six-figure salaries. They placed a well-thought-out wager on a particular piece of paper, and it was profitable.
That observation is supported by compelling data. According to Federal Reserve Bank of New York labor market data from 2025, graduates in aerospace engineering make a median yearly salary of $134,830 by mid-career. Electrical engineering completes the top three at $120,000, closely followed by computer engineering at $122,000. These are median numbers, which indicate that half of graduates in these fields make even more money. They are neither outliers nor Silicon Valley anomalies. That’s an amazing foundation for a financial life.
It’s difficult to ignore how firmly engineering takes center stage in this discussion. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, those with a bachelor’s degree made about $1,543 per week in 2024, while those with a high school diploma made about $930, a difference of almost $32,000 annually. However, not all degrees are created equal, even among those with college degrees, and the gap between the top and bottom of that spectrum is greater than most incoming freshmen are informed during campus tours.
For example, graduates in computer engineering frequently begin their careers earning $80,000 before they reach their late twenties. Just a generation ago, this salary would have been considered exceptional for mid-career professionals in many fields. The starting salary for aerospace engineers is about $76,000. These early-career numbers are crucial because higher starting salaries compound over time through raises, promotions, and retirement contributions, in addition to providing immediate comfort. Over a thirty-year period, the math becomes nearly unfair.
The other side of this tale is also present. Of all the bachelor’s degrees tracked in the data, majors in theology and religion face the most difficult return on investment. These graduates’ median student loan debt is approximately $38,722. The total repayment increases to about $52,500 when you account for a typical 10-year repayment at current interest rates. The path to financial stability is much longer and more difficult, but the degree itself isn’t worthless—the profit after ten years of wages still comes out positive. Many students who choose these routes seem to be unaware of the decades-long financial burden they are taking on.
Whether encouraging every 18-year-old to pursue computer engineering is the answer is still up for debate. People who study philosophy, history, and theology are needed in the workforce because passion and skill are important. However, it would seem reasonable—almost essential—for colleges and guidance counselors to be far more open about the real financial benefits of various degrees. After graduation, the return-on-investment discussion should not take place.
The stakes of this significant decision feel more like a financial crossroads than a matter of personal preference as a generation of graduates with $1.7 trillion in collective student debt watches this play out. A six-figure salary can pay off that debt in a few concentrated years if you choose the right field. If a person makes the incorrect choice, their monthly loan payments will continue to be a constant source of annoyance in their financial life well into their thirties. The degree is still important, but the specific degree is crucial.
