Report Ranks Bachelor's Degrees With Highest Salary Potential

IMAGE Miriam College 
Under K to 12, STEM is a key academic strand and schools have begun to beef up their programs. In Miriam College, for example, it recently inaugurated the Henry Sy, Sr. Innovation Center, which has eight labs for robotics, engineering, entrepreneurship, arts, and mathematics. 

Your child’s college education may be a long way yet, but it's never too early to start raising your kids to love science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). And here's a great motivator: STEM degrees, particularly engineering courses, will give your child the best shot at a comfortable life, according to a recent report in the United States.

The 2016-2017 College Salary Report from Payscale, an online company that provides salary, benefits and compensation information in the U.S., asked American survey respondents with bachelor’s degrees, who worked full-time in the U.S., about their current employment and salary. Researchers then analyzed the data and came up with a ranking with the top bachelor’s degrees holding the highest salary potential. 

What other parents are reading

How to Grow Your Child's College Fund if You Have P50k, P100k or P500k

The report shows that a few chosen fields definitely have higher salary potential than others. Almost all of the top 25 degrees, with the exception of Industrial Distribution and Government, fall under STEM, proof of its importance and relevance today. Engineering degrees, however, clearly dominate by taking 19 spots of the top 25.

First place goes to Petroleum Engineering with an early career (those first five years of working) pay of $96,700 (around P4.7 million) per year. Working in the field for more than 10 years can yield a salary of up to $172,000 (P8.3 million) per year. Petroleum engineers design and develop methods for extracting oil and gas, says the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Second place goes to Systems Engineering (with a mid-career pay of $121,000 or P5.8 million). Tied at third is Actuarial Science and Chemical Engineering (both with mid-career pays of $119,000 or P5.7 million). And, tied at fifth place is Computer Science & Engineering and Nuclear Engineering (both with mid-career pays of $116,000 or P5.6 million). 

Other degrees at the top 25 that might be familiar to Filipinos include: Aeronautical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Physics, Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering. Not in the top 25 but at 28th place is Mechanical Engineering as well.

What other parents are reading

6 Things We Know Now About the K to 12 and Senior High School

So where in the Philippines can you get bachelor’s degrees like these? Based on board exam passing rates in 2015 and this year, these are universities that offer the best engineering curriculums in the country: 

Electrical Engineering: University of Southeastern Philippines (Davao), Technological University of the Philippines and De La Salle Lipa (Batangas)

Top school for the degree: University of Santo Tomas with 71 out of 72 passed examinees

Mechanical Engineering: University of San Carlos (Cebu), Technological Institute of the Philippines, Mindanao State University and Batangas State University. Plus, University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle University

Top school for the degree: University of the Philippines (Diliman) with 14 out of 14 passed examinees

Aeronautical Engineering: Cebu Aeronautical Technical School, FEATI University (formerly Far Eastern Aeronautics School), PATTS (Philippine Air Transport and Training Services) College of Aeronautics (Parañaque), and Philippine State College of Aeronautics

Top school for the degree: Holy Angel University (Angeles City, Pampanga) with 14 out of 14 passed examinees 

Civil Engineering: Mindanao State University, De La Salle University, University of the Philippines (Diliman) and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. Plus, Mapua Institute of Technology and University of Santo Tomas 

Top school for the degree: University of the Philippines (Los Banos) with 27 out of 28 passed examinees 

Petroleum Engineering programs are offered in Palawan State University and Batangas State University. The Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree in the University of the Philippines (Diliman) allows students to choose actuarial science as a specialization.  

Payscale’s list includes 336 bachelor’s degrees. See the full list here. 

What other parents are reading

Here's How We Can Truly Help Our Kids Be Outstanding in School

Child Struggling in School? 5 Tips to Help Him Become an Achiever

Moms Share How They Got Their Homeschooled Kids to Love Science

3 Surprising Apps One Teacher Says Can Help Kids in School