undergradly.
Undergradly · Worth It?

Is this degree
actually worth it?

A straight answer for every major on the list — decision-oriented, not directory-style. Each page combines median earnings (Census PSEO, 1 / 5 / 10 years after graduation), median debt at graduation (College Scorecard), and labor-market projections (BLS 2024–2034) into a single verdict and an associate-vs-bachelor trade-off you can act on.

We aggregate across CIP codes and institutions to produce field-level numbers, then translate them into a plain-language verdict you can act on — worth it, worth it with caveats, or not for the cost.

Page 2 of 5
13–24
of 54 fields analyzed
Business
Worth it, with caveats

Marketing

Strong long-run earnings and a growing job market — but year-one debt pressure is real

Median earnings · 10 yr
$82,955
Median debt at graduation
$20,493
Employment growth · 2024–34 (blended)
+5.8%
Read the analysis →
Communication
Worth it, with caveats

Communication & Media

A functional degree that pays okay — once you figure out what you're actually doing

Median earnings · 10 yr
$68,531
Median debt at graduation
$20,578
Employment growth · 2024–34 · Public relations specialists
+4.8%
Read the analysis →
Computing
Worth it

Computer Engineering

Cleanest ROI case in the engineering dataset — software-developer hiring carries the field

Median earnings · 10 yr
$135,273
Median debt at graduation
$21,238
Employment growth · 2024–34 · Software developers
+15.8%
Read the analysis →
Computing
Worth it

Computer Science

One of the cleanest ROI profiles in the catalog — at the bachelor's level and up

Median earnings · 10 yr
$114,482
Median debt at graduation
$19,559
Employment growth · 2024–34 · Software developers
+15.8%
Read the analysis →
Computing
Worth it with caveats

Data Analytics

Strong long-run earnings and a broad destination map — but the data is thinner than the field feels

Median earnings · 10 yr
$148,888
Median debt at graduation
$21,795
Employment growth · 2024–34 · Management analysts
+8.8%
Read the analysis →
Computing
Worth it

Information Science

Strong tech-sector wages, near-zero debt risk, and a labor market growing four times faster than average

Median earnings · 10 yr
$88,743
Median debt at graduation
$20,701
Employment growth · 2024–34 · Software developers
+15.8%
Read the analysis →
Computing
Worth it, with caveats

Information Technology

Solid ROI, but the ceiling sits in specialized roles — not at the help desk

Median earnings · 10 yr
$80,495
Median debt at graduation
$16,812
Employment growth · 2024–34 (blended)
+5.8%
Read the analysis →
Education
Only if you love the work

Special Education

Mission-driven work with real earnings — but the job market is shrinking

Median earnings · 10 yr
$62,430
Median debt at graduation
$20,732
Employment growth · 2024–34 · Special education teachers, secondary school
-1.6%
Read the analysis →
Education
Only if you love the work

Teacher Education

A calling more than a career — the data is unambiguous about the trade-off

Median earnings · 10 yr
$58,670
Median debt at graduation
$19,366
Employment growth · 2024–34 · Elementary school teachers, except special education
-2.0%
Read the analysis →
Engineering
Worth it

Aerospace Engineering

Elite earnings and a specialized labor market with one crosswalk quirk

Median earnings · 10 yr
$126,089
Median debt at graduation
$19,891
Employment growth · 2024–34 · Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8%
Read the analysis →
Engineering
Worth it — with a grad-school or pivot plan

Biomedical Engineering

Strong ROI on paper, but the degree-to-job-title math is the tightest in engineering

Median earnings · 10 yr
$125,184
Median debt at graduation
$20,659
Employment growth · 2024–34 · Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8%
Read the analysis →
Engineering
Worth it

Chemical Engineering

Strong ROI at the bachelor's, but the "chemical engineer" title itself is barely growing

Median earnings · 10 yr
$132,274
Median debt at graduation
$19,337
Employment growth · 2024–34 (blended)
+3.7%
Read the analysis →