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 3 of 5
25–36
of 54 fields analyzed
Engineering
Worth it

Civil Engineering

Healthy debt and a stable paycheck — but the weakest growth story in engineering

Median earnings · 10 yr
$106,672
Median debt at graduation
$20,547
Employment growth · 2024–34 · Civil engineers
+5.0%
Read the analysis →
Engineering
Worth it

Electrical Engineering

Top-tier earnings and healthy debt — the labor market just isn't growing as fast as the paycheck implies

Median earnings · 10 yr
$126,121
Median debt at graduation
$19,979
Employment growth · 2024–34 (blended)
+5.3%
Read the analysis →
Engineering
Worth it

Mechanical Engineering

Among the cleanest ROI profiles in the entire undergraduate catalog

Median earnings · 10 yr
$119,489
Median debt at graduation
$20,250
Employment growth · 2024–34 (blended)
+4.0%
Read the analysis →
Healthcare
Worth it, with caveats

Health Administration

A platform credential — the real payoff is an MHA or a climb into the manager tier

Median earnings · 10 yr
$57,323
Median debt at graduation
$16,452
Employment growth · 2024–34 (blended)
+4.5%
Read the analysis →
Healthcare
Only if you love the work

Kinesiology & Exercise Science

Great field, poor credential match — the degree costs more than it pays back early

Median earnings · 10 yr
$69,282
Median debt at graduation
$19,620
Employment growth · 2024–34 (blended)
+9.2%
Read the analysis →
Healthcare
Worth it, with caveats

Medical Assisting

Solid entry into healthcare, but the credential question matters enormously

Median earnings · 10 yr
$53,773
Median debt at graduation
$12,432
Employment growth · 2024–34 (blended)
+10.8%
Read the analysis →
Healthcare
Only if you love the work

Mental & Social Health Services

The bachelor's is a stepping stone, not the finish line

Median earnings · 10 yr
$53,351
Median debt at graduation
$17,959
Employment growth · 2024–34 (blended)
+8.2%
Read the analysis →
Healthcare
Worth it

Nursing

Nursing delivers rare clarity: strong pay, low debt, real demand

Median earnings · 10 yr
$89,753
Median debt at graduation
$17,310
Employment growth · 2024–34 · Registered nurses
+4.9%
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Healthcare
Worth it, with caveats

Public Health

A dispersed field — the real payoff is a master's, not a bachelor's

Median earnings · 10 yr
$73,609
Median debt at graduation
$20,300
Employment growth · 2024–34 (blended)
+13.4%
Read the analysis →
Healthcare
Worth it, with caveats

Rehabilitation Therapies

Strong outcomes — but only if you commit to the full credential stack

Median earnings · 10 yr
$75,907
Median debt at graduation
$21,533
Employment growth · 2024–34 (blended)
+10.8%
Read the analysis →
Healthcare
Worth it with an MSW

Social Work

An MSW-anchored field — the bachelor's alone is soft, but the master's tier actually works

Median earnings · 10 yr
$57,637
Median debt at graduation
$19,980
Employment growth · 2024–34 · Child, family, and school social workers
+3.4%
Read the analysis →
Healthcare
Worth it, with caveats

Speech-Language Pathology

Strong demand, but a bachelor's alone won't get you into a clinic

Median earnings · 10 yr
$69,578
Median debt at graduation
$20,325
Employment growth · 2024–34 (blended)
+16.2%
Read the analysis →