13 College Majors That Lead to the Lowest Salaries
Not all college degrees lead to big salaries. The hard truth is, passion alone doesn’t pay the bills, and certain majors fall short financially, even decades after graduation.
In this gallery, you’ll see the college majors with the lowest earning potential, both early in your career and long after.
👉 Scroll or click through to see the lowest-paying college majors, and why it pays to think twice before picking one.
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Table of Contents
Worst College Majors for Salary: What the Data Says
A recent study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York used Census Bureau data to rank college majors based on actual earnings. Some degrees barely reach $60,000 a year, even after 20 years in the workforce.
That’s a serious problem if you’re taking on debt and expecting a strong return.
👉 Keep reading to see which degrees consistently lead to the lowest income.
Lowest Paying College Degree: Foreign Language
Graduates with a foreign language degree earn around $40,000 early in their careers and only $70,000 by mid-career. Even with bilingual skills, most jobs tied to this degree end up in teaching or administrative roles that don’t scale well in income.
Without pairing it with something like international business or law, the financial upside is limited.
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Worst Degree for Salary Growth: General Social Sciences
A general social sciences degree starts around $41,000 and maxes out near $75,000. That might sound okay, but with inflation and student debt, it doesn’t stretch far.
The degree lacks a clear job path, which often forces graduates into lower-paying roles or requires a second degree to level up.
College Major with Low Pay: Performing Arts
Performing arts majors earn about $41,900 early on and plateau around $70,000 later. Most performers juggle multiple gigs, side hustles, or underpaid teaching roles just to get by.
Unless you land a breakout role or teach at a conservatory, the odds of high earnings are slim.
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Lowest Income College Major: Anthropology
Anthropology majors typically earn $42,000 at the start and top out at $70,000 mid-career. Jobs in this field often require graduate school, but even then, salaries stay modest.
It’s a fascinating subject, but financially, the payoff rarely justifies the cost of the degree.
Worst Paying Education Degree: Early Childhood Education
Early childhood education majors earn around $42,000 early in their careers and only $49,000 even with experience. That’s one of the few majors where mid-career pay barely moves from where it started.
The work is important, but the pay is some of the lowest across all degree fields in America.
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College Degree with Poor ROI: Family and Consumer Sciences
Graduates with this degree start at $42,000 and only reach about $62,000 mid-career. Originally known as home economics, the field has evolved, but the pay hasn’t.
Job options are limited and often fall into public service roles or low-funded education programs, where raises are rare.
Low Salary College Major: General Education
A general education degree starts around $42,000 and reaches just $55,000 with experience. That’s after years in the classroom, lesson plans, parent calls, and unpaid overtime.
Unless you pursue a master’s or move into administration, this degree keeps you stuck at the bottom of the salary scale.
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Lowest Paying Science Degree: Miscellaneous Biological Sciences
This sounds technical but offers little specialization, which hurts earnings. Graduates earn $42,000 early on and reach $75,000 later, better than some, but not impressive for a science field.
Without advanced credentials, job prospects are vague and pay stays stagnant.
College Major with Low Earnings: Social Services
Early pay is around $42,000 and mid-career income barely reaches $54,000. These roles, counselors, case workers, community advocates, matter a lot, but the compensation doesn’t match the emotional and mental workload.
Burnout is high, and financial growth is slow.
We also made this related Video: Is College Still Worth It? Degrees And Student Loans Are Expensive
Worst Paying Liberal Arts Degree: Theology and Religion
Grads in this field start at $42,000 and only hit about $60,000 mid-career. Most jobs are tied to churches or nonprofits, where funding is tight and salary bumps are rare.
Even with advanced degrees, financial rewards remain modest.
Lowest Paying Arts Degree: Fine Arts
Fine arts majors earn $42,500 to start and top out at $70,000. The competition is brutal, job security is low, and steady income often comes from unrelated work.
Unless you break into commercial art or design, expect income to be unpredictable and inconsistent.
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Low Income STEM Major: Animal and Plant Sciences
It may sound like a STEM win, but salaries here stay low, $43,000 early career, $70,000 mid-career. Many grads work in agriculture, labs, or environmental work where margins are tight and advancement is slow.
It’s fulfilling work, but financially it falls short of other science tracks.
Education Degree with Lowest Pay: Elementary Education
Elementary education majors earn about $43,300 early in their careers and only reach $53,000 later. That’s with years of grading papers, managing classrooms, and meeting strict state standards.
It’s one of the most essential jobs in society, and still one of the worst paying.
College Degrees with the Lowest Return on Investment
It’s easy to fall for the idea that any degree will “pay off eventually.” That’s not always true. Some majors just don’t offer the income to match the time and debt they require.
If you’re choosing a low-paying degree, you need a strategy, grants, side income, or minimal loans. A college major can shape your future, but so can your paycheck.
Think smart, run the numbers, and pick a path that gives you more than just a framed certificate.
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