These 10 Colleges Prepare Students for Lucrative Careers in AI — Churning Out Graduates With $100,000+ Salaries and 100% Employability, New Report Reveals The average starting salary for a college graduate is about $58,862, but pursuing a computer science-related degree can change that.
By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas
Key Takeaways
- U.S. wages have stagnated since the 1970s, with productivity growing more than three times as quickly as earnings.
- As a result, most Americans don't think earning a four-year degree is worth it — but choice of major might have some sway.
The cost of college in the U.S. has almost tripled over the last 40 years, per Bankrate, with the average cost of tuition and fees for public four-year schools totaling just under $11,000 for in-state students and nearly $30,000 for out-of-state students for 2022-2023, according to recent research from College Board.
Meanwhile, U.S. wages have stagnated since the 1970s, with productivity growing more than three times as quickly as earnings, CNBC reported. The average college graduate's starting salary is about $58,862.
So it's perhaps not surprising that the majority of Americans (56%) believe earning a four-year college degree isn't worth it, per a poll from The Wall Street Journal and NORC at the University of Chicago. Naturally, many who opt for higher education might wonder which undergraduate majors and eventual careers will provide the most return on a significant investment.
Activities that account for up to 30% of hours currently worked across the U.S. economy could be automated by 2030, but generative AI has been enhancing certain fields — STEM, creative, business and legal — and may continue on that trajectory, per a report from McKinsey Global Institute.
Accordingly, college students interested in a career in AI might want to consider which degrees will make them the most employable.
Related: The AI Job Market Is Surging and Paying Up to $300,000 a Year. Here's How to Snag a Role.
A new study from software development company Vention, which analyzed the latest graduate employment data from the U.S. Department of Education, breaks that information down. Out of all 1,790 degrees related to computer science, 294 produced graduates who were employed both a year and four years after completing their studies, the research found.
Related: The Sooner You Get Your First AI Job, the Better for Your Career
Read on for Vention's full list of best-paying degrees for an AI career with 100% employability, ranked lowest to highest:
10. Truman State University
State: Missouri
Median earnings of graduates four years after completion: $86,551
9. South Dakota State University
State: South Dakota
Median earnings of graduates four years after completion: $89,959
8. Kettering University
State: Michigan
Median earnings of graduates four years after completion: $91,590
7. Baylor University
State: Texas
Median earnings of graduates four years after completion: $94,244
6. Lehigh University
State: Pennsylvania
Median earnings of graduates four years after completion: $94,982
5. Knox College
State: Illinois
Median earnings of graduates four years after completion: $95,399
4. Clarkson University
State: New York
Median earnings of graduates four years after completion: $104,005
3. Trinity University
State: Texas
Median earnings of graduates four years after completion: $108,840
2. Wake Forest University
State: North Carolina
Median earnings of graduates four years after completion: $114,622
1. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
State: California
Median earnings of graduates four years after completion: $181,838
