15 Worst-Paying College Degrees in 2011
The recent release of the annual list of the best-paying college degrees created a huge media splash. That's no surprise since it's the rare college students who don't want to make bank when they graduate.
If you missed my post on the best-paying college degrees, here it is:
20 Best-Paying College Degrees in 2011
What got short shrift, however, were the degrees that probably won't catapult you into a high tax bracket.
When you look at this year's list of the lowest-paying college degrees, which was provided to me by PayScale, it doesn't contain a lot of surprises. Three of the worst-paying degrees involve teaching or being involved in some way with children.
While I wasn't surprised that art and religious studies made the list, I was surprised to see multimedia and web design. Perhaps too many young people are getting into this field. And I assume they are competing with all the 15-year-olds, who can easily develop a website while playing Angry Birds and texting.
15 Worst-Paying College Degrees in 2011
Median Starter Pay Mid-Career Pay- Child & family studies $29,600 $40,500
- Elementary education $32,400 $44,000
- Social work $32,200 $44,300
- Culinary arts $29,900 $46,800
- Special education $34,300 $47,800
- Recreation & Leisure $34,500 $49,100
- Religious studies $32,900 $49,700
- Athletic training $34,600 $50,200
- Public health $35,500 $51,700
- Theology $35,600 $52,000
- Art $35,300 $52,400
- Art history $38,300 $53,300
- Paralegal/Law $35,300 $53,500
- Animal science $33,800 $53,700
- Multimedia/Web design $40,400 $53,900
Worst-paying college degree image by Liz (perspicacios.org).
Obscure Colleges That Produce Highly Paid Graduates
How Freshmen Pick Their Colleges
8 Reasons Not To Get a Business Degree