These are the college degrees in 2025 that will make the most money in 5 years

Going to college in the U.S. has a hefty price tag, with the average cost coming in at $38,270 per year

A new study has identified the college degrees that will make the most money after five years in the workforce, with the best-paying jobs in engineering, computer science, and health industries.

Going to college in the U.S. has a hefty price tag, with the average cost coming in at $38,270 per year.

Analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics conducted by Student Choice has calculated the “Return on Investment” on degrees after five years in work after graduating to guide prospective students when making the tough choice of what to study.

The organization multiplied the average cost of college by four to get $153,080. It compared the figure against the median wage earned in each job after five years and multiplied it by 100 to calculate the return on investment percentage.

The best-paying jobs are in engineering, computer science, and health industries, the analysis found. (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

When ranking the most popular college degrees in 2024 by return on investment, majoring in engineering came out on top, with a return of 326.6 percent, according to the analysis.

A major in computer science and computer information technology was next at 310.3 percent, followed by nursing at 280.9 percent, accounting at 261.3 percent and biochemistry at 248.2 percent.

When ranking the most common occupations for each degree type with the highest return on investment after five years, computer and information system managers came in first place at 553.7 percent.

Going to college in the U.S. has a hefty price tag, with the average cost coming in at $38,270 per year. (AFP via Getty Images)

Advertising and marketing managers followed with a return on investment of 511.4 percent, then aerospace engineers at 427 percent, PR and fundraising managers at 426.2 percent, and software developers with a return of 425.1 percent.

Student Choice said that return on investment is just one aspect to consider when deciding what to study. “Practical factors such as student loan interest rates, loan deferment options, repayment models, and housing costs should be considered when choosing a degree and a loan,” the organization said.

“Our analysis of degrees with the best return on investment does not take these significant variables into account, so we urge you to make choices based on your specific situation.”

Student debt in the U.S. is a major issue and nearly 43 million Americans have federal student loan debt.