Top Paying 4-Year Degrees

[logamus]

I have a CS degree

i didnt know valve gave out degrees.

[Miscue]

I never understood how starting salaries worked out like that. So, on average people bust out right from college and make that much? Because if say it's 50k, that means there's dudes making 60-70+ to even out the average with people inevitably making 25k or so - or they can't find a job, regardless of their degree. Who pays out that much to entry level workers?

I have to wonder if "starting" salary means within 3 years after graduating. Because obviously we don't all have jobs the moment we graduate.

[Miscue]

Ah! I think I see now.

"Based on the 2,300 offers covered in the current survey"

So these statistics are based on "offers." From the graduates who received an offer... who made the cut, that's what the average salary came out at. It does not mean that if you take random recent graduates, that on average their salary will be some amount. What it means is if you take at random someone who was given a job offer, then that's the average to expect. Numbers from people who actually found jobs in their field...

I think the average salary that the random student actually gets, is much much lower - since many do not get job offers. These numbers are deceptive.

[vf-xx]

Some industries have much cash, and some have to make up for the fact that they put you in the middle of nowhere.

When I was in a co-op I was making the equivelant of just over $40k / year working 4 - 10's.

And that was without a degree.

[Miscue]

Some industries have much cash, and some have to make up for the fact that they put you in the middle of nowhere.

When I was in a co-op I was making the equivelant of just over $40k / year working 4 - 10's.

And that was without a degree.

I've been discovering that there are well paying jobs that do not need degrees. If I had dropped out of college and became say a police officer - I would be making way more than I am now. I had no idea how much they can make. I think they normally start at like 42k or something. But they get 4% raise in 6 months, another 4% in 6 months, approximately 3% cost of living raise - and this is the first year. This works out to about 50k in two years. Once they are there 10 years, they get longevity pay, and I think it works out to up to 15% yearly salary increases. They can retire in 20 years and get paid 75% of their salary. With this in mind, I'm beginning to think it was a financially bad thing for me to go to school - or at least I could have postponed it, and they would have paid for it too!

One of the guys I'm working with is going from an IT supervisor to a police officer because of this - he will eventually be making more money that he ever could doing his current job and can retire sooner. I've been contemplating doing the same, but I really don't have much interest in it - so I probably won't.

[evildead420]

i got a degree @ Ex'pression Center for New Media in the Berkley area. majored in Comprehensive Science of Sound Arts, basically a recording engineer/Sound Design major. Cost like 50k to go there now, i went in when it was 32k. WAY better then Full Sail in Tampa/ FL area.

I grad in Late March but i still have to do my internship, looking like Live sound in the bay area. Maybe in the city @ a club or something. then i get my BA, after i do my GED.lol. i got 93 units out of 128 for cali. requirements for a BA. and i got it in less then 2 years. 20 months or something. pretty fast though, a semester a month!!!

paintball is my self employeed job so thats my first job, then live sound @ night will be my 2nd.

[logamus]

I've been discovering that there are well paying jobs that do not need degrees. If I had dropped out of college and became say a police officer - I would be making way more than I am now. I had no idea how much they can make. I think they normally start at like 42k or something. But they get 4% raise in 6 months, another 4% in 6 months, approximately 3% cost of living raise - and this is the first year. This works out to about 50k in two years. Once they are there 10 years, they get longevity pay, and I think it works out to up to 15% yearly salary increases. They can retire in 20 years and get paid 75% of their salary. With this in mind, I'm beginning to think it was a financially bad thing for me to go to school - or at least I could have postponed it, and they would have paid for it too!

One of the guys I'm working with is going from an IT supervisor to a police officer because of this - he will eventually be making more money that he ever could doing his current job and can retire sooner. I've been contemplating doing the same, but I really don't have much interest in it - so I probably won't.

it sups dont normally carry a gun and wear body armor on the job. keep that in mind.

[gimp]

I'd say those figures are accurate, for the starting salaries. The people who I know that graduated last year are making good money. They're either comp sci, comp sys, or EE. All but one person is making over 60 grand, right out of school. Most of them with no prior work experience at all. It's all about looking for a job. You have to start early. I'll graduate in May and I had an interview yesterday. I go to RPI, and I'll graduate with 2 degrees, one in Electrical Engineering, and one in Computer Engineering. It'd be nice if it just added the average 2 starting salaries up. That's like 100 grand to start.

[mjs1217]

I've been discovering that there are well paying jobs that do not need degrees. If I had dropped out of college and became say a police officer - I would be making way more than I am now. I had no idea how much they can make. I think they normally start at like 42k or something. But they get 4% raise in 6 months, another 4% in 6 months, approximately 3% cost of living raise - and this is the first year. This works out to about 50k in two years. Once they are there 10 years, they get longevity pay, and I think it works out to up to 15% yearly salary increases. They can retire in 20 years and get paid 75% of their salary. With this in mind, I'm beginning to think it was a financially bad thing for me to go to school - or at least I could have postponed it, and they would have paid for it too!

One of the guys I'm working with is going from an IT supervisor to a police officer because of this - he will eventually be making more money that he ever could doing his current job and can retire sooner. I've been contemplating doing the same, but I really don't have much interest in it - so I probably won't.

Here the police officers start off with a $35,000 salary. That, plus longevity pay after 5, 10, 15, and 20 years...Also, after 20 years, you get a retirement plan of half your last year's salary + 1.5% multiplier. So, retire when your 40, and do whatever you want with the rest of your life, even if it includes getting two paychecks.

I'm strongly considering becoming a police officer as soon as I get out of college, then after a while of that, open a Restaurant. It's been my plan to open up a night club or restaurant for quite a while, but I know how demanding the business can be, and I know how high the risk is, as well as the huge starting capital that is required. (Expect a thread about this soon, )

[paintballrulzs]

http://www.beanactuary.com/news/hotjobs.cfm

that website has the top for salaries, not starting but average. I think this is more important that out of college.

[gibby]

HAHA!! Miscue!! I was just like you really!! For me, while I was in school, I didn't really focus too much on what my GPA was. I don't consider myself an idiot for averaging a 2.8. I've seen plenty of 4.0 people who do great in school but are complete tools once they're out in the real world. I think a lot of times, the motivation wasn't there because what I was learning in class didn't apply to what I really wanted to do when I graduated.

My focus was to get into the game industry and they didn't have any courses that would focus on game development. The closest thing was a "Multi-Media" class and everyone got excited when I showed them an animated gif!!! I kid you not!!! I think a lot of times, if what I'm learning doesn't hold my interest or I feel like it's just pointless...I won't put much effort into it and I'll just get a grade that's passing and just move on.

I'm not saying that should be the overall attitude for everyone but for me, it worked out. At least my Quake skills at the time was top-notch!

[PyRo]

I've been discovering that there are well paying jobs that do not need degrees. If I had dropped out of college and became say a police officer.

Most if not all police departments require atleast some school, and you probably have a better chance of getting the job if you have been. I've been thinking about that as a possibilty, it seems like somthing I might enjoy doing. I've actually been meaning to call the recruiter for the state police and ask about it but just havnt' gotten around to it.
Plus the money isn't too bad and after 20 years you can retire on 50% salery I think it is, and the retirement isn't forced you can stay on longer if you choose.

Your right about making money without school. I could drop out and make 26k a year right now which would go up to about 55k in a few years, and if I started my own buisness there isn't a cap on what is to be made but probably 60-80.

[Miscue]

HAHA!! Miscue!! I was just like you really!! For me, while I was in school, I didn't really focus too much on what my GPA was. I don't consider myself an idiot for averaging a 2.8. I've seen plenty of 4.0 people who do great in school but are complete tools once they're out in the real world. I think a lot of times, the motivation wasn't there because what I was learning in class didn't apply to what I really wanted to do when I graduated.

My focus was to get into the game industry and they didn't have any courses that would focus on game development. The closest thing was a "Multi-Media" class and everyone got excited when I showed them an animated gif!!! I kid you not!!! I think a lot of times, if what I'm learning doesn't hold my interest or I feel like it's just pointless...I won't put much effort into it and I'll just get a grade that's passing and just move on.

I'm not saying that should be the overall attitude for everyone but for me, it worked out. At least my Quake skills at the time was top-notch!

I figure it this way: What is the point of education? One goal is to give you the knowledge you need for a career. (There's also the fruity idea of becoming "enlightened" and crap) What happens when it is not providing that? The school is failing the student. Universities and schools ARE fallible.

I can better determine what is good for my education than any university can. There is no curriculum more appropriate for me than one I carve out myself. I do not let school get in the way of my education.

Things I've thought to myself: How does writing this 10 page paper help me, and why must it be 10 pages for this 2-page topic? Why do I need to create a poster board? What is the point of memorizing all this stuff when someone went through the trouble of inventing the "reference manual?" How come my professor has no instruction in teaching - and how did I know that before I looked at his biography?

Why is my professor giving me a really dirty look in the middle of class after asking me where my book is (I paid for the class - he's an employee - I am a customer - I can do whatever the hell I want within the rules - and he can kiss my arse), and why is he angry with my explanation that I read the whole thing in the bookstore, and found it to be a waste money when I could write a better one? (Normally I would just tell them what they want to hear, but he was trying to embarrass me and I made him eat it.)

Why did I get an F on my presentation of DreamWeaver's Uninstall feature? I met all project requirements, and made a better looking webpage than my peers - who picked boring DreamWeaver features. What? I am not allowed to use objective Perl to make webpages you say? I HAVE to use DreamWeaver? You're going to MAKE me use it? FU.

My GPA would have been a lot better if I didn't get an F in MIS 101 (Learning MS Office), a D in intro to web design, and a D in Communications 101 - my transcripts are kind of humorous. Although I got an A in Electrical Engineering, A's in Calculus, etc.

In several classes, I calculated when I could stop showing up and pass with a C or D. What's the point in going when my graduation requirement has been satisfied? I HATED classes with attendance requirements and pop-quizzes. "Group discussion is part of the education process." Well, what am I learning when most of my classmates are tools? None of the tough classes ever had such a requirement - but the thing is, the material is demanding enough where I had to show up to keep up. An attendance requirement tells me that the material does not have sufficient substance such that you NEED to show up, regardless of the rules.

I think the professors that elect to have that requirement, are doing so out of ego - they want more people to listen to them so they can feel important... and I noticed that ones with that requirement often try to force their opinions on you, and they talk about their kids and stuff for a half hour every day. This is in stark contrast to 2 semesters of logic, where there was no book, and I filled up notebooks of material that came from the instructor's brain onto the whiteboard. She didn't chit-chat, she would watch the clock and start writing on the marker board when the second hand literally hit 12. She had EVERYTHING memorized - she was a bonafide genius, and it was a privilege to be in her class. I showed up everyday - I did not have to.

[gibby]

LOL!!! Wow...such the rebel! I liked the little bit about telling your instructor why you didn't buy the book. HAHA!

[Miscue]

LOL!!! Wow...such the rebel! I liked the little bit about telling your instructor why you didn't buy the book. HAHA!

I think that most people have the wrong idea about school, moreso than me being a rebel. There's a certain mythology and mysticism attached to "higher education," that society brainwashes people into thinking. It is so indoctrinated into people's minds that my point of view is blasphemous. I am pursuing a masters and possibly a PhD for this reason - it is potentially advantageous for me to do so because of the perception of their worth... and that is the real value... it has little to do with education.