Key figures from the graphic
- Engineering has the highest return on investment of the 30 fields of study, $571K, followed by computer and information sciences ($477K) and mathematics ($341K).
- 21 fields have a positive return. History ($5K) and philosophy and religious studies ($6K) are only just above zero.
- Nine fields have a negative return, led by visual and performing arts (-$104K) and theology (-$92K).
- Return on investment here means a degree’s expected lifetime value, net of debt, compared with working after high school.
All figures are from the graphic, which cites CollegeNPV.
Degree return on investment by field, in text
Title: Which Degrees Are Worth the Most? Note: “A degree’s return on investment is its expected lifetime value (net of debt) compared to working after high school.” Each field is a bubble sized by its value: blue bubbles for positive returns, red and maroon bubbles below a white line for negative returns. Footer: Source: CollegeNPV. Voronoi by Visual Capitalist, “Where Data Tells the Story”, with App Store and Google Play badges.
The bubbles are arranged in a cluster, not in rank order. The table lists them from highest to lowest, with the exact values Voronoi published alongside the chart [1].
| Rank (our ordering) | Field of study | Return on investment on the graphic | Exact figure in the published dataset |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Engineering | $571K | $570,616 |
| 2 | Computer and Information Sciences | $477K | $477,229 |
| 3 | Mathematics | $341K | $340,875 |
| 4 | Engineering Technicians | $311K | $311,141 |
| 5 | Business | $205K | $205,191 |
| 6 | Architecture | $197K | $196,711 |
| 7 | Nursing and Health Professions | $195K | $194,756 |
| 8 | Physics, Chemistry, and Geology | $169K | $168,822 |
| 9 | Social Sciences | $118K | $118,454 |
| 10 | Interdisciplinary Studies | $70K | $69,656 |
| 11 | Biology | $64K | $63,913 |
| 12 | Agriculture | $60K | $59,556 |
| 13 | Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies | $43K | $42,959 |
| 14 | Legal Studies | $39K | $38,999 |
| 15 | Natural Resources and Conservation | $29K | $28,985 |
| 16 | Communication and Journalism | $29K | $28,654 |
| 17 | Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, and Firefighting | $27K | $27,284 |
| 18 | Foreign Languages | $26K | $25,750 |
| 19 | Public Admin. and Social Services | $8K | $7,787 |
| 20 | Philosophy and Religious Studies | $6K | $6,011 |
| 21 | History | $5K | $4,938 |
| 22 | Fitness, Parks and Recreation | -$1K | -$1,078 |
| 23 | Liberal Arts and General Studies | -$13K | -$13,337 |
| 24 | Psychology | -$16K | -$15,644 |
| 25 | Education | -$20K | -$20,075 |
| 26 | Family and Human Sciences | -$25K | -$24,540 |
| 27 | Communications Technologies | -$29K | -$28,911 |
| 28 | English Language | -$39K | -$39,057 |
| 29 | Theology | -$92K | -$91,749 |
| 30 | Visual and Performing Arts | -$104K | -$104,015 |
How CollegeNPV calculates the return
CollegeNPV estimates return on investment as a net present value [2]. It forecasts 40 years of cash flows, including expected income and student debt, and discounts them back to today’s money [2]. That value is weighted by the university’s completion rate, because students who do not finish may repay debt without the higher earnings of a degree, and is then compared with the estimated value of starting work straight after high school [2].
The main drivers it lists are the likelihood and timeframe of graduating, expected earnings against debt for graduates and non graduates, and the opportunity cost of not working while studying [2]. Its data comes from the Department of Education and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with expert judgement for some assumptions [2]. CollegeNPV explains that a program with a $50,000 return means a median student starting it is, in present value terms, $50,000 better off than if they had gone straight into work [2].
What Voronoi’s post adds
Visual Capitalist’s post describes engineering, computer and information sciences, mathematics and engineering technician degrees as the most valuable in the US on this measure [1]. For individual programs it names Harvard University’s computer science degree as first for return on investment on CollegeNPV, with an expected lifetime return of over $4 million, median income of $256,539 and median debt of $14,000 [1]. At the other end, it lists visual and performing arts, theology and English among the least valuable degrees by lifetime earnings [1].
Notes on this infographic
- The figures are averages for each field across US programs. Returns for a single college or program can be far higher or lower, as the Harvard example shows [1].
- A negative value does not mean graduates earn less than they paid. It means the expected lifetime value, net of debt and lost earnings while studying, is lower than working straight after high school, on CollegeNPV’s assumptions [2].
- Natural resources and conservation ($28,985) and communication and journalism ($28,654) both round to $29K on the graphic [1].
- The source CollegeNPV is a ranking site, and its estimates depend on its own forecasts of income and debt [2]. They are not official statistics.
Questions about degree return on investment
What degree has the best return on investment?
Engineering, at $571K on the graphic ($570,616 in the dataset), followed by computer and information sciences at $477K and mathematics at $341K [1].
Are degrees still worth it?
On CollegeNPV’s estimates, 21 of the 30 fields of study have a positive return compared with working after high school, and nine have a negative one [1]. The answer depends on the field, the program and whether the student completes it [2].
Which college majors have a negative return on investment?
Nine of the 30 fields of study have a negative return, led by visual and performing arts at -$104K and theology at -$92K. The others are English language, communications technologies, family and human sciences, education, psychology, liberal arts and general studies, and fitness, parks and recreation (-$1K). A negative value means the expected lifetime value, net of debt and lost earnings while studying, is lower than working straight after high school [2].
How is the return on investment of a college degree calculated?
CollegeNPV estimates a degree's return as a net present value, forecasting 40 years of cash flows, including expected income and student debt, and discounting them back to today's money [2]. It weights that value by the university's completion rate and compares it with the estimated value of starting work straight after high school [2]. Its data comes from the Department of Education and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with expert judgement for some assumptions [2].
Sources
- Visual Capitalist, Engineering Degrees Have The Greatest Return on Investment, Voronoi, 1 October 2024. The publisher’s post of this graphic, with the full dataset.
- CollegeNPV, College Ranking Methodology. The data source named on the graphic.
Last reviewed 30 October 2026
