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The class of 1993: earnings and occupations by college major, 1 and 10 years after graduation.

Article Excerpt
People with a bachelor's degree typically earn more and are unemployed less often than people without a degree. But that's only part of the story.

Earnings and employment vary by field of major, and they change over time. Data from the U.S. Department of Education show, for example, that 1992-93 college graduates with a career-related major often earned more than those with an academically focused one.

This article analyzes data on the earnings and occupations of workers 1 and 10 years after college graduation, by field of major. The first section compares earnings across all majors. A second section highlights 11 degree fields and shows the most common occupations of workers who have a bachelor's degree in those fields. The final section suggests additional resources.

As you read the article, keep in mind that a number of factors affects earnings and occupations. Averages are presented here, but each individual's experiences may vary.

These data come from the Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study, produced by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The study follows a group of students who earned a bachelor's degree during the 1992-93 academic year and asks them questions about their employment experiences.

Earnings by major

Across all majors, earnings for the class of 1993 doubled between 1994 and 2003: On average, real earnings...

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