Top 25 Earning College Degrees for Black Millennials

Chemical Engineering was the top earning degree for African Americans age 25 to 40 with an average salary of $84,415 according to an analysis of the 2019 Census Bureau ACS microdata sample. As a matter of fact six of the top earning degrees were engineering degrees including Mechanical, Computer, Civil, and General Engineering. Unfortunately none of the Engineering degrees made the top 20 list of degrees held by Black Millennials. Only 8,664 held Chemical Engineering degrees and 13,189 with Computer Engineering degrees.

However, eight other degrees are on the list of top 20 including Nursing with 115,567 Black millennial degree holders and General Business with 109,153. Others on the list include Biology, Accounting, Finance, Political Science and Government and Economics.

On the list of lowest earning degrees are several art and education degrees including Physical Education, Early Childhood Education, Drama, Theater, and Music. Social Work, Foreign Language Studies, Liberal Arts, and Mass Media also landed at the bottom 26 of the income the list on this post.

NOTE: this list did not include any degrees held by less than 6,200 African Americans age 25-40. So there are degrees who earned more that the top and less than the bottom. However it was important to compare degrees that a substantial amount of Black Millennials are represented as opposed to degrees with less representation.

FULL LIST (including degrees held by less than 6,200 Black Millennials)

Degree (top 25 list in bold)	Avg Income	Count
Materials Science	$155,165	121
Engineering And Industrial Management	$126,124	934
Physiology	$109,929	4,431
Applied Mathematics	$108,595	1,286
Clinical Psychology	$97,265	2,226
Nuclear Engineering	$94,367	1,119
Industrial And Manufacturing Engineering	$91,156	4,330
*Chemical Engineering*	*$84,415*	*8,664*
Atmospheric Sciences And Meteorology	$83,821	546
*Computer Engineering*	*$83,473*	*13,189*
Pharmacy Pharmaceutical Sciences And Administration	$81,864	7,441
Naval Architecture And Marine Engineering	$81,605	608
Biomedical Engineering	$80,721	2,791
International Business	$80,132	5,448
Pharmacology	$79,887	897
Health And Medical Preparatory Programs	$79,433	4,694
Nuclear, Industrial Radiology, And Biological Technologies	$79,012	941
*Electrical Engineering*	*$76,071*	26,583
Aerospace Engineering	$75,797	3,008
*Chemistry*	*$71,453*	*28,201*
*Mechanical Engineering*	*$70,665*	*16,851*
Neuroscience	$69,827	2,573
Oceanography	$69,525	284
Engineering Mechanics Physics And Science	$68,550	333
*Information Sciences*	$67,656	6,971
*Multi-Disciplinary Or General Science*	*$66,564*	26,471
*Computer Science*	*$66,288*	*54,949*
Management Information Systems And Statistics	$66,015	11,994
Industrial Production Technologies	$64,975	1,839
Educational Administration And Supervision	$64,523	2,332
*General Engineering*	*$63,568*	*21,024*
*Economics*	*$63,548*	*40,704*
*Biology*	*$62,979*	*97,200*
Materials Engineering And Materials Science	$62,575	508
Business Economics	$62,499	2,745
*Nursing*	*$62,028*	*115,567*
Forestry	$61,689	225
Engineering Technologies	$61,688	2,690
*Advertising And Public Relations*	*$61,598*	*15,088*
Miscellaneous Engineering Technologies	$61,473	5,646
Social Psychology	$61,414	1,369
*Computer And Information Systems*	*$61,282*	*30,265*
Architectural Engineering	$61,222	653
*Accounting*	*$61,116*	*83,658*
Mathematics And Computer Science	$61,072	461
*Finance*	*$60,827*	*52,458*
*General Business*	*$60,520*	*109,153*
Physics	$60,357	4,911
Animal Sciences	$59,774	3,915
Public Policy	$59,414	4,619
*Architecture*	*$59,356*	*11,060*
*Political Science And Government*	*$59,037*	*65,471*
*Medical Technologies Technicians*	$58,855	*7,288*
Computer Networking And Telecommunications	$58,849	3,392
Civil Engineering	$58,729	*9,317*
*Biochemical Sciences*	$58,705	*7,654*
Natural Resources Management	$58,261	1,900
Statistics And Decision Science	$58,227	1,627
Molecular Biology	$58,116	4,337
Electrical Engineering Technology	$57,858	3,721
Art History And Criticism	$57,730	2,245
*Journalism*	*$56,666*	24,495
International Relations	$56,512	6,188
Food Science	$56,316	2,701
Human Resources And Personnel Management	*$56,309*	*18,329*
*Area Ethnic And Civilization Studies*	*$56,235*	*12,920*
Philosophy And Religious Studies	$55,280	*6,786*
Science And Computer Teacher Education	$55,272	1,630
*Business Management And Administration*	*$55,259*	177,219
Computer Administration Management And Security	*$55,223*	8,525
Linguistics And Comparative Language And Literature	$55,016	3,728
Nutrition Sciences	$55,014	4,972
Communication Disorders Sciences And Services	$54,735	*7,577*
Miscellaneous Psychology	$54,509	4,103
Miscellaneous Biology	$54,417	1,401
Anthropology And Archeology	$54,394	*9,147*
*English Language And Literature*	$54,308	44,152
Treatment Therapy Professions	$54,282	*15,699*
*History*	*$53,737*	29,472
Electrical, Mechanical, And Precision Technologies And Production	$52,029	867
Health And Medical Administrative Services	$52,020	*27,618*
*Hospitality Management*	$51,971	11,910
Geology And Earth Science	$51,916	4,116
*Miscellaneous Business And Medical Administration*	$51,882	7,858
Educational Psychology	$51,825	1,234
*Fine Arts*	$51,803	20,784
Social Science Or History Teacher Education	$51,533	3,142
Cognitive Science And Biopsychology	$51,515	303
Marketing And Marketing Research	$51,508	52,014
Operations Logistics And E-Commerce	$51,104	4,908
*Communications*	$50,799	78,002
Ecology	$50,667	2,232
Transportation Sciences And Technologies	$50,621	4,125
Miscellaneous Social Sciences	$50,405	3,016
Mathematics Teacher Education	$50,350	2,383
Construction Services	$50,281	1,961
Mathematics	$50,237	16,622
*Psychology*	$49,872	172,290
*Criminology*	$49,395	8,136
Zoology	$49,134	1,927
*Special Needs Education*	$49,068	*7,521*
Sociology	$48,687	61,421
Computer Programming And Data Processing	$48,500	1,941
Intercultural And International Studies	$48,480	6,158
Environmental Science	$48,193	4,965
*Social Work*	$48,118	50,817
Genetics	$48,012	428
Counseling Psychology	$47,795	3,331
*Interdisciplinary Social Sciences*	$47,644	*7,097*
Film Video And Photographic Arts	*$47,316*	*7,098*
*Pre-Law And Legal Studies*	$47,244	*7,843*
*General Education*	$47,215	67,920
Language And Drama Education	$47,130	5,218
French German Latin And Other Common Foreign Language Studies	$46,997	9,791
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies	$46,833	2,051
*Criminal Justice And Fire Protection*	*$46,824*	121,371
Physical Fitness Parks Recreation And Leisure	$46,620	41,992
Family And Consumer Sciences	$46,599	20,328
Community And Public Health	$46,081	19,202
Miscellaneous Education	$45,991	3,254
*Elementary Education*	$45,873	25,533
*Human Services And Community Organization*	*$45,564*	11,325
*Miscellaneous Health Medical Professions*	$45,514	8,006
*Commercial Art And Graphic Design*	$45,319	27,694
Teacher Education: Multiple Levels	$45,291	2,814
Public Administration	$45,211	6,171
Liberal Arts	$45,207	32,206
Other Foreign Languages	$45,128	1,867
Mass Media	$44,908	26,635
Composition And Rhetoric	$44,637	3,304
*General Medical And Health Services*	*$44,391*	20,732
Communication Technologies	$44,229	6,168
*General Social Sciences*	$44,124	7,556
*Theology And Religious Vocations*	$44,020	6,569
General Agriculture	$43,953	3,459
Early Childhood Education	$43,952	11,139
Petroleum Engineering	$43,718	337
*Music*	$43,526	18,266
*Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies*	$43,394	*7,870*
Industrial And Organizational Psychology	$42,972	2,121
Plant Science And Agronomy	$42,874	843
Miscellaneous Engineering	$42,286	1,300
Studio Arts	$42,205	2,367
School Student Counseling	$42,039	1,803
Actuarial Science	$41,956	547
Art And Music Education	$41,540	5,918
Biological Engineering	$40,589	1,641
Geography	$40,568	3,939
Agriculture Production And Management	$40,173	1,774
Medical Assisting Services	$40,156	3,131
*Drama And Theater Arts*	$39,528	14,100
*Physical And Health Education Teaching*	$39,292	8,287
Secondary Teacher Education	$38,788	5,416
Library Science	$38,593	1,287
Microbiology	$37,624	3,865
Visual And Performing Arts	$36,419	5,923
Court Reporting	$36,268	2,105
Cosmetology Services And Culinary Arts	$35,389	6,862
Agricultural Economics	$35,133	956
United States History	$34,837	682
Botany	$32,787	366
Humanities	$31,263	3,464
Military Technologies	$29,789	342
Miscellaneous Fine Arts	$27,315	1,135
Geosciences	$26,642	483
Environmental Engineering	$21,800	128
Miscellaneous Agriculture	$3,000	96

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