{"id":1829,"date":"2026-01-23T14:49:36","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T19:49:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salaryfor.com\/blog\/?p=1829"},"modified":"2026-04-07T09:26:42","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T13:26:42","slug":"most-in-demand-college-majors-2025-26-what-employers-want-and-what-they-pay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/most-in-demand-college-majors-2025-26-what-employers-want-and-what-they-pay\/","title":{"rendered":"Most In-Demand College Majors (2025\u201326) \u2014 What Employers Want and What They Pay"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>By <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/\">SalaryFor.com &#8211; real salaries for all professions<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Choosing a college major is about more than passion \u2014 it\u2019s also a key factor in your <strong>first job opportunities<\/strong> and early-career <strong>salary potential<\/strong>. Employers continue to show strong demand for graduates in certain fields, especially in business, technology, and engineering. Below, we explore the <strong>top majors employers are hiring for<\/strong> and how much those graduates typically earn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udd1d Top College Majors Employers Are Hiring For<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to employer hiring surveys, these majors are among the most sought after for new graduates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83e\uddd1\u200d\ud83d\udcbc 1. <strong>Accounting<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Employers value skills in financial reporting, analysis, and compliance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Typical starting salary:<\/strong> ~$66,700 regionally (Mideast averages) but can be higher nationally.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udcbb 2. <strong>Computer Science<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>One of the most-requested majors across industries.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Starting salaries:<\/strong> ~<strong>$80,700\u2013$83,000<\/strong> regionally, with national averages higher in some reports.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some salary surveys show computer science grads earning <strong>over $100,000<\/strong> on average nationally.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83e\udd16 3. <strong>Information Sciences &amp; Systems \/ MIS<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In demand for data systems, IT infrastructure, and analytics roles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Typical starting salary:<\/strong> ~$72,500 average regionally.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udcca 4. <strong>Finance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Core business major with strong employer demand in banking, investment, and corporate finance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Typical starting salary:<\/strong> ~$68,100 regionally.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udce6 5. <strong>Logistics &amp; Supply Chain Management<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Growing importance of efficient supply chains keeps this major in high demand.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Typical starting salary:<\/strong> ~$73,300 regionally.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udee0 6. <strong>Engineering (Multiple Disciplines)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Engineering majors remain among the most employable and highest paid for new graduates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Computer Engineering:<\/strong> ~$83,600 average regionally.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Electrical Engineering:<\/strong> ~$80,400+ regionally.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mechanical Engineering:<\/strong> ~$77,900 regionally.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>National data shows top engineering graduates often command <strong>starting salaries in the $80,000+ range<\/strong> and beyond.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udcc8 Other In Demand Majors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Business Administration\/Management<\/strong> \u2014 ~mid-$60,000s starting range.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Marketing<\/strong> \u2014 ~mid-$60,000s.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Human Resources<\/strong> \u2014 ~$69,700 regionally.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udcb0 Salary Snapshot: By Field and Category<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s how salaries generally stack up for graduates with bachelor\u2019s degrees:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udd39 <strong>Engineering &amp; Tech<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Engineering and computer science majors consistently appear at the top of salary charts. For example, petroleum and computer engineering graduates often have some of the <strong>highest starting salaries<\/strong>, typically in the <strong>$80,000+ range<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udd39 <strong>Business &amp; Finance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Business majors \u2014 including accounting, finance, and management \u2014 generally see starting salaries in the <strong>mid-$60,000s to low-$70,000s<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udd39 <strong>Overall Averages<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Across all majors, the <strong>average starting salary<\/strong> for the Class of 2024 was around <strong>$65,600\u2013$68,500<\/strong> nationally.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udcca Why Salary and Demand Matter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The choice of major affects not only <strong>how easy it is to find a job<\/strong>, but also <strong>how much you can expect to earn right out of college<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>STEM majors<\/strong> (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) generally lead to <strong>higher starting pay<\/strong> \u2014 often $80,000+ right after graduation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Business majors<\/strong> may earn slightly less early on, but still land strong opportunities due to broad employer demand.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fields like communications, humanities, and the arts traditionally start lower but can grow over time \u2014 though some non-STEM majors may begin closer to the low-to-mid $40,000s after graduation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83e\udde0 Beyond Major: Key Tips for Career Success<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While your major affects early pay and demand, employers also look for <strong>real-world experience and skills<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 <strong>Internships<\/strong> \u2014 practical experience can boost your job prospects and starting salary.<br>\u2714 <strong>Soft skills<\/strong> \u2014 communication, teamwork, and problem-solving remain critical across all fields.<br>\u2714 <strong>Skill certifications<\/strong> \u2014 especially in tech (e.g., data analytics, cloud computing) can enhance employability even outside traditional degree paths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udccd Final Takeaway<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If your goal is a strong job market entry and competitive salary, majors in <strong>engineering, computer science, and business\/finance<\/strong> remain some of the most in-demand by employers today. Investing in hands-on experience and industry-relevant skills alongside your degree can make the biggest difference in landing your first job and maximizing your earning potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/\">click here for more salary information<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By SalaryFor.com &#8211; real salaries for all professions Choosing a college major is about more than passion \u2014 it\u2019s also a key factor in your first job opportunities and early-career salary potential. Employers continue to show strong demand for graduates in certain fields, especially in business, technology, and engineering. Below, we explore the top majors [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,3],"tags":[3918,3919,3920],"class_list":["post-1829","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-careers","category-job-search-advice","tag-bests-college-majors","tag-highest-paying-college-degrees","tag-in-demand-degrees"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1829"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1829\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2475,"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1829\/revisions\/2475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1829"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1829"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}